28 ABIES, OR 



the upper one, where it is very sharply elevated and termi- 

 nated by a long slender point, frequently of a dark brown 

 colour in the adult leaves, which are very entire and sessile. 

 Buds small and surrounded by long slender scales. Branches in 

 whorls, slender and horizontal, with the lower ones frequently 

 bent downwards at the ends, and the laterals quite straight, 

 slender and stiff. Shoots smooth, of a rusty brown, and some- 

 what downy by the numerous short hairs on their surface, par- 

 ticularly when quite young. Cones erect, somewhat terminal, 

 on longish foot-stalks, cylindrical, abruptly tapering at the 

 point, quite straight, rather narrow, and of a beautiful violet- 

 purple when young, but purplish-brown when fully matured, 

 and from six to seven inches long, and from one and a half to 

 two inches in diameter. Scales numerous, very broad, concave, 

 rounded at the edges, irregularly crenated on the margins, 

 smooth, thin, rather loosely placed, but persistent, nearly equal 

 in size, and from one inch to one and a quarter long, and the 

 same in breadth. Seeds half an inch long, angular, soft, and 

 full of turpentine, like those of the Piceas ; wings permanent, 

 short, but broad, with the inner side straight, and the outer 

 one rounded. 



A large tree, 60 feet high, with a straight stem, covered 

 with a smooth ashy-gray bark, a little cracked outside, and a 

 flat, wide spreading head, like that of an old Cedar of Lebanon. 



It was first introduced by Mr. Fortune, who found it planted 

 about temples at Foo-chow-foo, in the north of China. 



Much difference of opinion exists respecting whether this 

 kind is a Spruce, a Silver Fir, or a new genus ; and which 

 arises from its having erect, cylindrical cones, with persistent 

 scales, soft angular seeds, full of turpentine, and permanent 

 wings, and flat, linear-lanceolate leaves, somewhat spirally ar- 

 ranged on the young shoots, and more or less two-rowed on 

 the adult parts ; from all of which it would seem to be inter- 

 mediate between the two, but having persistent scales on the 

 cones, it must be considered as belonging to the Spruces rather 

 than the Silver Firs. 



