216 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part 1. 



The pines. 



THE SPRUCES. 



poses is more valuable. It is employed in | ing species. When sufficiently free from 

 architecture in various ways and is much knots it make.s firm and durable floors, 

 esteemed for floors in dwellmg houses. ! and for fuel it is much esteemed by bakers 



It is becoming scarce. Leaves in twos. 



and by glass and brick-makers. From 

 the knots and resinous stocks of this tree 

 lamp black is manufactured. The leaves 

 are in threes. 



THE WHITE PINE. 

 Phi.us strohus. 



The white pine is much the most lofty 

 tree which grows in our forests and the 

 most valuable for its timber. Dr. Williams 

 states the height of this tree to be ^47 

 feet,"* but it is probable tliat a very few 

 only have obtained that height in Ver- 

 mont. Tlie tallest trees which have fal- 

 len under o\ir own observation have not 

 exceeded 170 feet. While the pine for- | 

 ests were standing, trees measuring from 

 140 to 180 feet were not uncommon, and 

 they have often measured more than 6 

 feet in diameter at the base. 



This species of pine was originally 

 very abundant in all the western parts of 

 tlie state, particularly in the neighbor- 

 hood of Lake Champlain, and was found 

 in considerable quantities along the bank 

 of the Connecticut and most of our smal- 

 ler rivers. But in consequence of the in- 

 discriminate havoc of our forest trees by 

 the early settlers, and of the common use 

 of this tree for timber, boards and shingles 

 for buildings and other domestic uses, to- 

 gether with the great demand for it, for 

 exportation, our forests of white pine 

 have mostly disappeared, and boards and 

 shingles of good quality are becoming 

 scarce and difficult to be obtained. The 

 leaves are in fives. 



THE PITCH PINE. 

 Piiius rigida. 

 Tliis pine is always found upon light 

 sandy lands and seldom exceeds .50 or 60 

 feet in height. It is remarkable for the 

 great number of its limbs, which usually 

 occupy two thirds of the trunk and render 

 the wood extremely knotty. A large pro- 

 portion of the trunk consists of sap wood, 

 and for architectural purposes it is much 

 less valuable than either of the preced- 



*Hist. V't. Vol. 1. p. 87. Tlie author of Memoirs 

 of Ur. VVIirr-lock, late president of Dartmouth < 'ol 

 Je-'e, stales that he measured a white pine which 

 grew on the pli in where that (^^llege now stands, 

 and found it ^70 feat from tlic butt to the trip. Me- 

 moirs p. 66, 



DOUBLE SPRUCE. 



Pinus nigra. 

 This tree is found in all parts of Ver- 

 mont, and is so greatly multiplied on ma- 

 ny of our hills and mountains, as to con- 

 stitute almost entire forests of considera- 

 ble extent. Tlie usual height of this tree 

 is from 60 to 80 feet, with a diameter of 

 from LJ to 2 feet. It seems to prefer a 

 cool gravelly or sandy soil, and is most 

 common upon northern or northwestern 

 declivities. It is found, though of dimin- 

 utive size, on the very summits of our 

 mountains, and to this tree, more than 

 any other, are we indebted for the name 

 of our state, Veid-Moiit, it being the most 

 plentiful evergreen upon our mountains. 

 The wood of the Double Spruce is distin- 

 guished for strength, lightness and elasti- 

 city, and is extenively used for frames of 

 houses and other buildings. It is also 

 sawed into boards and clapboards, which, 

 though harder to plane and more liable to 

 split in nailing, are, for many purposes, 

 little inferior to pine, and for some purpos- 

 es are preferred. It likewise makes good 

 shinTles. In the interior parts ofthe state 

 houses, barns and other buildings are very 

 often made entirely of spruce. The young 

 branches of this tree, boiled in water, and 

 the decoction sweetened with molasses or 

 maple sugar, makes what is called spnicc 

 beer., which is said, in long sea voyages, 

 to be a sure preventive of the scurvy. 

 The wood is not of much value for fuel. 

 It contains little resin, except what 

 exudes and forms concretions in the 

 seams of the bark, and is called spruce 

 gum. 



SINGLE SPRUCE. 



Pinus alba. 

 This Spruce is much less plentiful in 

 Vermont than the preceding species, to 

 which, in most respects, it bears a strong 

 resemblance, and is applied to the same 

 Hses. 



