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summer heat and warm nights appear to induce in these trees debility which renders 
them a prey to insects. Like so many of the trees mentioned in this article, they 
require, for healthy development, a fairly hard winter. 
Amongst the coniferse, the pines at once occur to us, and I am sorry that the 
scope of this article does not allow me to deal with them fully. But no collection 
of trees is complete without some of these beautiful and deliciously aromatic trees. I 
have already referred to them in speaking of the She-Oaks. The best of the pines are 
the heritage of the cold districts, but Araucaria and Agathis (otherwise Dammara) are 
at their best only in the warmer coast districts. The coniferae include the cypresses, 
some of the most lovely members of the vegetable kingdom ; Cryptomeria japonica and 
Sequoia, also Abies and Picea, must be selected for special mention. 
In a strict scientific classification the Taxacese are kept apart from the true 
coniferae, and they include the beautiful maiden-hair tree (Ginkgo), Phyllocladus and 
Dracrydium (well developed in New Zealand), Podocarpus elata, our beautiful and 
useful she or brown pine ; Prumnopitys, the plum pines closely allied to Podocarpus, 
and very beautiful and umbrageous, together with a few others less known. 
Just a brief word about Palms. If I am destined to be remembered in Sydney 
about a particular kind of tree, it will probably be palms. For many years I held the 
opinion that enough was not made of that feathery-leaved, graceful, tropical-looking 
plant, the palm. But a very grave responsibility rested on the man who recommended 
a palm for street planting. The railway station palm (Washin<jtonia) will not do. It 
grows too rapidly, and presents a long bare stem with a poor top. 
My choice fell on the Canary Islands Palm (Phoenix canariensis). Time will 
show what faults it may develop, but it is certainly hardy, and is beautiful at all ages 
within the tests applied. It is comparatively free from disease, does not mature too 
rapidly, stands strong winds splendidly and so is an acquisition for the coast belt, even 
very close to the sea, a very trying situation. A specimen tree of about 35 years of age 
can be seen in the Botanic Gardens, and I have no doubt it will look well and not be 
too large for street planting at fifty years. With the inevitable changes in modern 
cities it is not unreasonable, if necessary, to ask for the street trees to be replanted 
twice in a century. Those who desire to see this beautiful palm under avenue 
conditions will see it in the Centennial Park and Macquarie-street. I believe that it 
may be extensively planted as an avenue tree in the Sydney suburbs and along the 
coast without any fear of producing monotony, and I am perfectly certain that when 
private citizens and public bodies see well-grown palms they will desire to plant more of 
different species and varieties. They will add a graceful decorative note to the 
vegetation of Sydney that it very much lacks. 
