cuttings from branches of young seedling plants. They all 
show, in varying degree, the linear-spreading leaves arranged in 
a spreading instead of a flat spray, which is the condition we 
commonly know as juvenile foliage. This foliage much resembles 
the foliage of common Juniper (Juniperus communis) and also 
the foliage which develops on both a young Red Cedar 
(Juniperus Virginiana) and on a diseased branch of the same 
species even though it be an old tree. In all cases the Retinis- 
pora foliage is marked with white areas below and not above as 
in Juniperus except in Retinispora squarrosa, which is uniformly 
bluish or grayish on all sides and is really an exact reproduction 
of the seedling foliage of its parent Chamaecyparis pisifera. 
The foliage is fluffy in appearance and arranged in a spreading 
spray. In the variety Retinispora squarrosa, the juvenile foliage 
will remain constant as long as the plant lives, but in a seedling 
Cliamaecyparis pisifera this young foliage will later change to 
the dark green leaves of the mature plant and these leaves will be 
arranged in a flat spray with distinct white areas beneath. In 
the catalogs we note the term Biota orientalis. Biota is the 
trade name for the oriental Thuya or Arborvitae. There are 
hundreds of fascinating little characteristics and differences 
among the Evergreens that intrigue the close observer. A real 
Abies (Fir), for instance, is deciduous at the base, that is the 
leaves drop off at their base leaving a smooth bark. But the 
leaves of Picea (Spruce) are deciduous above the base, leaving 
a rough leaf scar. The Juniperus Virginiana, as well as most 
other Junipers, is dioecious (sexes on separate plants) which 
accounts for the fact that only some trees bear the beautiful 
berries. Taxus baccata and Taxus cuspidata are also dioecious 
though Taxus Canadensis is not. If you grow a Taxus from a 
cutting taken from a lateral branch, you will get a spreading 
form; if the cutting is taken from the terminal branch, the 
"leader," you will get an upright form. These seemingly 
extraneous statements are inserted merely to show the unlimited 
number of interesting facts that give one a definite satisfaction 
in the recognition of a plant, a recognition that is based on some- 
thing more than a casual association with the plant's position 
in the grounds, or a hazy guess that can formulate no convincing 
proof when the plant's individual habit of growth, due to 
environment, soil, moisture, etc., make it appear different from 
the ideal type or the particular specimen with which one has 
become familiar. 
ABIES (FIBS): 
Flat, blunt leaves, set singly, deciduous at the base, leaving twigs 
smooth. Cones standing erect or approximately erect. 
Abies balsamea (Balsam fir): 
Leaves pale beneath. Balsamiferous buds. Does not thrive in culti- 
vation, but is very beautiful in woods. Good for Christmas tree 
because it does not drop its leaves quickly. 
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