290 FAMILIAR TREES AND THEIR LEAVES. 



on the lawn of Messrs. Ellwanger and Barry's nurs- 

 eries at Rochester, IN". Y. This tree may be iden- 

 tified at once by its long, sharp needle, which is gen 

 erally sage-green in color, but which imparts to the 

 tree a peculiar, light bluish tint. Kot all specimens 

 are alike in this respect, as some are greener than 

 others, and a few have a somewhat rusty tinge. 



The needle is three quarters of an 

 inch or an inch in length, curved, ex- 

 tremely sharp pointed, and it emits 

 a disagreeable, pungent odor when 

 bruised.* The little twigs bristle 

 all around with needles, and when 

 young they are a beautiful tan- 

 color. The general effect of some 

 of the handsomest Colorado 

 spruces is light sage-green of a 

 very bluish tone ; the tree is one of 

 the lightest colored of the ever 

 greens, and has a perfectly conical 

 figure which is strikingly ornamental, 

 especially when it is crowned by clus- 

 ters of long, red, tan-colored cones; 

 these are usually four inches or less in 

 Co, l^ce Blue length. 



* The Colorado blue spruce has the same strong odor as the 

 white spruce. 



