52 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Apiiil 24, 1S60. 
in a parallel vvitli the use of broken classical ornaments in rude 
roekwork. 
We have glanced at a few of the strange modes of procedure 
in forming rockworks, let us now offer our advice to those pur¬ 
posing to do so. In the first place, determine exactly the scene 
which you would like to create. Secondly. Take care to have fit 
and proper materials for its accomplishment, for without this 
precaution all your efforts will not succeed. If you use small 
materials, you may pile for ever, but will not produce a mass, 
but only an aggregation of globules. 
Spiral-shaped trees are very effective, such as the Cypress. 
Yuccas also look remarkably well. Ferns, if planted in a bed of 
peat, will here luxuriate, while the Hypnum Mosses will be 
beautiful. The double-flowering Furze is a beautiful plant, and 
for a back the scarlet-flowering Thorn, 
It would, perhaps, bo saying too much to insist on your 
rockery being in a dell; but if such is in existence pray form it 
there. There it will be an appropriate episode, its rough pin¬ 
nacles and projecting points will not clash with the more quiet 
beauties of the smooth shaven lawn with its classical vases, 
fountains, and arcades. But it will be a most agreeable contrast 
to them—a whole in itself, and add much to the variety and in¬ 
tricacy of your place. 
Those who may contemplate the formation of such rockeries 
would do well to pay a visit to Devonshire, the lanes there give 
ample instructions and lessons on the stratifications of the rocks— 
lessons which may be learned with much advantage; and the 
picturesque, and, in many instances, grotesque rocks which lie 
scattered over Dartmoor give the most finished illustrations of 
! grouping those immense blocks. IIenky Bailey, Nuncham. 
ABIES WILLTAMSONII. 
We consider ourselves fortunate 
in being able to present our readers, 
thU month, with a drawing of this 
beautiful new hardy Conifer, from 
a sketch made by the artists con¬ 
nected with Lieutenant Williamson’s 
late expedition to the Pacific. The 
specimen which our engraving repre¬ 
sents was growing in the Cascade 
range of mountains, between latitude 
45° and 46°, near the Columbia 
river; and as it grows in company 
with Picea amcibilis and P. grandis , 
which stand out hardy in Mr. Sar¬ 
gent’s grounds atWodenethe (North 
America) and other places, there 
can be little doubt of its proving 
entirely hardy hero. 
Dr. Newberry, the botanist who 
has described and named it, speaks 
of it as being one of the finest of 
the genus. It is the most Alpine of 
all the Firs, growing near the region 
of perpetual snow. Its usual height 
is about one hundred feet, with an 
irregular spreading, and remarkably 
graceful habit. The annexed cuts 
exhibit the botanical characters of 
its leaves, cones, scales, seed, &c. 
The following is Dr. Newberry’s 
description: “A tree of large size 
and alpine habit; leaves short, acute, 
compressed,with a lenticular section. 
Cones pendant, long ovoid, acute, 
1) inch long, purple while young, 
when old cylindrical or somewhat 
conical, with a flattened base; scales 
rounded, entire, large, in old cones 
strongly reflexed, except at the base 
of the cones ; seed small, ovoid, 
black, wings elliptical, entire, pel¬ 
lucid ; male flowers in small, nearly 
spheroidal small heads.” 
Wo find that in some English 
works they speak of A. William- 
sonii, or Merlensiana. But this 
is evidently a mistake, perhaps ori¬ 
ginating in [the Edinburgh Phi¬ 
losophical Journal. Bongai'd, the 
