104 CONIFEROUS TREES 



growing freely amongst decayed vegetable matter, 

 and where the maritime situation was fairly 

 sheltered. 



PICEA, Link 



THE SPRUCES 



Flowers monoecious ; male catkins axillary or terminal ; 

 females terminal and solitary. 



Cones generally pendent, solitary, and remaining intact for 

 a long time. 



Scales persistently attached to the axis, not falling away 

 from each other as in the silver firs, broadly rounded, and 

 with the edges undulated. 



Seeds small, oblong, winged, and with a bony shell. 



Bracts free from the scales except at the base, and not 

 projecting. 



Cotyledons three-sided, and six to ten in number. 



Leaves four-sided, pointing in every direction, and with 

 circular projections at the base. 



Evergreen trees or shrubs, with four-sided leaves, but partly 

 flattened in some species, and usually pendent cones with 

 persistent scales. As stated under Abies, the now uni- 

 versally adopted plan of calling the spruces Picea is here 

 adopted. 



PiCEA ALBA, Link. White Spruce. (Synonyms : 

 Abies alba, Michaux ; A. canadensis, Miller ; 

 Pinus alba, Lambert ; Abies rubra coerulea, Loudoft ; 

 A. coerulea, Forbes ; Picea nigra glauca, Carriere ; 

 Abies arctica, Seeman.) Arctic North America, 

 and south to New England. About 1700. — For 

 planting in this country the so-called White Spruce 

 cannot be recommended, it being at the best short- 

 lived, not very ornamental, and of no value as a 

 timber producer. Growing in cool yellow loam, 

 I have, however, seen a small number of specimens 

 thriving nicely ; but it should be stated that 

 these were under fifteen years planted. It is of 



