44 



" endurance of individual trees, but by successive propagation. It 

 " was the prevailing tree not only in England and Scotland, but 

 " over much of the north of Europe." In the sunken forest at 

 Cromer, in Norfolk, in a deposit of a period immediately preced- 

 ing the glacial, even the spruce fir is found as well as the Scotch. 

 This was proved by the cones being submitted to the scrutiny of 

 the celebrated Eobert Brown, the first botanist of his age, who 

 pronounced them to be those of tlie spruce.* 



The Spruce, however, did not survive the glacial period, and is 

 consequently, in this country, extinct ; but the Scotch Fir continues 

 on to the present day, its range being now confined mainly to the 

 Scotch mountains, though formerly extending to several of the 

 northern counties of England. Gerard, in his " Herball," t 

 speaking of the "firre tree," says — "I have seen these trees 

 " growing in Cheshire, Staffordshire and Lancashire, where they 

 "grew in great plenty, as is reported, before Noah's Flood ; but 

 " then being overturned and being overwhelmed, have lien since in 

 " the mosses and watery moorish grounds, very fresh and sound 



*See an Article on the Coniferce, Eclin. Rev., Oct., 1864, p. 347; 

 also a Lecture by the late Professor Eolleston, on " The modifications 

 of the external aspects of Organic Nature produced by man's In- 

 terference/' 1880, p. 13. See, further, Winch's "Essay on the 

 geographical distribution of Plants through the couoties of North- 

 umberland, Cumberland and Durham, 8vo., 1825." In this essay are 

 some remarks of much interest on the subject in question. The 

 author says — " On some of the elevated moors of this district the 

 "roots and trunks of very large pines (P. Sylvcstris) are seen 

 protruding from the black peat moss, being exposed to view by the 

 "water of these bogs having drained off and left the peat bare, but 

 " this tree is no longer indigenous with us." He then adds — " It is 

 " worthy of remark, that the Scotch Fir does not at this day attain 

 "the size of these ancient pines, though planted in similar moorland 

 "situations, even though the young trees be protected, and the 

 " plantations situated at a lower level." 



t Ed. 2, by Johnson, 1636, p. 1364. 



