JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
334 
except its leader. It is a distinct and fine form, hardy and orna¬ 
mental. Abies PattoDiana, a free and graceful form of the Hem¬ 
lock Spruce, Cedar-like in growth and most elegant, was 9 feet 
high ; the young leaves being glaucous and the old leaves green, 
gave to the specimen a singular appearance. A. Douglasii glauca 
and A. Nordmanniana aurea, distinct forms of these two noble 
Firs, were both fine, Cupressus Lawsoniana intertexta near them 
contrasting effectively by its distinct, weeping, and most elegant 
growth. We now come to Abies concolor, which is considered by 
some authorities to be synonymous with A. lasiocarpa, but Mr. 
Van Geert is not one of them. Although he speaks highly of 
Messrs. Veitch’s new work on the Coniferas he cannot ignore the 
testimony of his plants, and the stocks of both at Calmpthout are 
clearly enough distinct. The leaves of the former differ both in 
colour and arrangement from those of the other, being arranged 
all round the branches, and not pectinate as in C. lasiocarpa. 
Along every younz growth of this a pencil could be laid without 
touching a leaf, but it was impossible to do anything of the kind 
with the plants of A. concolor. Both, however, are among the 
finest and hardiest of the North American Silver Firs, and form 
noble lawn ornaments. Abies orientalis, or, as known in this and 
many other nurseries as A. Witmanniana, 20 feet high. This is 
a very hardy and beautiful Spruce ; its early growths are bright 
yellow, and as the colour changes slowly the tree has a distinct 
and attractive appearance for a long time. Picea grandis and 
P. amabilis have both been injured by the intensity of the frost. 
P. siberica, 16 feet high, is attractive by its fine rich green, but 
this species produces its young growth so early that it is occasion¬ 
ally injured by frost. P. Pinsapo glauca is compact in habit and 
very beautiful. Abies nigra pumila is also very dense and very 
dark ; but A. Menziesii is not proving satisfactory, as the trees 
after they attain a fair size lose so many leaves. 
It is gratifying to notice how admirably the Retinosporas have 
endured the severity of the frost. Not a spray appears to have 
been injured, and henceforth these elegant Conifers may be 
planted without fear. There are thousands of plants in varied 
heights, a specimen 15 feet high of R. plumosa being very beau¬ 
tiful. R. p. argentea, 10 feet high, has a singular appearance, as 
the bottom of the specimen is of the normal form, only the upper 
portion being variegated, the growth being regular throughout. 
All the other sorts of Retinosporas are similarly fresh and healthy, 
and their ornamental character is well displayed. Thuiopsis 
borealis pendula is one of the best varieties of the species, and 
T. b. compressa attracts notice, it being more dwarf and dense 
than the variety compacta. T. dolabrata is largely grown, and 
has received no injury. It is not generally known that this is 
one of the finest room and corridor plants in existence ; but that 
it is I shall be able to adduce sufficient testimony, but not 
gathered in Belgium. Thuias have also passed the wintry ordeal 
well. All the popular forms are included in the collection, but 
none was more attractive than a grand specimen of T. Wareana, 
bearing thousands of small yellowish cones. Only one form of 
Cryptomeria japonica has escaped destruction—namely, the variety 
compacta, and it is fresh, green, and healthy, the specimen being 
14 feet high. All the Hollies were cut to the ground, and most of 
the Yews were killed. One of them, however, Taxus cuspidata, 
the true Japanese Yew, as received direct from Siebold, has not 
had a leaf discoloured ; the best specimen is 5 feet high, hand¬ 
some in form, and as green as grass. Mr. Van Geert says the 
excellent habit of this Yew is only maintained by taking the 
graft from leaders ; if side growths are used a spreading and 
less attractive habit is assumed by the shrubs. The distinct T. 
Dovastoni has only been slightly injured ; and a number of plants 
grafted with the Golden form—a new variety not yet in commerce 
•—have survived. When these are established the specimens will 
resemble golden umbrellas. Torreya myristica (the Californian 
Nutmeg) has proved quite hardy, and when well grown and 
covered with fruits it is very ornamental. Amongst the Junipers 
J. procumbens merits notice. It rarely exceeds 9 inches in height, 
and is grown for covering banks in hot sunny positions. 
There are many more noteworthy Conifers, but one only can be 
alluded to—namely, the new variety exhibited this year for the 
first time by Mr. Van Geert, under the name of Pinus commutata 
argentea, and which secured the first prize at the Antwerp Exhi¬ 
bition in the class for new plants raised from seed. A similar 
award was also unanimously granted to it the week following at 
the Chow of the Royal Linnean Society held in Brussels. The 
plants exhibited were like frosted silver with a blueish tint, and 
the stocks in the nursery had passed the winter scatheless. The 
demand for them, however, was great, and all the best are pro- 
bably gone now. It is quite distinct from P. Englemanni as 
grown in this nursery, the latter having much longer and irre¬ 
gular leaves, and was, moreover, much injured by frost. This 
[ October 13, 1881. 
new and decidedly attractive Silver Fir is a variety of great 
promise and an acquisition. 
Too brief must be the reference to some other occupants of 
these nurseries. The different varieties of Tulip Trees demand 
attention. Liriodendron tulipifera aurea marginata has grand 
foliage, clearly margined with bright gold, producing a splendid 
effect. L. t. integrifolia has noble foliage, and the trees possess 
the valuable property of flowering when 4 or 5 feet high. L. t. fas- 
tigiata is remarkable in having the close upright growth of the 
Lombardy Poplar. These varieties were raised here, and have 
survived the winter with impunity. Sambucus nigra punctata is 
a small-leaved Elder, which seen at a distance resembles a mass 
of white flowers. The more the shoots are pinched the whiter are 
the succeeding growths, many of the tips being pure white. 
Large bushes kept in form by pinching have a remarkable effect, 
and would afford a striking contrast in public parks and private 
pleasure grounds with the surrounding greenery. Cornus siberica 
alba marginata is undoubtedly one of the finest of variegated 
shrubs ; the foliage is not burnt by the sun in summer, nor are 
the shrubs injured by the most severe frost. The Japanese Wal¬ 
nut, Juglans japonica, commands notice by its grand leaves ; it is 
far more imposing than the English Walnut, but the trees have 
not yet fruited. Oaks with splendid foliage, such as Quercus 
magnifica rubra, Q. macrocarpa, and others ; weeping trees of 
all kinds, and not a few rarities add to the beauty and diversified 
character of the grounds ; but only one more plant can be par¬ 
ticularised—not because it is rare, but because of its splendid con¬ 
dition. As seen grown in pots for balcony decoration and in 
shrubberies in England Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora is often 
fine, but as seen in this deep alluvial soil it was magnificent. A 
correspondent lately referred to the improved condition of plants 
that had been cut down by the frost. Those now under notice 
had been similarly cut down, and produced growths as thick as a 
man’s finger, each terminating with a head of flowers as large as 
a moderate-sized bee hive, but more pointed. One plant had 
forty-three of these trusses and was grand. Let beds be made for 
this Hydrangea distant from large deciduous trees that deprive 
the soil of its fertility; let the ground be deeply trenched and 
well enriched, the plants cut down annually and the beds regu¬ 
larly dressed with manure, and a far different and far finer effect 
will be produced by this plant than many people dream of. If 
such results can be produced as those referred to my “ day in the 
country ” will not have been spent in vain, and this tedious 
description will be excusable. 
I may add that the land in these nurseries is kept in a high 
state of fertility without the aid of farmyard manure. Every 
vestige of vegetation is saved, all the clippings of hedges, leaves, 
&c., being carefully collected. A covered tank is provided, and a 
shelf above for jars of chemicals. The natural components of the 
soil being ascertained, and elements necessary for the growth of 
the trees and Conifers understood, the necessary fertilisers are 
thrown in the tank, and in due time the contents are poured on 
the heaps periodically. The compost is not spread on the ground 
and dug-in, but is spread in every hole before a tree is planted. 
Nothing could be more satisfactory than the bushy fibres that are 
retained close to the stems, thus rendering transplanting as safe 
as possible, while the shrubs and trees are in the best health and 
colour. This “ practice with science ” routine has proved its 
value by many years of experience, and is not the least note¬ 
worthy feature of Calmpthout.—J. Weight. 
N0m»GLEPNGS. it 
At a General Meeting of the Royal Horticultuhal Society 
held on Tuesday last, Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., in the 
chair, the following candidates were duly elected Fellows of the 
Society—viz., James Alexander, William Armit, C. T. Buckland, 
Mrs. Cotton, H. Barri Crawshay, C. Herbert Curtis, Charles Digby 
Harron, A. A. James, E. R. Kesterton, Mrs. M. Macartney, Capt. 
F. L. Philp, Miss Russell, Mrs. Mayow Short, George Todd, 
Edmund Tonks. 
- On Tuesday last, after the meeting of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society’s Fruit and Floral Committees, Sir Trevor Law- 
