1885.] . riCEA PECTIN AT A. 515 



feet 1 inches at 1 foot from the ground. The stem rises straight 

 and clean to a height of 45 feet, when it divides into three heads 

 which rise to a height of 90 feet. Altliough evidently planted at 

 the same time as other surrounding trees, this majestic silver fir 

 now, with one or two others of the same species, towers proudly 

 above all the other trees in the vicinity. Besides this advantage of 

 early producing heavy timber, wdien once fairly started, the silver fir 

 possesses another desirable quality. Its timber stands tear and wear 

 ■well, and numerous instances of its durability might be stated. For 

 instance, at Penicuik, a log of silver fir, used as a trough to carry a 

 head of water to an overshot wheel, upwards of thirty years ago, 

 with only a simple coating of tar, has served the purpose well, and 

 remains as sound as on the day it had been cut. An additional 

 recommendation of its timber is that it does not warp, rendering its 

 value for building and other purj)oses more worthy of recognition. 



" The only rival which the Picca ^^^ctinata has to fear in this 

 country, from allied varieties amongst the more recently introduced 

 conifers?, is the Picea Nordmanniana, which closely resembles it in 

 many salient features, but which entirely differs from it in one 

 essential characteristic. While Picea pectinata in low situations is 

 frequently somewhat marred in its young stages by its habit of 

 budding early in spring, and thus having its leading shoot destroyed 

 by the late frosts, causing the disfigurement to the tree in after 

 years, by two or three strong shoots assuming the position of 

 leaders ; — the Picca Norclmanniana, on the other hand, by being 

 later in commencing its spring growth, is uninjured by frosts, and 

 therefore retains its natural and symmetrical form. So nearly allied 

 in appearance are these two Piceas that young plants of the Picea 

 Nonhnanniana, grown from cones produced in this country, much 

 more closely resemble young silver firs than their parent variety. 

 This was very well observed by Mr. Bisset at Moncrieffe, near 

 Perth, where, for the first time in Scotland, Picea Nonlmanniana 

 was known to ripen its seed. His young seedlings were all very 

 healthy, but almost undistinguishable from common silver firs. 

 This probably, however, arose from the presence of many flowering 

 silver firs in close proximity to the parent Nordmanniana, so that 

 the seedlings may have been hybridized by the fertilization of the 

 cones with the pollen from these trees ; and it will be interesting to 

 watch if the shoots of these seedlings in spring are more liable to 

 suffer from frost than those of the parent tree, or of any other Picea 

 Nordmanniana growing in their vicinity. 



" Whether then for mixed plantations, grouping, or for avenues, 

 or specimen park trees, the silver fir may safely be classed as second 

 to no other fir in this country, it is also admirably adapted for game 



