HARDY CONIFEROUS TREES 107 



able tree than the species. It is undoubtedly one 

 of the most beautiful of aU the spruces, the general 

 habit being that of the parent, but the foliage, 

 instead of being of a dull green, is glaucescent 

 almost to silvery whiteness. It is very hardy, 

 and in the younger stages slow of growth, with 

 dense, stiff, horizontal branches, and stout, sharp- 

 pointed leaves, which in their shade of silvery 

 green vary to a great extent. In many collections 

 P. pungens glaiica does service for the present 

 variety. 



P. EXCELSA, Link. Common Spruce. (S5m- 

 onyms : Abies excelsa, De Candolle ; Abies Picea, 

 Miller ; Pinus Abies, LinncBus ; Picea vulgaris, 

 Link ; Pinus excelsa, Lamarck.) Mountains of 

 Northern and Central Europe. Prior to 1548. — 

 Whether as a hardy, shelter-giving tree, or for 

 the quantity and quality of timber it produces, 

 the Common Spruce must ever rank high in the 

 list of exotic conifers that have been found suit- 

 able for culture in this coimtry. It is well adapted 

 for general forest planting, luxuriating at high 

 altitudes, and not only acting as a capital nurse 

 tree, but producing a fair quantity of valuable 

 timber. When clean grown, the timber is valuable 

 for temporary roofing and fencing, pit props, 

 flooring, packing -boxes, etc. As an ornamental 

 tree the fine proportions and well-clothed trunk 

 render it very effective, which are further enhanced 

 by the intense green of the thickly produced 

 foliage. It wants rich, moist soil. 



P. EXCELSA AUREA is a beautiful variety, of 

 robust growth, and justly remarkable for the 

 bronzy tint which pervades the golden foliage, this 



