430 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



graceful appearance. There is not much known of its quality of timber 

 yet. Mr Brown, the botanist, who explored British Columbia and Van- 

 couver Island, states that " the timber is said to be firmer, finer, and 

 straighter grained than the Canadian hemlock spruce." It is a quick 

 grower, and does best on a moist loam soil. 



Abies Canadensis (Hemlock Spruce, Michaux). This is a native of 

 North America, and there it becomes a very tall tree. It grows best 

 in moist soils and cool situations, but not where the water is sour and 

 stagnant. This is a beautiful specimen of the species, and should be 

 much more planted in this country than it has been. It is, however, a 

 bad transplanter. We have found it best to purchase small plants and 

 keep them in the home-nursery for a time, when they can be carefully 

 lifted to their permanent situations. From what I have seen of it, I 

 should say it will make a first-class game-cover, as its branches extend 

 to a great distance all round the stem and down to the ground. 



Abies Douglasii (Douglas's Spruce Fir, Lindley). This grows natur- 

 ally on the banks of the Columbia river, and is often found growing 

 to a height of two hundred feet. It is a fast grower, and a tree of 

 great beauty. There is one at Dropmore which grew sixty feet in 

 eighteen years. There are several on the estate of "Wass which have 

 made an average growth of two feet per annum, although growing on 

 thin soil resting on rock. In my opinion this will become one of the 

 best timber-trees in this country. The timber is of fine quality and 

 close-grained. 



Abies excelsa (Common or Norway Spruce, De Candolle). This tree is 

 so well known that it does not require much notice at my hands. It is 

 a handsome tree, and thrives well in a moist situation, but not where the 

 water is stagnant. 



Abies Hookeriana (Hooker's Spruce, Murray). This is a native of 

 California. The foliage is a rich green above, with a pale green beneath. 

 In its native quarters it grows to a height of from seventy to one hundred 

 feet. It is a beautiful tree, and very graceful, being not unlike the 

 Cedrus Deodar a in habit, but is more thickly branched, and is altogether 

 a more handsome tree. The timber is of a reddish colour, hard and 

 tough, and close in the grain. I should say that this will become a first- 

 class timber-tree in this country, as the quality of the timber is good 

 and the tree is hardy. 



Abies Kliutrow (Himalayan Spruce, Royle). A tree from the Hima- 

 layan Mountains on their northern slopes, and is found growing in large 

 masses. It does not attain a great height usually about fifty feet. It 

 is a handsome tree of a pyramidal shape. 



A bies Menziesii (Mcnzics's Spruce Fir, Lindley). This is a native of 



