52 ON THE CORSICAN, AUSTRIAN, AND DOUGLAS FIRS 



VI. On the Value of the Corsican, Austrian, and Douglas Firs, 

 as timber trees in Great Britain, and on their Adaptation to 

 different Soils and Situations. By Bobert Hutchison of 

 Carlowrie, F.K.S.E. 



Since the outbreak and general spread of the larch disease in 

 many wood-producing districts of the country, by which confidence 

 in that valuable conifer bas been shaken, attention has been 

 directed towards finding a substitute, alike rapid in growth, suit- 

 able for a variety of situations, of equal durability as a timber-tree, 

 and adapted to a similarly wide range of economical uses. 



The three varieties of fir, distinct and widely diiferent in their 

 natures and habits, which form the subject of this paper, have been 

 successively brought under public notice as valuable trees for 

 British culture, and worthy of extensive cultivation. Introduced at 

 diiferent dates, and consequently with a considerable difference of 

 years' experience from which to judge of their respective merits, as 

 worthy successors to the fine old larchwood of which the country 

 could formerly boast, there can be no doubt that all three have 

 proved to be well adapted for culture in Great Britain, and also 

 suited to a variety of soils and situations. 



The three varieties now under consideration present individually 

 distinct characteristics ; and although the Corsican and Austrian 

 pines resemble each other, they are quite distinct species. The 

 Pinus austriaca has sometimes been styled " quasi Corsica," a name 

 to which it is not entitled, for its distinguishing features from Pinus 

 Laricio, or Corsican pine, are observed to be constant in the growing 

 state, and when compared as timber in the sawn plank, there is a 

 marked difference. The Pinus Douglasii, on the other hand, more 

 nearly resembles the common silver fir (Picea pectinata,) in colour 

 of foliage and bark, with somewhat of the habit of the spruce in 

 outline. The comparatively recent introduction of this last-named 

 pine renders it more difficult to speak with certainty of its value as 

 timber, seeing it has not yet been tested as a timber-yielding tree ; 

 and where specimens have been cut down, the rapidity of growth in 

 early years prevents such cases being fairly cited as any criterion of 

 what the species may prove, when felled in a ripe state, and with 

 fully developed timber. 



Considering, then, the three pines which form the subject of 

 review, we notice first the Austrian pine (Pinus austriaca). 



