172 ON THE ABIES ALBERTIANA, 



ON THE ABIES ALBERTIANA, AND ITS VALUE FOE 

 PLANTING IN SCOTLAND. 



By Robert Hutchisok of Carlowrie. 



[Fremium — Medium Gold Medal.'\ 



Abies Alhtrtmna (Murray), Prince Albert's Spruce. 



Synouyms — Ahies {Towja) Albertiana, JMurruy ; Abies taxifolia, Jeffrey ; 

 Abies Mertensiana, Gordon ; Abies Bridgeii, KiUogg. 



Specific Character.^A lienilock spruce attaining about 100 feet in height, 

 of (lark rich verdure when near maturity, and of very graceful habit 

 and appearance. In young plants the verdure of the foliage is not 

 dark, but of a lively green hue, which deepens with the age of the tree. 



Branches. — Long, iiexible, and slender. 



Branchlets. — Cylindrical pendent at the extremities ; villous, the pulvini 

 . very slightly prominent. 



Leaves. — Green ; glaucous beneath : irregular in size, from about id to fths 

 of an inch in length, and |ths of line broad ; soHtary, growing spirally 

 round the liranch, but also disposed somewhat alternately; flat, very 

 slightly canaliculate on the upper side, and midrib on rinder ; obtusely 

 pointed and not emarginate at apex, petiolate at base. Above ^\^thout 

 stomata, but underneath with from 5 to 7 rows of stomata close to each 

 side of mid- rib, co\-ered v,-ith. a beautiful silvery pulverescence, and 

 having a broad margin without stomata. 



Catkins. — Not yet sufficiently oliserved in British specimens. 



Cones. — About an inch in length ; of a pale bro-mi colour ; oblong-ovate ; 

 narrow, with six rows of scales, 5 in a row, spirally arranged. 



Scales. — Pale lirown at apex, deepening into a most Ijeautiful purple brown ; 

 persistent, oblong-oval, smooth, and few in number. 



Seeds. — Of light brown colour ; small, ^^'ith wings jth of inch long and 

 whitish. 



Barl: — Smooth and light-coloiired. 



A tall liandsome tree, attaining about 100 feet in height, with a straight 

 stem of uniform size for about two-thirds of its lieight. 



Habitat. — Oregon ; Northern California ; in British Columbia, where it 

 forms vast forests ; and in Vancou^•er's Island. 



The contiictino noniLniclature so conimoii and coufusino to 

 arboriculturists in the coniferous genus, receives no more strik- 

 ing illustration than in the case of this pine, — Ahics Albertiana, 

 or Californian hemlock spruce, as most botanists prefer to style 

 it, in distinction to its prototype the A. Canadensis, or Canadian 

 hemlock spruce, to which it is very closely allied, and resembles 

 strongly in its main characteristics. The latter spruce has 

 been long known and cultivated, though not extensively, in 

 Scotland, having l)een introduced to Britain in 1736. It is 

 chiefly found planted singly, and in isolated situations, having 

 been evidently regarded from its introduction, and probabl}' 

 from the reputation of its timber qualities in its native habitats, 

 rather as an ornamental than as a commercially valuable tree 

 for this countr^^ 



