130 Forests and Trees 



readily from seed, grows rapidly when young and transplants 

 well for a pine. Although not particularly graceful when grown 

 by itself, it can be used to advantage when grouped with other 

 trees, particularly to form a sky-line. 



II. THE SPRUCES 

 Genus Picea 



The spruces are evergreen trees found in the cooler parts of 

 the Northern hemisphere. They have tall, straight, gradually 

 tapering trunks and small horizontal branches regularly ar- 

 ranged in whorls, sometimes drooping. When young and un- 

 crowded they are conical in form, but when older or crowded 

 have straight naked trunks and cone-shaped tops. The leaves 

 are short, rigid, sometimes sharp-pointed, and pretty evenly 

 distributed over the branches from which they stand out al- 

 most at right angles. The cones are rather small with two 

 seeds at the base of eacn scale. They mature and shed their 

 seeds in one year but the old cones often cling to the stems for 

 several seasons. 



They are among the most valuable timber trees of northern 

 latitudes and are much used for ornamental purposes. Their 

 symmetrical conical form, dark green or bluish-green foliage 

 and rapid growth make them particularly desirable. They can 

 be easily reproduced from seed, and with proper care can be 

 transplanted easily. 



i. WHITE SPRUCE. Picea canadensis. (Miller) B. S. P. 



The best known, most widely distributed and most highly 

 prized member of this genus is the white spruce. It is a lofty 

 tree, reaching at times a height of one hundred feet, with a 

 base diameter of three feet. The trunk is clean, straight and 

 gradually tapering, almost mastlike in size and proportions. 

 The bark is brownish-gray, about half an inch thick, and much 



