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VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



white spruce. Picea Canadensis (Mill.) B. S. P., P. alba Link. 



This is a northern tree, which extends from Canada into northern Ver- 

 mont. It occurs along the Connecticut river to the Fifteen Mile Falls, ( South 

 Lunenburgh ), and on the eastern arm of the Y of the Green mountains to the 

 Montpelier and Wells River railroad, or perhaps a little farther south. It is 

 common on some of the islands of Lake Champlain and is scattered through 

 the forests of Essex county. The strong polecat odor of the young branches 

 is characteristic and will aid in its recognition. Because of this odor it is 

 often called skunk spruce. Lumbermen do not separate this from the 

 other spruces and the tree is nearly equal in size to the red spruce. 



The white spruce is one of the best of our native evergreens for orna- 

 mental planting, as it makes a rapid growth and with its persistent lower 

 branches forms a perfect and symmetrical conical head which rivals the 

 Norway spruce. 



hemlock. Tsurja Canadensis (Linn) Carr. 



The hemlock is one of the most graceful of our evergreen trees. It 



may be met with almost every- 

 where from the low river banks 

 and swamps to the rocky hill- 

 sides and mountain forests. In 

 distinguishing the hemlock 

 from the spruce and balsam fir, 

 one should notice the flat, pet- 

 ioled leaves arranged in a flat- 

 tened spray with a row on the 

 upper surface lying close to the 

 stem. The small elliptical cones, 

 scarcely more than three-fourths 

 of an inch long, mature in the 

 autumn and shed their seeds 

 during the winter. 



The wood of the hemlock 



is soft, brittle and shaky and 



hemlock, spray and cone, x%. it is used for cheaper building 



purposes and for shingles. It is, however, one of the most durable timbers 



for use under water. Hemlock bark is used for tanning and the bark from 



the tree is quite as valuable as the lumber. 



balsam fir. Abies balsamea (Linn) Mill. 



The balsam fir, more familiarly known as the fir tree or balsam, 



is a slender graceful tree when glowing in open ground. It bears a general 

 resemblance to the spruces, but is easily distinguished from them on close 



