238 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



in New- York, and there are no spruce-trees 

 about there, are there, sir ?" 



" No ; but they have the essence of spruce, 

 which is made by allowing the water in which 

 young twigs of the spruce have been boiled 

 to simmer over a fire until the greater part 

 of it has boiled away, and what is left is 

 thick like honey ; this is very strong of the 

 spruce, and being put up in bottles, will keep 

 along time, and in all climates; and it 

 answers just as well for the beer as the fresh 

 branches. 



" The single spruce, or white spruce, as 

 some call it, grows in the same situations as 

 the black, but it is not so common anywhere." 



"Uncle Philip, why is it called single 

 spruce ?" 



"The only reason, I believe, is, that the 

 leaves are not so close and numerous ; but 

 certainly, single is not a good term to express 

 the difference ; white is a better name, as the 

 leaves are a great deal lighter ; in fact, their 

 colour is a very pale green, that looks much 

 like white in contrast with the dark gloomy 

 leaves of the black spruce. The white spruce 

 is a smaller tree too ; never more than fifty 

 feet high, and the wood is not quite as good." 



