338 
in this country as early even as 1640 has. still to be found.* 
Moreover the absence or rarity of the tree at a later date may 
be inferred from Evelyn’s remark in Sylva (1664, p. 63 
am not satisfied why it Piven) might not prosper in some toler- 
able degree in England, as well as in Germany, Russia the 
colder tracts and abundantly in France.’’ The same sentence is 
repeated in the 1670 edition, cn in that of 1786 (vol. 1, p. 
278) one — that the Common Spruce Fir Tree ** is a native 
of Norwa Denmark, where, it grows spontaneously, and. is 
one of the staan productions of their woods. It also grows 
plentifully in the Highlands of ee: where it adorns those 
cloud-capped mountains with a constant verdure.’”? This refer- 
ence to Scotland appears to at an example of the confusion 
between Spruce and Scotch Pine mentioned by Loudon, and is 
surprising at so late a date. Parkinson’s reference to the fir 
tree growing wild in Scotland should presumably also be inter- 
preted as applying to the Scotch Pine, as suggested by Loudon. 
The sentence in question (Theatrum Botanicum, 1640, p. 1539), 
which comes sonden the heading of ‘‘ Abies, the Firre tree,’ 
s tree groweth in “all the Countries of Germany. 
Polonia, he ks and Macedonia, and in divers other Countries 
also in Italy, Greece, etc., in Scotland also, as I have beene 
assured, but not in Ireland or England, that I can heare of, 
saving where they are planted, and whether there was ever any 
erowlng aaturay in England at any time heretofore is almost 
out of sbter 
To summarise the result arrived at with regard to the 
Neamt —no confirmation of the current opinion, that this tree 
had been introduced by the middle of the sixteenth century, has 
been obtained; and, further, the references to it quoted “above 
suggest that the Spruce may even have been introduced at a later 
date than the Larc h. 
To return to the question of the specimen of wood referred to 
vt the. beginning of this note, one may conclude that there -was 
o home-grown timber of either larch or Spruce in the year 
1547, and that the pole, assuming its supposed history to be 
correct, must have been made from. imported timber. 
Early in the seventeenth century, wood, including masts for 
ships, was among the imports into Scotland from the continent.. 
as shown by a list of Customs and Valuations of Merchandises 
of the year 1612.+ Similar imports of timber were probab bly 
being made in the middle of the sixteenth century, and might 
have: come from Antwerp, whither timber for ship-building was 
at that time brought by sea from Norway, Sweden, Poland and 
Ayes Pics ” is inc sbitiiodl j in ‘Getactle ‘Gitslogils of -platite phadieeten in tie 
garden (Catalogus arborum, etc.), tec in 1596, but is omitted from the 
1599 edition. As this omission may im the discovery of an — 
e Garden of a Ae 
Jackson, 1876), to mean Pinus Abies, L. Ge ants: but the correctness 
interpretation may be doubted, sapceully. as “ Abies ” pia * Picea 
the 1596 list. - 
"+ See Ledger of Andrew Halyburton, 1492-1503, Edinburgh, 1867. 
