356 FOU'ESl} ' BOTANY IN NOB WA Y. [March, 



which, in connection with all I have had occasion now to state, may- 

 be considered indicative of the importance which is now being attached 

 to forestry in Norway and of the energy with which measures relating 

 thereto are carried out. 



The true forests of J^orway are composed almost exclusively of 

 the Norway Spruce Fir and the Scots Fir, It is only exceptionally 

 that some other trees such as the Alder, the Beech, and the Oak, 

 though not numerous are found forming little woods. 



Of the Pine, Pinus sylvestris, Dr. Broch reports that it is found 

 everywhere throughout the country : in the south to an elevation of 

 950 and 900 metres ; on the Nordre-Gudbrandsdal, 62^ N. lat., to 

 900 and 800 metres ; in the Diocese of Drontheim, 63° to 65° K, to 650 

 and 500 metres ; in the prefecture of Nordland to 550 and 350 metres ; 

 in Finmark, 70^ N., rarely at more than 200 metres above the level 

 of the sea. 



The Norway Spruce Fir, is generally known as Ahies conimunis- 

 According to Hullet, this generic name is derived irom and is of the 

 dialect of the Celtic Abetoa, wlience Ahete Italian, Abeto Spanish, &c. 

 Hesychus, the Greek graniuuuian, calls it Ahin. According to others 

 the name is derived from the Latin yf^-co to spring — and has been 

 given in reference to its lofty and aspiring habit — or the Greek Apios, 

 a pear tree or a pear, the name being given to this tree in reference to 

 the form of its fruit ! Amidst etymological derivations so varied I 

 have no choice. By some it is alleged to be identical witli the 

 Abies excelsa of De Candolle. It is known as the Fichte?ibaum of 

 Germany, Abiete of Italy. I have found it spoken of as identical 

 with the Sapin of France ; but the Sapi7i communis, the Silver Fir 

 of England, known by several other names in different districts, is 

 the Picea pectinata, D. Don, and the Abies jKctinata of De Candolle ; 

 while to the Abies excelsa of De Candolle the Abies Picea of 

 Millaw, the Picea excelsa of Lank, is given the rames of Sapin 

 rouge, Sapin gentil, Sa2mi epicea, &c., and now generally the name 

 Epicea commune. 



Some confusion, says Loudon, exists in the works of modern authors 

 respecting the Silver Fir and the Spruce, partly, as it would appear, 

 from the circumstance of Linnaeus having made an erroneous applica- 

 tion of the names given to these trees by Pliny. The tree which 

 Theophrastus calls Aale, Pliny calls Abies, and Linnffius Pinus 

 picea, while the tree that Pliny calls Picea, which is our Spruce 

 Fir, is named by Linntcus Pinus nbies. This tree is found princi- 

 pally, writes Dr. Broch, in the eastern portion of the country and in 

 the diocese Drontheim. On the west coast it is now met with 

 growing wild to the south of 62^^ N., but it is found in plantations in 

 many other places. It is only in the interior of Hordaland at 



