GENUS ABIES. 15 



planting. The branches are rigid and horizontal, the deep 

 glossy green leaves about an inch long, and the cones ovoid 

 and nearly 6 inches long. The timber produced in this 

 country is, judging from many specimens that I have had 

 the opportunity of examining, of excellent quality, being 

 hard, close-grained, and lasting. The tree succeeds well in 

 every part of the country, and has an advantage over the 

 common silver fir that, owing to starting into growth later 

 in spring, it is less apt to be injured by unseasonable frosts. 

 Few trees, too, are less particular as to soil, it succeeding 

 well in reclaimed peat bog, stiff loam, decomposed vegetable 

 matter, and that of a chalky or limestone formation. In 

 warm, sandy, or gravelly soils, it is apt to suffer from the 

 attacks of a species of Aphis. As a forest tree, it is certainly 

 well worthy of attention.^ 



A. numidica., De Lann oy. ( Synonym : — A . Pinsapo 

 baborensis, Coszon) Algerian Mountains. 1861. — As yet, this 

 species is by no means common in the British Isles, but from 

 its^ undoubted hardihood and pleasing green foliage is sure 

 to receive attention. It is of neat, rather pyramidal habit, 

 with sub-erect branches, and short, crowded leaves, each 

 about I inch long, and rich deep green above, with two 

 faintly-marked silvery lines beneath. Being of free and bold 

 growth, succeeding well even in poor gravelly soils, where many 

 of its fellows refuse to grow, and perfectly hardy, this tree is 

 to be recommended for general use throughout Britain. In 

 order to show off the neat habit of growth, an open though not 

 too exposed site is to be recommended. 



A. pectinata, De Candolle. Common Silver Fir. 

 (^Synonyms: — Abies alba, Miller; A. vulgaris^ Poiret ; A. 

 PzVm, Lindley ; A. excelsa, Salisbury; A. taxifolia, Desfon- 

 taines; Picea pectinata, Loudon; Pinus pectinata, Lamarck; 

 Pimis Abies, Duroi ; Pinus Picea, Linnaeus.) Central and 

 Southern Europe. Sixteenth century. — As an ornamental 

 tree this is only of secondary importance ; but for the great 



' A monof^raph on Nordmann's silver fir, by the present writer, will be found in 

 the " Transactions of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society," vol. ix., 1879. 



