feEiSCIt\Pfld!> 6P THE FIRS. 205 



There is' a peculiarity in the Scotch fir, and Weymouth Peculiar bloom 

 fine, not to be found in any of the firs, I mean the beauti- Jfralid w!^- 

 furl matter, which resembles the bloom of a plum, and mouth pine, 

 which, like that, is a cryptogamian plant of an elegant caused by « 

 kind ; and though its extreme thickness grows only in spots, "j^^^^^^"*®*^* 

 yet it is spread in a less decree over all the back of the leaf* 

 It comes not till the leaf it> fully formed ; and disappears 

 with age and sickness. 



The Scotch fir is very different from the other pines in gcotch fir. 

 growth. If not in perfect health, and in a soil exactly suited 

 to it, it is but too apt to grow squalid and ugly. Indeed no 

 trees so directly show sickness as the firs. As soon as the Marks of ^i*- 

 «temof the side bough ceases to be on an even line with ^*^ *" *^ 

 the branches that proceed from it, especially at its termi- 

 nation, and as soon as it stands much above them, it begins 

 to mark a disordered frame, and its future symptoms of 

 decay are as regular as the seasons. For years, the tree will 

 continue growing more unsightly, though it may require a 

 century to kill it. But when in perfection it is a beautiful 

 tree, and less formal than other firs. The pinus latifoiia is 

 a variety of thi^ species. 



The stem of the pine I have In part described, the leaves Peculiar mat* 

 standing instead of bark and inner bark; the scales instead ^^^ *"*^^ ^'*j 

 of rind. But next to the bark is a matter in all firs, which 

 has hitherto been called by that appellation, though dif- 

 fering entirely from it. To inquire into the nature of this 

 substance, its use, and why placed there, may be worth the 

 trouble. On examining all those trees which have hitherto nnd in all trees 

 yielded the tanning principle, I find they have invariably this ^^}^^ y^*'*^ ****' 

 substance placed next the bark, and joining the albumen; 

 although it is found in no other trees. On farther examina- 

 tion it appears to be allotted to them in a degree of thickness 

 very nearly proportioned to the strength we have found in 

 this same tanning principle, in each tree. Thus in the 

 sumach it is composed of about 8 or 10 rows in thickness, 

 in the oak of 6 or 7; in the willow of 5 or 6 : and so on. 

 Now on placing a piece of this matter in the solar micro- 

 scope ; I find, instead of being bark, it is wood formed ' 

 exactly the same as the wood on the other side of the albu- , 

 ?nen. But so altered, so changed in its appearance and 



feel 



