THE WHITE AMERICAN SPRUCE AS A WIND-MANTLE. 473 



XXXIX. The White American Spruce (Picea alba) as a Wind- 

 Mantle. By John F. Annand, Overseer, Haystoun 

 Estate, Peebles. 



Since the introduction and extensive cultivation within the 

 last century of what may still be called the "newer conifers " 

 (the bulk of which, though very interesting and useful as orna- 

 mental trees, are quite valueless for timber crops), the American 

 White spruce, introduced about the year 1700, seems to have been 

 overlooked. It is nevertheless, probably without exception, the 

 hardiest of all the spruces in our climate. 



We frequently hear of the common Norway spruce being 

 recommended for planting as shelter-trees along the exposed 

 edges of woods. However valuable the common spruce may be 

 for this purpose in Continental countries, there is no doubt that 

 in many parts of Scotland, especially along exposed seaboard, and 

 at high elevations inland, it is one of the least suitable species, 

 since it demands shelter itself as an indispensable condition for 

 even moderate growth. Now in fresh, moist, and even wet soils, 

 such as peat-bog and stiff clays, and in very severe exposures, the 

 White spruce is found to make an excellent screen against wind for 

 the protection of more valuable timber-producing species. 



A remarkable instance of its suitability for this purpose came 

 under the writer's notice a short time ago. On an estate in the 

 north of Scotland, in a very bleak, exposed part of the country, a 

 plantation had been formed about ten years ago on a peaty soil 

 with a stiff clay subsoil. The ground formed part of what had 

 once been a very extensive peat-moss, where peats had for long 

 been cut as fuel for the neighbourhood. The crop as it now 

 stands is chiefly made up of Scots fir, common spruce, and White 

 American spruce. The three kinds mentioned seem to have 

 been distributed fairly evenly over the ground, without special 

 regard to the question of their ability to bear exposure from 

 severe gales of wind. 



The result is interesting and instructive. On the exposed 

 edges of the wood, the common spruces are either killed entirely 

 or are fast being killed by the continued action of cold frosty 

 winds in spring. For a considerable distance into the wood also 

 the common spruces, though not killed, are very much dwarfed 

 in growth, are practically denuded of foliage on the exposed side, 

 and have in fact the appearance of having been trimmed on one 



