HARDY EVERGREEN TREES. 
By the enterprise of amateurs and nurserymen there 
have been introduced from Europe, Asia and Africa a 
collection of trees which now beautify many homes in 
this country. The lack of the knowledge required to 
select those adapted to our northern climate; I think, 
has discouraged a more general planting of' rare and 
beautiful trees. Esperience has shown us that a se¬ 
lection may be made, embracing specimens from nearly 
all parts of the world, that prove hardy north of the 
latitude of New York city. I would call attention to 
the following, which have proved hardy with me: 
Abies, the Spruce .—Abies Alcocquiana, from Spain, a 
remarkably beautiful tree, very compact, conical 
growth, foliage pale-green, silvery underneath, some 
of the branches growing upright show the beautiful 
variegated foliage, of silver and green, which makes 
this one of the most beautiful Evergreen trees known. 
Abies polita, a rare and beautiful tree from Japan. 
Its habit of growth is upright and compact, and has 
rigid, sharply-pointed leaves of a charming green color, 
very distinct. 
Abies pungens, known also as Abies Parryana, and 
Abies Engelmanii, Colorado Blue Spruce, one of the 
most beautiful of the Spruce family. 
Abies orientalis .—This fine Evergreen tree is from the 
coast of the Black Sea. Remarkable for its graceful 
habit, branches slender, thickly covered with short, 
deep-green leaves; distinct and beautiful. 
Abies obovata, from the mountains of northern Eu¬ 
rope. This beautiful conifer is slender in all its parts, 
its branches well covered with short, bright-green 
leaves; it is exceedingly handsome. 
The following are varieties, and different forms of 
Abies exeelsa: 
Abies exeelsa aurea, a choice variety of dwarf, com¬ 
pact habit, strongly marked with gold. 
Abies finedonensis, a striking variety of dwarf, com¬ 
pact habit; leaves on the upper side of shoots, straw 
color, changing to a bronze in autumn; a novelty of 
merit. 
Abies columnens .—This variety is as upright as the 
Lombardy Poplar; very distinct and handsome. 
Abies conica, a beautiful, cone-shaped variety, very 
dense in its growth and distinct. 
Abies Cranstoni, a distinct dwarf variety, compact. 
The leaves are short and of a very bright-green color. 
Abies elegans. —Dwarf, conical in shape; leaves of a 
bright-green color, compact and beautiful. 
Abies numalis .—Distinct and fine; a bushy variety of 
much beauty. 
Abies sitehensis .—An upright, tall-growing tree, 
quite compact, and of a lively-green color; very dis¬ 
tinct. 
Abies inverta .—A very remarkable weeping variety. 
The branches are numerous and drop directly to the 
ground; a very elegant ornamental tree. 
There are two varieties of the weeping Abies exeelsa, 
one the Wales weeping; the branches of this are more 
horizontal and of much stronger growth. I think 
Abies inverta much the better. 
Abies monstrosa .—This is a great novelty. The 
growth is upright, consisting of a stem, occasionally 
throwing out an arm, from one to three feet, without 
lateral branches. These branches, or arms, are well 
covered with short leaves of a very bright color; a 
curiosity. 
Abies pygmeea .—This beautiful little evergreen tree is 
the smallest form known, pyramidal in habit, growing 
about one foot high. 
Abies pumila .—A choice, very dwarf variety, a com¬ 
plete evergreen cushion. It seldom grows more than a 
foot high, and spreads two to three feet wide; very 
beautiful in its form. 
Abies Gregoriana .—A dwarf hemispherical form,very 
dense, and effective for ornamenting. A choice variety. 
Abies Romenti .—Of quite recent introduction. A 
beautiful, compact cone of Evergreen. * 
Abies Dumotti .—A variety of Abies nigra. A dwarf, 
compact variety, with blush-green leaves, distinct and 
very beautiful. 
Picea, the Silver-Fir. —Piceacephalonica. A native of 
Europe. A very remarkable and beautiful variety. 
Leaves silvery and dagger-shaped, with a sharp spur on 
the point. The tree is a strong grower, inclining to a 
globular shape. A very choice tree. 
Picea nobilis .—From Northern California. An elegant 
tree; branches well covered with a blush-green foliage. 
Very ornamental. 
Picea eelicica ,—From the mountains of Asia Minor, 
An elegant, compact-growing tree, foliage silvery-green; 
soft, delicate, lovely in color. A distinct and interesting 
species. 
Picea Nordmanniana .—This grand tree from the Cri¬ 
mean mountains, so well known and so much admired, 
needs no description from me. 
Picea Hudsonica, from Hudson Bay, is one of the 
most charming dwarf Silver-Firs known, scarcely 
ever growing more than two feet high. The bluish- 
green foliage, silver underneath, is very remarkable and 
effective. 
Picea Numidica .—A native of Mt. Atlas, in Algeria. 
This resembles Picea Pinsapo, a lovely tree, which is not 
hardy in this latitude.. Numidica is perfectly hardy. A 
beautiful new species. A compact, conical tree, with 
the branches in whorls. Foliage a beautiful, glossy 
green. 
Picea Regina Amelia .—Lately introduced. A distinct 
and elegant tree, in appearance much like Pinsapo. 
The branches are thickly covered with stiff, sharp- 
pointed, glaucous green leaves. Very choice. 
Picea pectinata pendula. —I know of no other Ever¬ 
green so curious and beautiful as this. Compact form, 
branches curving regularly and closely to the body 
right to the ground. The glaucous, green foliage gives 
a perfect finish to this elegant tree. 
Picea amabilis .—Lovely Silver-Fir, thought to be a 
variety of Picea nobilis; it seems to me distinct, and a 
vei-y interesting Silver-Fir. 
Picea pichta, from Siberia. A medium-sized tree. The 
