ABIES NIGBA. 315 



west America. It is found in every part of this State, on 

 almost every variety of soil. It flourishes in the ruins of 

 granitic rocks, on the sides of hills exposed to the violence of 

 storms. As it bears pruning to almost any degree, without suf- 

 fering injury, it is well fitted to form screens for the protection 

 of more tender trees and plants, or for concealing disagreeable 

 objects. By being planted in double or triple rows, it may, in 

 a few years, be made to assume the appearance of an impene- 

 trable evergreen-wall, really impenetrable to the wind and to 

 domestic animals. A hedge of this kind, seven or eight feet 

 high, on a bleak, barren plain, exposed to the north-west winds, 

 gave Dr. Greene, of Mansfield, a warm, sunny, sheltered spot 

 for the cultivation of delicate annual plants. When I saw it, 

 the annuals, several of which were rare exotics, were beautiful, 

 but the Hemlock screen much more so." (Emerson.) 



The Hemlock is of slow growth till it gets well established ; 

 it then makes rapid progress, and finally becomes a large tree. 

 The Hemlock should never be planted without some other tree 

 to nurse or protect it. If designed fora single tree for the lawn, 

 or in any other exposed situation, others of its kind should be 

 planted to shade and shelter it, which may be taken away as 

 soon as the tree becomes well rooted. 



ABIES NIGRA. 

 The Black Spruce. 



" The Black and the White Spruce are commonly called the 

 Double and Single Spruce. The Double is distinguished from 

 the Single Spruce, by the darker color of the foliage, whence 

 its name of Black Spruce, by the greater thickness in propor- 

 tion to the length of the cones, and by the looseness of the 

 scales, which are jagged, or toothed, on the edge. 



" When the tree stands by itself, in a sheltered situation 

 favorable to its growth, the stages, or whorls, (of its branches) 

 are regularly disposed, and, diminishing gradually in length 



