20 CONIFEROUS TREES 



out 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. vul- 

 garis, Poiret ; A. Picea, Lindley ; Picea pectinata, 

 Loudon ; Pinus pectinata, Lamarck ; Pinus Abies, 

 Duroi ; Pinus Picea, Linnceus.) Central and 

 Southern Europe. Sixteenth century. — As an 

 ornamental tree this is only of secondary import- 

 ance ; but for the great quantity of fairly valuable 

 timber produced, it is well worthy of attention, 

 although its merits in this particular have been 

 rather overrated. Both branches and branchlets 

 stand out horizontally, the deep green leaves, 

 which are two-rowed on the juvenile, but pectinate 

 on the adult species, are marked by two distinct 

 silvery white lines beneath. They vary on the 

 same twig from three-quarters to fully ij inches 

 in length. The cones are cylindrical, usually about 

 6 inches long by fully ij inches in diameter. The 

 timber is of fair quality and well adapted for rough 

 outdoor carpentry. It is elastic, somewhat irregular 

 in graining, soft, apt to shrink, and decays speedily 

 on exposure. For temporary buildings, such as 

 tool-sheds and cattle shelters, it is to be recom- 

 mended. In connection with sluices and dams of 

 streams and rivers, to prevent the sides being 

 washed away, I have found it to be peculiarly 

 suitable. The tree itself will grow well beneath the 

 shade and drip of others, produces a large quantity 

 of timber, and is not over-exacting as to soil. 



A. PECTINATA FASTIGIATA. The Upright Silver 

 Fir. — This is a very distinct form, the branches 



