400 THE SILVER FIR. 



makes it disagreeable. We rarely see it, even in its hap- 

 piest state, assume a picturesque shape : assisted it may be 

 in its form when broken and shattered, but it will rarely 

 get rid of its formality. In old age it stands the best 

 chance of attaining beauty. We sometimes see it, under 

 that circumstance, a noble shattered tree, finely adorned 

 with ivy, and shooting out a few horizontal branches, on 

 which its meagre foliage and tufted moss appear to advan- 

 tage." 1 This formal character is to be attributed to the 



CONES OF SILVER FIR. 



horizontal direction of its branches from the main stem, 

 and to the same position of the spray with reference to the 

 branches. The buds, which are situated at the extremities 

 of the shoots, expand in spring, and the young leaves are 

 of a pale green, almost as delicate as the tint of the prim- 

 rose. I have observed that the Sulphur butterfly, which 

 makes its appearance about the same time with these 

 tender shoots, loves to settle on their under side, either 

 attracted by their flower-like semblance, or taught by 

 1 Gilpin. 



