206 THE BOOK OF EVERGREENS. 



A well-known species that was introduced into this 

 country several years ago. It is from the principal moun- 

 tain ranges of Middle and Northern Europe, but is found 

 more plentifully upon the Alps, extending their entire 

 length from east to west, at an elevation of from 2,000 to 

 4,500 feet. In favorable situations it forms a large-sized 

 tree about 100 feet high, although, according to London, it 

 will grow from 160 to 180 feet ; as it is a rapid grower, 

 the tree soon arrives at maturity. 



We cannot recommend it for general cultivation for 

 several reasons. In the first place, young plants remove 

 very badly, and are frequently three and four years in re- 

 covering from the change of location ; severe winters gen- 

 erally aifect the foliage and occasionally destroy a portion 

 of the branches, particularly the main shoot ; they require 

 a deep, rich soil to perfect their greatest beauty, and in 

 such are liable to be injured by a strong, luxuriant, unrip- 

 ened growth ; and at best, the tree is exceedingly formal 

 and devoid of the graceful habit that is so frequently as- 

 sociated with the Conifene. If anything more be needed 

 to blast its reputation, we might also add it is very short- 

 lived and impatient of drought. 



On the other hand, when fully established in a suitable 

 soil and location where it is protected from the strong 

 winds, this tree forms a rapid-growing specimen, with deep, 

 shining green foliage and quite striking in character ; and 

 although we never could appreciate the remarkable beau- 

 ties that some authors have seen in old trees of this species, 

 we confess a healthy, vigorous, and dense-growing young 

 plant involuntarily excites admiration from almost every 

 one. Some of the finest specimens in this country are at 

 the Bartram gardens near Philadelphia ; in Peirce's ar- 

 boretum in this neighborhood; and in the vicinity of 

 Germantown, Pa. 



A writer in the Gardener's Monthly, says : " The Balsam 

 Firs mentioned in Downing's Landscape Gardening, grow- 



