Picea 8 1 



which I brought the smallest home in a tin box alive, and planted the larger ones in 

 the forester's garden at Han Semec. Those which I brought home have established 

 themselves slowly, but a quantity of seed received in the autumn germinated well in 

 boxes, and in November 1905 was much larger than common spruce of the same age. 

 They were quite uninjured by the severe frost of May 21, 1905, which injured the 

 common spruce very severely, and on my limy soil are growing faster and more 

 vigorous^;' than any other species of Picea. 



The tree appears to have been first distributed by Messrs. Frobel of Zurich 

 about 1884, and has been found quite hardy in England, as might be expected from 

 the climate of its native country. 



The finest specimen I know of in England is in the garden of W. H. Griffiths, 

 Esq., at Campden, Gloucestershire, where it was bearing a good crop of cones near the 

 summit in August 1905, and measured about 25 feet in height; this seems to show 

 that the tree prefers limestone. At Kew there are three fine trees which were 

 raised from seed obtained from Belgrade in 1889. These trees aire now (1905) 

 13 inches in girth at 5 feet from the ground, and the tallest one is 23 feet high, 

 making a strong, vigorous leading shoot, and assuming the very narrow pyramidal 

 form which is so remarkable in the wild trees. The other two are 18 and 20 feet 

 in height. 



At Tortworth Court it has attained about 15 feet in height, and produced 

 cones containing in the year 1902 apparently good seed ; but Lord Ducie tells me 

 that no plants raised from them can now be found. Though the tree is a very 

 ornamental one I do not expect it can have any value as a forest tree in Great 

 Britain, its timber having, so far as known, no special use. Judging from the soil 

 and climate of its native country it should succeed in the Highlands of Scotland, 

 especially on limestone soil, as well as, or better than in England, and as seedlings 

 can now be procured in small numbers it will no doubt be planted by all lovers of 

 coniferae. (H. J. E.) 



M 



