SILVER FIRS. 201 



part of the branches, four inches long and one and a half broad, 

 of a violet colour, and without any footstalks, scales rounded 

 on the upper part, six-eighths of an inch broad and the same 

 in length, entire on the exposed part, and smooth, bracteas 

 rather short, erect, and projecting half the length of the scales, 

 rounded in the middle and terminated with rather a long, 

 sharp point, seeds very small, angular, soft, and only half the size 

 of those of the common Silver Fir, with broad ample wings. 



A small pyramidal tree, seldom growing more than thirty or 

 forty feet high, even in America, and one foot in diameter. 



It is found in Canada, Nova Scotia, New England, and other 

 Northern States of America ; also on the Grandfather Moun- 

 tain in North Carolina. 



The stem of this fir produces by incision, the Balm of Gilead 

 or Canadian Balsam, used in medicine and the arts. There 

 are the following varieties : 



PlCEA BALSAMEA LONGIFOLIA, Loudon. 

 Abies balsamea longifolia, Endlicher. 



This variety has much longer leaves, and more upright 

 branches, and was first obtained by Messrs. Booth, of Hamburgh. 



PlCEA BALSAMEA VARIEGATA, Knight 



This variety only differs in having a portion of the leaves of 

 a whitish colour, intermixed along with the usual green ones, 

 and which gives the tree a variegated appearance. 



No. 3. PlCEA bkachyphylla, Gordon, the Short-leaved 



Silver Fir. 



Syn. Abies brachyphylla, Maximoivicz, 

 Pinus brachyphylla, Parlatore. 



Leaves short, straight or curved, flat, stiff, linear, crowded, 

 and turned upwards on the branchlets, enlarged at the base, 

 rounded or subemarginate at the points, slightly furrowed 



