THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
53 
erect branches which give the trees a peculiar and dis¬ 
tinct appearance. They were raised from grafts taken 
from a tree which was growing a few years ago near 
Stamford, Connecticut. The Scotch Pine ( Pinus sylves- 
tris ), which shows a strong tendency to seminal and 
geographical variation, lias also produced a l'astigiate 
form (var. pyramidalis) . The so-called Swedish Juni¬ 
per is a narrow, dwarf pyramidal form of the common 
Juniper ( Juniperis communis, var. suecica). This little 
Juniper is not very hardy in this part of the country but 
is often planted in the middle states. The handsomest 
pyramidal coniferous plant, however, in the Arboretum 
is a form of Thuya occidentalis (var. 'pyramidalis) raised 
sometime before 1885 by Robert Douglas in his nursery 
at Waukegan, Illinois. It is a tall narrow plant suited 
to replace although much smaller of course, the fastigiate 
Cypress which plays such a part in the decoration of the 
gardens of southern Europe. This Arbor Yitae is sold 
in some American nurseries as Thuya occidentalis py¬ 
ramidalis Douglasii. The common Spruce ( Picea Abies) 
has produced many abnormal seminal forms and among 
them are at least two with erect branches (var. colum- 
naris and var. pyramidalis) . A few individuals of these 
varieties were found many years ago in European forests 
and the cultivated plants have probably been propagated 
from these wild plants. Less important are two dwarf 
pyramidal forms of the European Fir (Abies Picea, var. 
columnaris and var. pyramidalis.) . The Lawson Cypress 
from the Pacific Coast (Chamaecyparts Lawsoniana) is 
another tree which shows great variation in its seedling 
offspring. Among them is a distinctly pyramidal form 
which appeared in an English nursery many years ago 
and is known as Cupressus Lawsoniana erecta viridis. 
Like all the forms of the Lawson Cypress it is not hardy in 
the neighborhood of Boston. The so-called Irish Yew, a 
pyramidal form of the European Yew (Taxus baccata, 
var. fastigiata), of which there is a yellow-leaved variety, 
is a popular garden plant in all the countries where is is 
hardy. Unfortunately this interesting tree is not able to 
support the New England climate. This is true of the 
erect garden form of the Japanese Cephalotaxus ( pedun - 
culata, var. fastigiata. 
Of these twenty-eight plants with abnormally erect 
growing branches five in two genera are North American, 
one only is Asiatic, and twenty-two are European, the 
Cornish Elm, which is not an abnormal tree but a geo¬ 
graphical variety, being omitted. The predominence of 
abnormal forms among European trees is due, no doubt, 
to the fact that European trees have been raised artifi¬ 
cially from seeds for a longer time and in greater num¬ 
bers than those from other countries, and that European 
cultivators of trees have been keener than others to pro¬ 
pagate and detect plants of abnormal habit and foliage. 
It is less easy to explain the absence of fastigiate trees 
from such largely cultivated genera as Fraxinus, Catalpa, 
Prunus, Magnolia, Salix and Tsuga. Of our common 
Hemlock in this last genus there are a number ol dwart 
forms and forms with abnormal foliage, but among them 
none has yet appeared with erect growing branches. 
Bulletin, Arnold Arboretum. 
ANNOUNCEMENT 
The Arbitration Committee of the American Associa¬ 
tion of Nurserymen has been properly organized and is 
ready for business. 
While we sincerely hope that none of our members 
will have any differences that will need our attention, 
however should differences arise if each party inter¬ 
ested will submit a complete detailed statement of their 
case and all the correspondence pertaining thereto, your 
committee will do all in their power to arrive at a fair 
and equitable settlement. 
Members: W. C. Reed, Vincennes, Ind.; C. A. Marshall, 
Arlington, Neb.; L. A. Berckmans, Augusta, Ga.; Janies 
Pitkin, Newark, N. Y.; A. E. Robinson, Lexington, Mass. 
Signed W. C. Reed, Chairman Arbitration Committee. 
THE IMPORT SITUATION 
By McHutchison & Co. 
We do not remember when there were better pros¬ 
pects for a large and healthy spring business. The de¬ 
mand for stock is enormous, the country is in a very 
prosperous condition, money is plentiful and cheap and 
the only problem is one of transportation—lack of 
steamer space. 
Shipments from Holland and France are only slightly 
delayed and the freight rates are still reasonable. For 
English shipments it is difficult to get space and the 
freight rates are excessive. From Germany no ship¬ 
ments can come. From Belgium shipments will come 
as usual via Rotterdam. From Australia, Madagascar, 
Japan and far distant places shipping space is almost un¬ 
procurable. 
Export freight is piled up in cars 30 miles out of New 
York in all directions, yet more ships are entering and 
leaving port than ever before. There is a tremendous de¬ 
mand for all kinds of merchandise for export, but not 
sufficient steamers to carry it. 
Fortunately there is no great fear of lack of steamers 
to bring our imports from Europe, as the steamers must 
come here to get our exports—largely munitions. 
THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PENNSYLVANIA 
NURSERYMEN S ASSOCIATION 
The annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Nurserymen's 
Association was held at the Hotel Berkshire, Reading, 
Pa., January 19th, 
The meeting was a very representative one, the greater 
proportion of the members being present. 
The meeting was closed to all but members of the as¬ 
sociation. 
Subjects relative to nursery questions, and legislative 
matters, and particularly the new State Workmen’s Com¬ 
pensation Law, which took effect January 1st, were dis¬ 
cussed at length. 
The following officers were elected: President, Wil¬ 
liam Warner Harper, Chestnut Hill, Pa.; Vice President, 
Edward W. Thomas, King of Prussia, Pa.; Treasurer, 
Thomas Rakestraw, Kennett Square, Pa.; Secretary, 
Henry T. Moon, Morrisville, Pa. Executive Committee: 
Thomas B. Meehan, Dresher, Pa.; Wilmcr W. Iloopes, 
West Chester, Pa.; James Krewson, Cheltenham, Pa. 
The time and place of the next annual meeting was 
left in the hands of the Executive Committee. 
