2300 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART III. 



2218 



roots. In both examples, the original 

 tops had decayed close to the uppermost 

 arborescent branch; no doubt, in con- 

 sequence of their not being able to turn 

 upright : notwithstanding, however, the 

 extremities of both have a tendency to- 

 wards the upright position." (Gard. 

 Mag., vol. xiii. p. 249.) 



Geography. The common spruce is 

 indigenous to the hills and mountains 

 of Europe and Asia, in places where 

 the surface of the soil is moist, and 

 the atmosphere cold and humid. It is 

 most common in Norway, Sweden, Lap- 

 land, Denmark, and throughout the 

 north of Germany. It is found on 

 mountains in France, on the Alps, the 

 Pyrenees, in the Vosges, in Burgundy, 

 on the Jura, in Switzerland, and in Bel- 

 gium. According to Pallas, it abounds 

 in the north of Russia, and in Siberia ; 

 occupying cold, marshy, and springy 

 places, and the valleys between moun- 

 tains. Beyond the Lena, and in Kamt- 

 schatka, it is wanting; but it frequently 

 occurs in the Kurile Isles. In the north 

 of Russia and Siberia, it reaches to the arctic circle, and in some places 

 beyond it ; and in the north of Sweden and Lapland, as far as N. lat. 

 69. It grows on the Swedish mountains at the elevation of 2000ft., 

 where P. sylvestris, according to Dr. Agardh (Gard. Mag., vol. xii. p. 63.), is 

 found principally in the plains. On the Lapland mountains, it grows at the 

 height of 1000 ft. The spruce, in Norway, according to Schouw, extends to 

 N. lat. 70 , and there grows at an elevation of 750 ft. In the south of Norway, 

 it grows at the height of 3000 ft. The order of hardiness of the Scandinavian 

 trees, according to Schouw, is : 1. the birch, which grows nearest the summits 

 of the mountains; 2. the spruce fir; and, 3. the Scotch pine. The supe- 

 rior hardiness of the spruce to any other trees of the pine and fir tribe is 

 thus established beyond a doubt. (See Gard. Mag., vol. xii. p. 60.) The 

 soil in which the spruce fir is generally found differs from that in which 

 the Scotch pine abounds, in being softer and moister on the surface. 

 Among dry rocks and stones, where the Scotch pine would flourish, the 

 spruce fir will scarcely grow. The spruce fir, on the Alps of Switzerland, 

 is frequently found above 150 ft. in height, with trunks from 4 ft. to 5 ft. 

 in diameter, growing in moist soil in mountain valleys ; and the timber of 

 these trees is hard, tough, and very durable. The finest forests of this 

 tree which we have seen are on the southern shores of the Baltic, between 

 Memel and Konigsberg, where the surface consists of a thin stratum of black 

 peaty soil, incumbent on a bed of sand, and the whole of which is under 

 water a great part of every winter. We have also seen the tree making a 

 fine appearance on rocky banks in different parts of Sweden ; but scarcely 

 anywhere in that country is it to be found in situations so grand and pic- 

 turesque as it is in Norway. 



In the year 1817, and subsequently, a great many views in Norway were 

 taken by James White, Esq., all of which he has kindly lent to us ; and, 

 from these we have made a selection to show the effect of the spruce fir, 

 the Scotch pine, and, as connected with them, the common birch, in land- 

 scape scenery. 



Fig. 2219. is a view of the Pass of Kroglevin, on the road to Ringerike, 



