264 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  20,  1900. 
Conifers. 
{Continued  from  page  175.) 
Climate,  eoil,  and  situation  have  a  great  influence  upon  the  growth 
of  Conifers,  and  as  a  rule  they  grow  best  where  the  raintall  is  greatest, 
provided  the  temperature  is  suitable.  The  branches  of  the  Fir  and 
Pine  tribes  are  in  whorls — that  is  to  say,  they  are  produced  around 
the  trunk  in  every  direction  in  tiers.  These  tiers,  or  whorls,  are  not 
always  complete  ;  from  some  cause  or  another  branches  are  not  pro¬ 
duced  in  regular  order  round  the  stem.  In  some  cases  they  are 
very  irregular,  especially  in  trees  that  grow  very  rapidly.  I  have 
frequently  noticed  this  among  the  common  and  the  Douglas  Spruce. 
Smaller  branches  are  also  often  formed  between  the  whorls,  but  are 
generally  weaker  in  growth.  The  distance  between  each  tier  of 
branches  will  show  the  height  the  stem  has  made  in  successive 
seasons;  hence  where  the  whorls  are  all  present  from  the  base  to  the 
summit  a  rough  approximation  of  the  age  of  the  tree  can  be  arrived 
at.  The  height  of  many  trees  are  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  spread 
of  their  branches,  and  the  latter  rarely  attain  a  timber-like  size.  In 
the  case  of  the  Yews  and  the  Cedar  of  Lebanon  we  have  exceptions. 
In  the  Fir  and  Pine  tribes  the  branches  are  generally  horizontal  in 
their  young  state,  but  as  they  increase  in  age  they  often  assume  a  droop¬ 
ing  habit.  Very  often  the  branches  are  quite  flat  ;  this  is  due  to  the 
branchlets,  or  secondary  branches,  ramifying  from  the  side  of  the 
main  branches  only.  Good  examples  are  seen  in  Abies  grandis  and 
other  Silver  Firs.  In  the  Eetinosporas, 
Cypresses,  and  Junipers,  the  branches  are 
produced  in  a  more  irregular  manner,  giving 
the  tree  a  den.«er  or  bushy  habit.  A  few 
varieties  have  almost  erect  branches,  such  as 
the  Irish  Yew,  Irish  Juniper,  and  Cupressus 
Lawsoniana  erecta  viridis. 
There  is  great  diversity  of  form  and 
arrangement  in  the  leaves,  and  they  are  all 
persistent,  with  the  exception  of  Ginkgo 
biloba,  deciduous  Cypress,  and  the  Larch. 
In  some  of  the  Pines  the  leaves  remain  on 
the  trees  several  years,  and  the  Monkey’s 
Puzzle,  Araucaria  imbricata,  is  said  to  retain 
its  foliage  from  ten  to  fifteen  years.  The 
leaves  are  mostly  linear,  needle-like  or 
lanceolate,  sometimes  very  long,  as  in  the 
Austrian  or  Corsican  Pines,  in  some  species 
exceeding  even  a  foot  in  length  ;  in  others, 
such  as  the  Cedars  and  Larch,  they  are  short 
and  pointed.  In  Abies  they  are  flat,  in 
some  cases  sharply  pointed,  in  others  the 
ends  of  the  leaves  are  rounded,  as  in 
A.  canadensis.  In  most  cases  they  are  dis¬ 
tichous — that  is,  arranged  in  two  rows — or 
pectinate,  toothed  like  a  comb.  It  is  this  arrangement  of  the  leaves 
that  gives,  the  flat  appearance  to  the  branches  that  we  see  in  the 
Silver  Firs,  Hemlock  Firs,  and  the  common  Yews.  In  the  Spruce 
Fir,  Cryptomeria,  Wellingtonia,  and  some  others  the  leaves  are  not 
so  formally  arranged,  but  are  scattered  over  the  branches  or  spirally 
arranged  round  them.  In  Cedrus  and  Larix  the  leaves  are  in  bundles. 
The  flowers  of  Coniferous  plants  are  inconspicuous,  and  often 
unnoticed  by  the  casual  observer,  as  they  are  without  the  beautiful 
colours  seen  in  plants  belonging  to  the  higher  orders.  A  complete 
flower  is  one  in  which  we  find  the  calyx  or  outer  covering  of  the 
flower,  which  is  very  often  of  a  green  colour ;  the  corolla  or  floral 
leaves  which  give  beauty  to  the  flower,  owing  to  their  bright  and 
often  beaut  ful  colours;  and  the  essential  organs  contained  within  these 
two  coverings,  which  are  termed  the  stamens  and  pistils.  In  the 
Coniferae,  however,  we  find  a  different  arrangement,  the  flowers  being 
destitute  of  both  calyx  and  corolla.  Not  only  so,  but  the  ovules  or 
rudimentary  seeds,  which  in  the  hiaher  orders  are  enclosed  in  an  ovarv, 
are  in  coniferous  plants  naked.  When  fertilieation  takes  place  the 
pollen,  instead  of  tailing  upon  the  stigma  and  workit  g  its  way  down 
the  style  to  the  ovary  and  fertilising  the  ovules,  falls  direct  upon  the 
ovule. 
The  flowers  are  monceciou- — that  is,  the  male  and  female  catkins 
are  both  found  on  the  same  plant;  or  diceciuus,  where  the  male 
catkins  are  foui  d  on  one  plant,  and  the  female  on  a  different  plant. 
The  former  are  represented  by  the  Fir  and  Pine  tribe,  and  the  latter 
by  the  Juniper  and  Yew.  q’he  cones  or  fruit  are  not  very  showy  in  ' 
a  general  way,  although  there  are  some  exceptioiis  to  this  rule  ;  never¬ 
theless  they  are  highly  interesting,  varying  greatly  in  their  size  and 
shape,  also  in  texture  and  durabiliiy.  The  cones  of  the  Californian 
Suear  Pine,  P.  Lambertiana,  are  nearly  2  feet  in  length ;  a  single  cone 
of  Pinus  macrocarpa  weighs  from  4  to  5  lbs.,  and  those  of  one  (  f  the 
Aiaucarias  is  said  to  grow  almost  as  large  as  a  man’s  head.  Amongst 
the  Eetinosporas  are  some  that  bear  cones  less  than  half  an  inch  long, 
and  it  takes  several  cones  of  the  common  Hemlock  Spruce  to  weigh  an 
ounce  Pinus.  Jjg  continued.) 
- - 
Notes  from  Barford  Hill. 
During  a  recent  visit  to  the  well-kept  gardens  of  C.  A.  Smith- 
Eyland,  Esq.,  I  was  particularly  struck  with  the  fine  crops  of  Apples 
growing  on  young  trees  planted  a  few  years  apo.  The  standard  trees 
are  growing  in  a  very  exposed  position,  and  by  keeping  the  branches 
well  thinned  the  wood  each  year  gets  hard  and  ripe,  and  is  studded 
with  blossom  buds  ;  King  of  the  Pippins,  Lord  Suffield,  Quarrenden, 
Lady  Sudeley,  and  Worcester  Pearmain  are  a  few  of  the  many  varieties 
having  branches  literally  roped  with  fruit.  Among  the  espa'ier  trees, 
Alexander  was  the  most  conspicuous  variety,  fruits  of  which  were  of 
exceptional  size  and  were  colouring  well.  A  fine,  vigorously  grown 
tree  of  Ribston  Pippin  was  also  weighted  well,  and  it  was  refreshing 
indeed  to  find  this  old  and  much  esteemed  variety  free  from  canker. . 
The  collection  of  Apples  is  a  fine  one,  the  varieties  having  been 
selected  with  a  view  to  providing  a  continuous  supply  of  fiuit  from 
August  till  late  spring.  The  whole  of  the  trees  receive  careful  attention 
in  the  matter  of  summer  and  winter  pruning. 
Romneya  Coulteri  is  usually  considered  somewhat  tender,  and  many 
do  not  succeed  with  it  except  when  planted  in  sheltered  positions.  At 
Barford  Hill  I  noticed  a  strong,  healthy 
looking  specimen  growing  in  an  open  border 
exposed  to  the  north,  and  Mr.  R.  Jones,  the 
able  gardener,  informed  me  that  it  passed 
through  the  previous  winter  unscathed.  This- 
should  encourage  others  to  try  again,  as  so 
beautiful  a  plant  should  find  a  home  in  every 
garden  where  it  can  be  grown. 
When  I  first  saw  the  bright  yellow  bloome 
of  Calla  Elliotiana  I  considered  it  to  be  a  great 
acquisition.  The  same  opinion  is  evidently, 
held  at  Barford,  as  a  stock  is  being  raised  as 
fast  as  possible ;  every  young  sucker  that  can 
be  obtained  is  potted  into  a  small  pot,  and. 
these  are  grown  in  cool  houses  throughout  the 
summer.  It  is  not  one  of  the  strongest  of 
growers,  but  with  due  attention  to  feeding 
and  careful  watering  there  should  be  no  diffi¬ 
culty  in  securing  steady  progress. 
In  one  of  the  Orchid  houses  I  was  shown 
a  healthy  looking  but  by  no  means  large  plant  ■, 
of  Odontoglossum  sceptrum  Masereeliannm 
which  won  the  first  prize  at  one  of  the  Ghent 
exhibitions.  A  flower  spike  was  developing, 
and  I  regretted  that  my  visit  was  not  so  timed 
as  to  enable  me  to  inspect  a  fully  expar  ded 
flower  of  so  choice  a  hybrid,  which  must  certainly  be  regarded  as  being 
within  the  reach  of  the  rich  only,  as  60  guineas  was  paid  for  it. 
The  charming  annual  Nemesia  Strumosa  Suttoni  has  proved  a  thorn 
in  the  flesh  of  many  who  have  tried  to  grow  it,  and  have  never  succeeded 
in  getting  it  beyond  a  stunted  state,  but  at  Barford  I  saw  many  clumps 
in  a  mixed  border  growing  and  flowering  splendidly.  The  soil  there  is 
naturally  heavy,  but  has  been  well  worked,  and  Mr.  Jones  sows  the  seed 
under  glass,  and  pricks  the  seedlings  out  in  boxes  before  they  are  planted 
in  the  open  air. — H.  D. 
- - 
Apple  St.  Everard. 
The  number  of  early  dessert  Apples  of  excellent  quality  is  not  so- 
great  that  a  new  variety  of  distinct  merit  is  unwelcome.  On  the 
contrary,  when  such  is  exhibited  it  is  hailed  with  pleasure  by  all 
practical  gardeners  and  fiuit  growers.  In  this  category  must  be 
included  St.  Everard,  which  was  exhibited  at  the  meeiii  g  of  the  Ri'}al 
Horticultural  Society,  hel.i  in  the  Drill  Hall  on  the  11  h  inst.,  by  Mr. 
C.  Terry,  The  Gardens,  Papworth  Hall,  Papworib,  to  whom  an  award 
of  merit  was  recommended  by  the  Fruit  Committee  for  the  variity. 
The  fruit  (fig.  70)  is  of  suiall  to  medium  size,  bright  red  with 
crimson  splashes  on  the  sun  side,  and  pale  yellow  with  occasional 
patches  of  colour  on  the  shaded  side;  the  entire  surface  is  profusely 
spotted  with  white.  The  eje  is  very  large,  wide  open,  and  wiih  broad, 
leafy,  divergent  segments  set  almost  on  the  level.  The  stalk  is  stout, 
about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  in  length,  and  set  in  a  shallow  gieen- 
lined  cavity.  The  tube  is  conical,  and  the  stamei  s  median.  Ti  e  flesh 
is  very  fiim,  white  in  colour,  juicy,  and  of  brisk  fl.vour  when  fiesh 
after  keeping  a  short  time  we  found  the  fluv  ur  had  materially 
depreciated.  It  is  a  variety  that  should  find  much  favour  for  early 
cropping  and  immediate  use. 
Fig.  70. — Apple  St.  Everard. 
