THEIR PROPERTIES, &C. IC/ 



THE SILVER-FIR. (Pinus picea.*) 



This is a very tall growing, well known tim- 

 ber tree. When allowed a fufficiency of room, 

 and to take its own natural outline, it is a very 

 beautiful object, of a fine conic form. In this 

 cafe, there is fomething in its appearance which 

 gives an idea of great (lability ; it feems to be 

 placed on a firm bafe, its ftem and general out- 

 line tapering, in uniform proportion, to a fiuu* 

 mit at a vafl height. But it is a tree of a very 

 different appearance when haggled, lopped, and 

 pruned of its lower branches ; for, if thefe fall 

 not down to the turf, its grandeur is in a great 

 meafure loft. 



The Silver-fir may therefore be corifidered as 

 an ornamental grove trej of much value. It is 

 certainly an excellent fcrcen, and a more fit, and" 

 more handfome plant for that purpofe, near a re- 

 fidence, than the common fpruce. 



It is a tree abundantly hardy for the forefl ; 

 and, next to the larch, its timber becomes the 

 mod valuable of refmous woods. * 



In 



* In July 1810, we saw several very large logs of Sil- 

 ver-fir, at Woburn, from trees which had been cut out of 

 the park there. They struck us as being the finest native 

 timber we had ever seen ; superior, at least in appearance, 

 to the native Highland fir of Scotlaad. The soil about 

 W6burn is light and sandy. 



