Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/340

Rh 320 ARBORICULTURE black and white spruces (Abies nigra and alba) of North America are well-known ornaments in our pleasure grounds; and there are some Californian species, such as Abies Menziesii, nobilis, and others, which are hardy, and pro mise to be valuable additions to our ornamental trees. The Hemlock spruce of Canada (Abies canadensis) is hardy throughout North Europe. The Cephalonian fir (Abies cephalonica, Loudon), closely allied to and probably only a variety of the silver fir, is a handsome tree, readily pro pagated by cuttings and from cones imported from the Mediterranean. A. Nordmanniana, Link, a stately tree with dark, compact foliage, and ovoid cones, of late years much cultivated in England, forming forests in the Crimea and the Caucasus, is regarded as a variety of the silver fir by Parlatore and Grisebach. A. Pinsapo, Boissier, is a beautiful tree with rigid whorled branches, introduced from Malaga and Algeria ; it is much cultivated in England, nnd thrives well. Abies Smithiana, the Himalayan spruce, closely resembles the common spruce, and is hardy in England and Scotland, where it grows with great vigour ; it is readily propagated by cuttings, and by grafting, and British trees already produce cones. Abies Webbiana, Lindl., the Himalayan silver fir, suffers in spring in North Europe, because it starts into growth too early : it is grown in Ireland and the south-west of England. The Chili pine (Araucaria imbricata), a noble tree in its native country, and a conspicuous object in a park from the pecu liarity of its whorls of rigid branches, is hardy in many situations in Scotland as far north as Dunrobin. Cupres- sus Lawsoniana, introduced in 1854 from California, is hardy, and rapidly becomes a handsome tree, ripening its cones. The common cypress (Cvpressus sempervirens, L.) grows vigorously in the central districts of England, but scarcely thrives in the northern counties. Cupressus glauca or lusitanica, L., is a beautiful evergreen, with glaucous f oliage, but tender ; nevertheless, in Ireland it attains a great size. The Ginkgo or maidenhair tree (Salisburia adiantifolia, Sm.) is remarkable for the singularity of its foliage ; it is a native of China, but is hardy in many parts of England. Biota orientalis, Endl. (syn. Thuja orientalis, Linn., the Arbor vitce), is a small evergreen tree, indigenous in Japan and China, much cultivated in Europe, with foliage similar to that of the Cypress. The red cedar (Juniperus virginiana, L.), the Phoenician, and other species of juniper, are hardy and ornamental. The holly, boxwood, evergreen oak, and Portugal laurel are universally known and admired, and their glossy foliage makes them specially beautiful in winter. Deciduous Ornamental Tr.ees. We can name only a few of the most prominent deciduous trees planted solely for ornament. Magnolia grandiflora is grown chiefly on walls, as it suffers from wind. Its flowers and f ullage are very beautiful. The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera, L.) forms a tree of the first rank in the climate of London, and attains a large size in the milder parts of Scotland ; for the beauty of its foliage and flowers, it deserves a place in every collection. Pavia indica, the Himalayan horse chestnut, is smaller than the common horse chestnut, but extremely beautiful from its large panicles of variegated blossoms. There is a fine specimen in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. Koelreuteria paniculata, a native of China, is a hardy tree, very ornamental from its foliage as well as its flowers. There are fine specimens both in Eng land and Ireland, yet the tree is not generally met with in pleasure-grounds. The ailanto (Ailanthus glandulosa), a Chinese plant, is hardy in England. It forms a stately tree with a straight trunk and magnificent foliage, the .leaves being sometimes 3 feet in length. In some parts of France it is planted as a timber-tree, and thrives well on chalky soils. The bladder-nut tree (Staphylea, L.) may be trained to be a handsome low tree, ornamental from its foliage, white flowers, and curious bladder-like capsules. There are two species trifolia and S. pinnata. The com mon spindle tree (Euonymus europceus) and the broad-leaved spindle tree (E. latifolius), when trained up to single trees on a deep loamy soil, with ample space, form in autumn, when their capsules are ripe, remarkable and striking objects. The winter-berry (Prinos alaber) is a deciduous shrub, a native of North America, which, like the holly, produces fine scarlet berries, and retains them through the- winter. There are several species, all hardy, and worthy of a place in our collections. Sophora japonica forms a splendid tree in the climate of London, and a pendulous- branched variety is very ornamental. In dry and warm seasons, when the leaves of most other trees become of a paler green than usual, those of this tree assume a darker hue. Virgilia lutea is a North American tree, with fine large foliage, hardy in most parts of Britain ; and, in America, valued for the yellow colour of its wood. The laburnum has already been mentioned as a useful and ornamental tree. The genus Cratwgus consists of many species and a vast number of varieties, among which are many beautiful small trees, remarkable for an irregular picturesque outline even at an early age. They flower and fruit profusely ; the flowers are generally white and fra grant, but some varieties are tinged with red and purple ; they appear from March to July, and the Glastonbury thorn blooms at Christmas. Cotoneasterfrigida, bacillaris, acuminate, microphylla, and nummularia are small trees of great beauty, both on account of their foliage and their fruit. They are from the Himalaya, and hardy in England. They are cultivated in a variety of forms, some of which have been described as distinct species. The wood is hard and elastic. There are many ornamental species and varieties of the genus Pyrus, which now includes species formerly grouped under Sorbus, MespUus, &c. From the Himalaya we have (P. variolosa), a remarkable tree, with leaves sometimes like those of the common pear, and at other times lobed or pinnatifid. P. Aria, the white-beam tree, and all its varieties, deserve culture, as compact small trees, remarkable for their large woolly foliage, which dies off a fine yellow, their white blossoms, and showy red fruit. The service tree (Pyi^us Sorbus) and its varieties are very ornamental. Pyrus japonica, L., is well known as one of the most ornamental spring-flowering plants in cultivation. Ilamamelis virginica, the Wych hazel, is valuable from its beginning to flower in November, and retaining its blossoms till February or March : though rarely seen in collections, it is hardy, and forms a hand some small tree. The snow-drop tree (Halesia tetraptera) is one of the hardiest of North American trees, and, when in flower, one of the most beautiful: it ripens abundance of seeds in this country, by which it is readily propagated ; in some parts of England it is, like the American bird-cherry, natu ralised in the copses. It is rarely met with in Scotland, though few ornamental trees are so well adapted for the climate. The date-plum (Diospyros Lotus) though it ripens fruit as a standard near London, is tender in the northern counties. The Virginian snow-flower or fringe tree (Chion- anthus virginica) is nearly as hardy as the snow-drop tree ; and when planted in a moist soil and trained to a single stem, its head is ornamental from its large deep-green foli age, independently of the fine, white, fringe-like flowers, which are suspended from the axils of the leaves. The common purple and white lilacs (Syringa vulgaris and S. vulgaris alba) are hardy, and make neat small trees when trained to a single stem. The weeping-ash (Fraxinus excelsior, var. pendula) is well known. It suffers much from cattle or sheep browsing on the pendulous branches, disfiguring the plant, which should always be enclosed.