20 
DUNDEE NURSERY. 
Evergreens. 
These are a class of indespensible trees and shrubs for parks, private and 
public grounds and farm wind breaks, and possessing varied characteristics of 
habit growth, form and coloring of foliage, and adapted to a variety of soils. 
Several of this class are exceedingly useful for reclaiming waste lands, and 
many more are of the highest value for the formation of belts for landscape 
effects, and also for shelter, to allow the use of more tender kinds of trees and 
plants in localities which otherwise would be too much exposed to climate, sun 
and wind. 
Soil—Conifers will grow in all soils, except those of a wet nature, and even 
In such there are a few that will thrive. The firs being of a shallow rooted 
nature will make vigorous growth in many localities where the good soil may 
be very thin. Several of the pines and firs will grow well on the bleakest side 
hills, exposed to the most trying gales, and on the coast and prairies they are 
especially valuable to form belts for the protection of animals and vegetable 
life. In planting the choice Conifers for ornamental effect, it is well to have 
the soil of good quality, and the same planting directions apply to these as to 
other trees, but no fresh manure should be used directly on the roots, and its 
most advisable use is as a mulch, placed on top of the ground in the fall and 
raked away in early summer, after the spring rains. 
Pruning—Except for hedges, the best time to prune Conifers is previous 
to their growing season, and careful use of the pruning knife will often revive 
a tree which otherwise may be on the decline. 
Roots—It is very important that Conifers should have an abundance of 
fine, fibrous roots, and this can only be obtained by frequent transplanting of 
the stock in the nursery. 
We exercise the greatest care to have our trees frequently transplanted or 
root pruned, to insure such roots. Use blankets or pails of water when plant¬ 
ing so as to allow the least possible exposure to the roots of Conifers, and see 
that the trees do not wilt. 
PICEA PUNGENS—Blue Spruce—See First Cover Page. 
This is the King of Spruces, clothed in royal robes of silver and sapphire, 
a very Kohinoor among the gems of the Rockies. It is a child of the storm 
king, growing at an altitude of from 8,000 to 10,000 feet above the level of the 
sea. It is generally found even there in deep gorges or on the north of the 
ranges. We would naturally suppose that it could not endure a sudden 
change or thrive in a hot climate. There are some fine specimens growing in 
Washington; also in North Carolina. The question arises, while the tree en¬ 
dures such a diversity of climate, why is it never found on the lower altitudes, 
or among the foot hills? The answer is, it could not possibly grow there. 
The Douglas, the Ponderosa and Concolor have larger seeds and send out a 
strong plant, and therefore they are found lower down. Pungens seed is 
small, about 110,000 to the pound. In the higher altitudes are frequent showers 
and often moss in the woods, and the gr ound is seldom dry. It is not hot enough 
to kill the plants, and so, on the high altitudes, nature has provided for their 
propagation. The cone on the Pungens is about one-half the size of that of the 
Norway. The needles are short and sharp—pungent—hence the name. They 
are polished like glass. 
THE CONCOLOR. 
I take this description from an article in the Boston Congregationalist: 
“The tree with that bright foliage is the Concolor. Riding with a friend in 
