For many years our pomologists have been throwing together their experience at their different meetings and through the press, in regard to fruits and fruit-raising in the Northwest. Lists of "iron clad" varieties have been agreed upon and published for the information of the people. These are now so well known, that few persons plant varieties not adapted to our peculiar climate.

Is it not time now that a list of "iron clad" evergreens should be agreed upon? We know many have failed within the last quarter of a century - some to a greater extent than others. Many perhaps had better be discarded entirely. But probably the great point is, how many should be retained!

It is decidedly discouraging to -cultivate our evergreens for five or ten years and then have them fail us. Do the people not wish to know before planting them, that they will not act in this way?

I think it is not practicable to grow in the Northwest the Deodar Cedar, Cedar of Lebanon, Cryptomeria, Corsican Pine, Halapen-sis, Lawson's Cypress and Golden Arbor Vitae. Thuiopsis Borealis also, has died out here. Others again, like Balsam Fir, White Pine, American and Siberian Arbor Vitaes and Norway Spruce have been considered hardy, but of late years have not been giving, by any means, complete satisfaction. Balsam Fir I fear, will have to be planted more sparingly hereafter, as it is prone to die out at all ages. And we cannot say that there is not far too much risk with American and Siberian Arbor Vitaes, Norway Spruce, White Pine and Juniperus communis. Hemlock, Bed Cedar and Scotch Pine seem to fare better. Indeed the latter, together with the American Black Spruce, might almost be classed as iron clads.

The following kinds I have never known to sustain injury from the severities of our winters: Abies Ceruba or Blue Spruce, Austrian Pine, Russian Pine and Pinus Montana.

I should like to hear from others as to whether the above list is reliable generally in the Northwest, also what additional kinds can be added to it.

My desire in this matter is simply to elicit facts. The people are becoming imbued with the idea, to some extent, that evergreens are tender and uncertain in the Northwest. This holds good with some kinds, not with others. Would it not be better, then, to find out just what ones can be relied on with certainty, and disseminate them only, than allow to exist too great a cause for discouragement in regard to evergreen planting?

Why not do as the Northwestern fruitgrowers did after their trees were killed so by wholesale during the winters of 1855-56; compare experience, and fall back on the iron clods?

I might add here, that the American Black Spruce has behaved well in this vicinity - better than the European Black Spruce, as the latter becomes discolored too much and loses its foliage to a considerable extent. The natives are also the thriftiest growers.

The White Pine has not succeeded as well as could be desired here for some years, though the damage has been confined almost entirely to trees that have been planted in ornamental grounds, for say not more than five or six years. As this tree gets older, it gets hardier, and when ten or twelve years planted, can be more confidently relied on.

Were I to select a list that would probably give the best satisfaction here, and that at least as nearly so as any list containing as many kinds, would be almost a certain one, it would be about as follows: Austrian, Russian, Scotch and Mountain Pines; Blue, American Black and Hemlock Spruces. In addition to these, the common Red Cedar is also quite reliable - though not always so.

I have known the Hemlock to kill when small, but have seen comparatively little trouble with it when it has once attained some size. Have seldom known a Scotch Pine to kill out entirely, though occasionally, like the European Larch, it may lose some branches.

The Red Cedar is one of the poorest trees to sell in nursery, as it is usually so much discolored on the south side as to make it unsalable in the spring, although this discoloration works no material damage to the tree and does not remain long.

For some reason or other, I know not why, but the Hemlock is not a popular tree with the people, yet I think it should be planted far more largely than Balsam and some other favorites.

There have been in cultivation hereabout for the past fifteen years, two or three kinds of evergreens from the Rocky Mountains which promise to be altogether reliable.