1878. J 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
21 
Small Evergreens for Small Places. 
Under the heading here given, we, in November 
last, called attention to the folly of planting ever¬ 
greens, which in a few years will become forest 
trees, in front yards, on small lawns, or other 
places were the trees, when even half grown, will 
is such that the well-developed tree will be too 
large, do not plant it. There is no greater fallacy 
than that which leads to the crowding a place with 
young trees, for immediate effect, with the idea of 
cutting out the superfluous ones when they become 
crowded. The idea is a capital one—the trouble is, 
people will not carry it out. If one who has planted 
the trees really loves them, and has no place to 
from the typical form of the species, that the quick 
eye of the cultivator will notice it, and set it apart 
from the rest to test its merits. The Norway Spruce 
(Abiesexcelsa), being here and abroad one of the most 
popular of evergreens, has been largely raised from 
seed, and has, of course, produced a number of 
seedlings so strikingly unlike the usual form, that 
they have been continued in cultivation. The cata¬ 
be found altogether too large for the situation. An 
example of this is to be seen in a village through 
which we frequently pass. The front area, scarcely 
10 feet wide, hardly merited the name of a yard. 
Years ago this space had been ornamented by two 
little White Pines, and very prettily they looked, no 
doubt; for it is difficult to find a more graceful 
little tree than a well-grown White Pine about five 
or six feet high. But these pines would not stay 
6mall, and when we first knew them, had grown as 
tall as the brick house, against which they stood in 
a sort of halved state, for their branches could not 
develop in that direction, and there they stood, two 
great green fans, quite hiding the house and shut¬ 
ting out light and air from the windows. Recently 
this, as sooner or later happens to all this ill-advised 
tree-plauting, came to an end, and these trees, set 
out with so much care, and regarded fora few years 
with so much interest, are now kindling wood. 
In these winter days, when all prudent planters 
are thinking over their plans for next spring—and 
by planters we include those whose grounds are 
measured by square yards and rods, as well as those 
who reckon by acres, the smaller places requiring 
much more thought than the large ones—it is all 
important to look beyond the immediate effect, and 
consider what will be the condition of the trees 10 
or 20 years hence—not only with respect to ever¬ 
greens, but to deciduous trees also. Those not 
well acquainted with trees, can readily learn from 
books the size to which the different kinds will 
reach when full grown, and if the size of the place 
which he can transplant his surplus, he will hesitate 
to put the axe to those of which he has watched the 
growth for several years, and though his judgment 
tells him that it will be better for those that remain 
to cast out one half, in fall he puts off the cutting 
until spring, and in spring he finds a ready excuse 
for postponing it until the next fall, and 60 it goes 
on, the trees grow up as a thicket, and the beauty 
of the whole is spoiled. It is easy to find examples 
of this mistake in all parts of the country. Fortu¬ 
nately for owners of small places, there are trees 
especially suited to them. If they put off their 
selection until planting time, and then send off a 
hurried order, they are likely to be dissatisfied with 
the results; but if one begins well beforehand, and 
devotes the time to it that is due to an undertaking, 
the results of which are to last for a life time, and 
for many years to come are to be a source of pleas¬ 
ure, or its opposite, to not only himself but his 
neighbors and the stranger who passes by, there 
will be no difficulty in finding both deciduous and 
evergreen trees and shrubs exactly suited to his 
place, however small or large it may be. In the 
article in November, we mentioned some of the 
most desirable small growing evergreens. In look¬ 
ing about our own grounds to see what evergreens, 
after ten years planting, seem to us the most ser¬ 
viceable for 6mall places, we find two of the Nor¬ 
way Spruces to possess most excellent qualities. 
In nurseries, where evergreens are raised from the 
seed by thousands, or millions each year, an occa¬ 
sional seedling will be found, which is so different 
logues give some 20 named varieties; some of these, 
like monsters among domestic animals, should have 
been squelched at birth ; but among them are forms, 
which for certain uses are far superior to the usual 
one. The variety called Oregoriana, or Gregory’s 
Spruce, was a shapely little tree when ju6t out 10 
years ago ; it is not now so tall as one’s head, and a 
model of sturdy vigor, it being very dense with 
branches, upon which the leaves are smaller than 
in the ordinary form, and of a somewhat bluish 
green. There is nothing dwarfed or stunted in its 
appearance, but it manages to keep obligingly 
small, and grow but slowly. Another variety of the 
Norway is called Conica, or the Conical Spruce. 
This we have not had so long as the other, and can 
not compare the two for rapidity—or rather slow¬ 
ness—of growth. This, of which we give an engrav¬ 
ing, has remarkably Upright branches, while those of 
Gregory’s Spruce are spreading ; its leaves are lon¬ 
ger, and of a lively yellowish green. Messrs. Sami. 
B. Parsons & Soiis, Kissena Nurseries, Flushing, 
(L. I.,) N. Y., from whom ours was procured, state 
that it is one of the most popular of all the small 
evergreens. We are not surprised that this should 
be so, as its exceedingly neat and compact, habit, 
and its pleasing color, joined to a very dwarf 
stature, all make it a desirable small evergreen 
for small places. Those who care for oddities will 
be gratified with the variety of the Norway Spruce 
known as pendula, or Weeping Norway Spruce. 
Our specimen has been growing some 6 or 7 years, 
and does not appear to have increased much in 
