474 TRANSACTIONS OP ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



side with the hedge knife. Compared with this species, the 

 American White spruces are standing boldly to the blast on the 

 most exposed edges. They are extremely healthy, and are making 

 strong, vigorous growth. 



The Scots firs have suffered a great deal from leaf-shedding 

 throughout the whole of the wood, but especially on the exposed 

 sides. They are, however, gradually recovering from this, owing 

 no doubt to the shelter afforded by the spruces, which are now 

 growing somewhat more rapidly than the Scots firs. Towards the 

 centre of the wood, and where they obtain some shelter, the 

 common spruces are growing quite vigorously, and are forming 

 wood rather more rapidly than the American species. 



On the same estate, where the two species of spruce are to be 

 found growing side by side on exposed edges of woods, the com- 

 mon spruce is suffering, while the hardier American species is 

 quite vigorous and healthy. Similar instances of the hardiness 

 of this tree are to be found in high-lying woods in Peeblesshire 

 and in other parts in the south of Scotland. 



As a timber tree, first rank is by no means claimed for the 

 White spruce. The quality of the timber, as grown in this 

 country, is about equal to that of the common spruce, but the 

 quantity of produce per acre in a given period, under favourable 

 conditions for both species, would be somewhat smaller in the 

 case of the American species. Good representative specimens of 

 the White spruce timber were on view in the Canadian Section 

 of the Glasgow Exhibition. 



As already pointed out, however, the chief value of the tree in 

 this country lies, not so much in the quality of its timber, as in 

 its hardiness when forming shelter-strips on exposed ground. As 

 the main element of shelter in large woods, growing on poor 

 peaty and wet soils, and for smaller shelter-belts, it is invaluable. 

 It is interesting to note that Picea alba is extensively used for 

 shelter-strips in woods formed on the poor heaths and dunes of 

 Jutland, in Denmark, where it has to withstand constant 

 exposure to the severe gales of the German Ocean. 



The tree can be grown quite cheaply from seed, and the nursery 

 treatment of the seedlings is in every respect similar to that of 

 the common Norway spruce. A considerable amount of soil- 

 moisture is an essential for its healthy growth and development, 

 but otherwise it is one of the least exacting amongst forest trees 

 as to its environment. 



