COMMUNICATIONS. 249 



56. Abies nigra, of Poiret. — Black Spruce. 



This is a dense, sombre looking tree, witli blackish bark, hence 

 properly named Black Spruce. For ornamental purposes, it 

 should only be grown among other evergreens to give variety. 

 For this purpose it possesses a peculiar value. It is found only 

 in the northern part of the State, where it is not very abundant. 

 But it forms a large proportion of the forests of some of the east- 

 ern States. The timber is valuable, being used for yard arms, 

 keels, etc., of vessels ; knees are made of the larger roots and a 

 portion of the trunk. The wood is said to be equal in many res- 

 pects to the best species of pine. 



The cones are oval and are placed near, but not on the ends 

 of the branchlets ; the leaves are arranged in a spiral manner, 

 running entirely around the stem ; the bark is rough- The tree 

 grows in the form of an elongated cone. The flowers are ex- 

 panded in May ; the cones ripen in November, but do not open 

 to disperse the seed until the following spring. The wood in- 

 creases in diameter about one third of an inch yearly. A kind 

 of beer called spruce beer is made from the young shoots of this 

 tree. 



57. Abies Alba, of Michaux. — White Spruce. 



A light, pretty species, with small ovate pendulous cones, 

 placed on the extremities of the branchlets. The foliage is of a 

 light bluish-green tint, contrasting finely with the darker color 

 of the Black Spruce. Hence, it makes a very valuable orna- 

 mental tree. The wood also is valuable when it can be found 

 of sufficient size. In Wisconsin it is confined to a few of the 

 most northern counties. The roots are long, slender and flexi- 

 ble, and are used by the Indians as thread, with which to sew 

 together their bark canoes. 



The annual growth of the White Spruce is found to be about 

 one third of an inch in diameter; a tree thirty years old being 

 about ten inches through, near the ground. 



58. Larix Americana^ of Michaux. — Tamarack. 

 In some States this tree is often called Hackmatack, which is 

 probably only a corruption of the name by which it is now al- 



