548 General Notices. 



classed as Pinus, Picca, and Abies, Endlicher lending the weight of his 

 opinion to its being ranged under the latter head. It was discovered by M. 

 Nordraann, whose name it bears, on the ridge of the Adshar, near Guriel, 

 above the Fountains of Cyrus, at the river Nataneb, at an elevation of 6000 

 feet, and in the declivity on the southern side of the mountains lying be- 

 tween Cartilinia and Achalgich, round about Azehur, as far as the Alpine 

 region, interspersed with Pinus (Abies) orientalis, as observed by Witt- 

 man. It has a trunk of the straightest growth, 80 feet and upwards, with 

 a diameter of 3 feet. Enlicher notices it in glowing language, as among 

 the fairest of its race : "Arbor certe pulcherrima foliorum colore magis- 

 quam in reliquis argenteo et strobilorum mole," This is a valuable, but a 

 high priced species. Its wood is harder than the Abies orientalis, and is 

 never attacked by insects ; quite new and hardy ; plants very young. I 

 have noticed this among the Piccas in the Belstane ConifeiEe. 



Here also are Ahies Fraseri, Abies ccerulca, Abies Khvtrow or morinda, 

 and others. I cannot close my remarks on this fine section without an- 

 other word in favor of the common Norway Spruce. 



Abies excelsa of Loudon, the Pinus Picea du Roi of Endlicher, Pinus Abies 

 of Linnaeus, with a dozen of other synonyms. Planted here, as I have al- 

 ready noticed, between 30 and 40 years ago, the trees have attained a 

 height of 50 feet and upwards, and, with their large dark foliaged branches 

 sweeping the ground, produce a fine effect. These form a beautiful feature, 

 skirting the belts above alluded to, and have mainly contributed to the im- 

 provement of the climate, by the shelter which they secure. Growing on 

 sterile soil, on the loftiest Alps, they court a rigorous exposure. In one of 

 the most glowing passages of his most impassioned poem,* Lord Byron 

 thus apostrophizes this beautiful species : — 



" But, from tlieir nature, will the tannen grow 

 Loftiest on loftiest aud least shelter'd rocks. 

 Rooted in barrenness, where nought below 

 Of soil supports them 'gainst the Alpine shocks 

 Of eddying storms; yet springs the trunk and mecks 

 The howling tempest till its height and frame 

 Are worthy of the mountains from whose blocks 

 Of bleak gray granite into life it came, 

 And grew a giant tree." 



Tannen is the plural of Tanne, the German of Fir in general. The pres- 

 ent is the Swarztann e, Feuchlanne, or Rothlanne, of Northern Germany, 

 and seeks a still loftier elevation on the Alps than the Picea peclinala, the 

 Silver Fir, which latter only reaches from 2000 to 4000, while the former 

 reaches from 4000 to 7000 feet of elevation. As one of the most rapid 

 growing, and retaining its massive, thickly-leaved branches even to the 

 ground, throughout its growth, it cannot be too highly extolled a tree for 

 screens and shelter. It has even been used as fences, as I observed it on 

 the estate of George Mercer, Esq., of Gorthy, adjoining Mr. Patton's, on 

 the west, where it seemed to serve the purpose well. Its great cheapness, 



* Childe Harolde. 



