FIR TREE. 



FIR TREE, 



ance have at all times rendered them objects ! 

 of admiration and attention. They constitute 

 the greater part of the natural order Coniferce. 

 The term fir is often indiscriminately applied 

 both to the fir and the pine, or Abies and Pmus, 

 and hence we frequently hear the Scotch pine 

 improperly called the Scotch fir, by those who 

 are unacquainted with botanical nomenclature. 

 The most obvious and ready character of dis- 

 tinction between the different genera Abies and 

 Finns is to be found in the natural arrangement 

 of the leaves. The firs (Abies), have the leaves 

 solitary, or issuing from one scale or sheath on 

 the bark of the branches, over which they are 

 scattered." The catkins of male flowers are 

 also solitary, not racemose; the scales of the 

 cone are imbricated, and thin at the apex, and 

 are all turned to one side. They are further 

 distinguished from the pine by their more py- 

 ramidal form. The spruces have also the 

 leaves growing singly round the branches, and 

 all spreading equally. 



The lurches have th,e leaves growing in clus- 

 ters, which are deciduous. 



The cedars and pines have from two to five 

 leaves issuing from one sheath at their base, 

 growing also in little bundles or tufts, but they 

 are evergreen. Of these four natural tribes, 

 into which the firs resolve themselves, the 

 silver fir may be taken as the representative of 

 the first, the Norway sjmice of the second, the 

 Larch of the third, and the Cedar of Lebanon of 

 the fourth. As all the others are noticed under 

 their separate heads, we have only to confine 

 our attention in this place to the firs. One pro- 

 perty is common to all the species of this 

 penus, that of affording resinous matter, either 

 from the wood, bark, or cones. 



The silver fir (A.picea, or pectinata) is grown 

 in England for ornament generally. The 

 name of silver fir is derived from the colour of 

 its leaves on the under side, which are shorter, 

 broader, and set much thicker on the spray 

 than those of other firs and pines, and have a 

 beautiful silvery appearance when the under 

 side is viewed, or when the wind turns the 

 branches from the eye ; whilst the upper sur- 

 face is of the brightest and handsomest green 

 of all the species of fir. It is a fine majestic 

 tree, and the most beautiful, but at the same 

 time the most delicate, of the fir tribe usually 

 cultivated in Britain. This tree is very rapid 

 in its growth, and soon attains to a great size ; 

 but the timber is not so valuable as that of the 

 pine and the spruce fir. It yields, however, 

 Burgundy pitch (whence its name of picea) 

 and Strasburgh turpentine; and it is much 

 used on the Continent both for carpentry and 

 ship-building. The silver fir likes a deep soft 

 soil, and a sheltered situation. From its ex- 

 treme tendency to lose its leader it does not 

 appear to be well suited for exposed grounds. 

 Some of the finest trees in Englnnd are in the 

 vale of Mitcham, between Dorking and Guild- 

 ford, where the soil is nothing more than a deep 

 soft sand lying on chalk. The well-known 

 disease of the larch, commonly called Ameri- 

 can blight (see this head), or plant lice, proves 

 fatal to the silver fir. Col. Miller sa) r s he has 

 cured the disease with a wash of lime-water ; 

 but recommends!, in advanced stages of the 



disease, free and early pruning. This doctrine 

 may startle many wood growers ; but the Colo- 

 nel, in proof of the soundness of his opinion, 

 adds, that he has adopted it successfully for 

 many years. No large branch should, how- 

 ever, be removed when the tree is near matu- 

 rity. The Swedes and Norwegians prune their 

 trees freely, and hence the reason why they 

 produce such a large quantity of sound tim- 

 ber, and are so free from knots. A weak solu- 

 tion of spirits of turpentine and tobacco liquor 

 appears to be a useful wash for the disease. 



2. The balm of Gilead fir (A. balsamea). 

 This is also a delicate ornamental tree, but it 

 rarely attains to any considerable size. This 

 species and the silver fir are often confounded, 

 but may be distinguished thus: "the leaves of 

 the silver fir are arranged nearly on opposite 

 sides of the branch, comb-like. The under 

 sides of the leaves have a white line running 

 lengthwise on each side of the mid-rib, which 

 gives them a silvery hue. The leaves of the 

 balm of Gilead fir are shorter, blunter, and 

 stand nearly upright in double rows, on the 

 upper side of the branches ; while in the silver 

 fir they are flattened and irregularly single- 

 rowed." The balm of Gilead fir is so called 

 because the clear transparent turpentine which 

 is obtained from the wounds of this tree is 

 very similar to the true kilin of Gilead of the 

 shops, which is the production of the Balsama- 

 dendron Gileadense. It commonly passes under 

 the name of Canadian balsam. The wood of 

 this tree is of a pale yellow colour, and but 

 slightly resinous ; its principal use is to split 

 up into staves for fish barrels, for which the 

 wood of some of the other species is much 

 preferable. 



3. The Norway or spruce fir (A. excelsa] 

 when standing singly, with its regular pyra- 

 midal figure, and its long drooping branches 

 reaching to the ground, forms a beautiful ob- 

 ject; but it does not thrive well generally in 

 exposed situations. It grows best in moist 

 and springy places, and likes a deep soil. The 

 spruce is readily known by its leaves of one 

 uniform dull green colour, spread equally 

 round the branches, and by its long pendant 

 cones. All these firs may be raised from seed, 

 which can be separated from the cones by a 

 moderate heat before a fire, care being taken 

 not to destroy the vegetative power. Or tho 

 separation may be facilitated by steeping the 

 cones a few hours in warm water. The seed 

 ripens in December, and the cones should be 

 preserved till April, which is the proper period 

 for sowing. The seeds must be only covered 

 about half an inch deep. The soil be tole- 

 rably rich. The seedlings must be transplanted 

 the second year; for if left longer it will be 

 completely spoiled. For the Scotch pine or 

 fir I must refer the reader to the head PINES 

 (Pmus) ; and other information on the subject 

 of firs will also be found under the head LARCH. 

 It may, however, be well to enumerate the 

 principal other firs: anything like a descrip- 

 tion in this place would be needless. 



1. Fins. The Siberian silver fir (A. Siberira). 

 The great Californian fir (A. grandis). The 

 large-bracted fir (A. nobilis}. The double bal- 

 sam fir (A. Frazeri). Webb's fir (A. Webbiana). 



477 



