48 The gj'-eater evergreen trees 



for the fine red catkins of the male flowers. It is still 

 a scarce tree in this country, and difficult to get true to 

 name and on its own roots. The wood is light, hard, 

 finely grained, and of a pale brown. British Columbia 

 and southward to Oregon. 



The White Spruce {Picea alba). A graceful tree of 

 pyramidal habit in its early state, broadening and round- 

 ing off with age, while the slender branchlets are finely 

 pendulous. It grows best in cool and moist places, upon 

 the banks of lakes and streams, decreasing in size and 

 vigour southward where exposed to heat and drought, 

 which it cannot endure. It is abundant in Canada, 

 reaching a height of 150 feet, and is much used in the 

 manufacture of paper-pulp and for fitting interiors. The 

 mature wood is light and hard, finely grained, and readily 

 stained or polished. Syn. P. canadensis. 



The Big Tree {Sequoia gigantea). At first I intended 

 to omit this tree from the greater trees of the Northern 

 Forest, because of its failure in many pleasure grounds. 

 Is this not largely our own fault in placing the tree ? 

 The best thing to do would be to give it a fair trial 

 as a forest tree in sheltered woodland valleys, or, where 

 there are none of these, to plant in a sheltered wood, 

 and always among trees and cover of some kind which 

 would help to keep the sun out and the ground cool. 

 Coming from one of the finest climates, with a constant 

 sun and gentle Pacific breezes, the least we can do with 

 it is to take care to place it in the best woodland con- 

 ditions. We should in such ways give it all the chance 

 of growth our climate affords, and get rid of the toy-tray 

 look of our garden lawns which arises from sticking 

 such trees about in them. The fact that over much of 

 the northern and midland country we may not hope for 



