2312 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART 111. 



spruce beer; but both these appear to be mistakes. Michaux and Pursh, 

 indeed, both expressly assert that the branches are quite unfit for making 

 beer; and Michaux adds that the leaves, when bruised, diffuse an unpleasant 

 odour. It was introduced into England by Bishop Conipton, in 1700. The 

 rate of growth, in the climate of London, in sandy soil somewhat moist, is 

 from 12 ft. to 15 ft. in 10 years. In 30 years, the tree will attain the height 

 of from 30 ft. to 40 ft. ; but in dry soils it seldom reaches either this age or 

 height : indeed, all the American spruces may be considered, in England, as 

 short-lived trees. The largest specimen that we know of in England is one at 

 White Knights, where, in 1837, after being 40 years planted, it was 30 ft. high; 

 one at Dropmore is 47 ft. high; and a plant in the Horticultural Society's 

 Garden, 12 years planted, is 14 ft. high. The tree is very ornamental when its 

 summit is richly laden with cones. 



Statistics. In Englaml. In Surrey, at Farnham Castle, 50 years old, it is 40 ft. high ; at Bagshot 

 Park, 16 years planted, it is 33 ft. high ; at Deepdene, 9 years planted, it is 20 ft. high. In Oxford- 

 shire, in the O.xford Botanic Garden, 40 years planted, it is 20 ft. high. In Staffordshire, at Tren- 

 tham, it is 20 ft. high. — In Scotland. In Forfarshire, at Courtachy Castle,14 years planteil, it is 18 ft. 

 high. In Berwickshire, at the Hirsel, 18 years planted, it is 23 ft. high. — In Ireland. At Dublin, in 

 the Glasnevin Botanic Garden, 3j years planted, it is 20 ft. high. In Down, at Ballyleady, t>0 years 

 planted, it is 5.^ ft. high. In Oal«ay, at Cool, it isSfi ft. high, thediametcr of the trunk 2 ft. 6 in., and 

 of the head 37 ft. — In France, near Paris, at Sceaux, 10 years planted, it is 24 ft. high. — In Hanover, 

 at Harbcke, 10 years planted, it is 16 ft. high. — In Austria, near Vienna, at Briick on the Leytha, 

 50 year.sj)Ianted, it is 40 ft. high. — In Bavaria, at Munich, in the English Garden, 20 years planted, 

 it is 18 ft. high. — In Prussia, at Sans Souci, near Berlin, 30 years planted, it is 40 ft. high. 



Commercial S/afistics. Price of seeds, in London, 4*. per lb. ; of plants, 

 two-years' seedlings, lOs. per thousand. At BoUwyllcr, plants are 1 franc 

 each ; and at New York, 50 cents. 



1 3. A. ni'gra Ait. The black Spruce Fir. 



Identification. Poir. Diet Encyc, & p. 520. ; Michx. Arb., 1. p. 123. ; N. Amer. Svl., 3. p. 176. ; N. 



Du Ham., 6. p. 292. 

 Si/nonymes. Pinus nigra Ait. Hott. Kew., 3. p. 370., JVilld. Berol. Baumz., p. 220., Lamb. Pin., 



ed. 2., 1. t 37., Du Roi Jlarbk., cd. Pott., 2. p. 182. ; P. mariina Ehr. Beyt., 3. p. 23. ; ^"bies 



mariana Wangh. Beyt., p. 75. ; double .Spruce. 

 Engravings. Lamb. Pin., ed. 2., 1. t. 37. ; Michx. N. Anicr. Syl. 3., t. 147. ; our fig. 2225. ; and the 



plate of this tree in our last Volume. 



222 



Sjicc. Char., S^-c. Leaves soli- 

 tary, regularly disposed all 

 round the branches ; erect, 

 very short, somewhat qua- 

 drangular. C'ones ovate, 

 pendulous; scales somewhat 

 undulated ; the apex of the 

 scale crenulated or divided. 

 {Michx.) Cones from liin. 

 to 13. in. long, and from 

 ^'m. to nearly 1 in. broad. 

 Seed rather larger than that 

 of A. alba, but the wing 

 smaller. Leaves from ^in. 

 to|^in. long. A large tree, 

 a native of North America. 

 Introduced in 1700 ; flower- 

 ing in May or June. 



Varieties. The kind generally designated as A. rubra, P. rubra Lamb., is as- 

 serted by Michaux to be only a variety, or rather variation, of A. nigra, 

 produced by the influence of the soil on the wood. " The inhabitants of 

 the country, and mechanics who work in the woods," says Michaux, " take 

 notice only of certain striking appearances in forest trees, such as the 

 quality of the wood, its colour, and that of the bark ; and, from ignorance 

 of botanical characters, they give different names to the same tree, according 

 to certain variations in these respects arising from local circumstances. To 

 this cause must be attributed the popular distinction of red and black 



