152 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



Distribution. Northern United States, Canada and north- 

 ward, forming- large forests in some sections. In Minnesota 

 it is found in the white pine belt, though most common in the 

 extreme northern portions. Generally found in swamps 

 known as Muskeg's on which the trees with their roots half 

 submerged make a very slow growth. One specimen, the rings 

 of which showed it to be 73 years old, was only H inches in 

 diameter. 



Propagation. By seeds. When plants are desired they 

 may be easily gathered from the woods in this state. 



Properties of wood. Light, soft, strong, compact and 

 satiny; color reddish with nearly white sapwood. Specific 

 gravity 0.458; weight of a cubic foot 28.57 pounds. 



Uses. The Black Spruce is a poor ornamental tree as it 

 soon loses its lower branches, which with its dead persistent 

 cones and dark colored bark makes it appear unsightly. It 

 is also a short lived tree on dry land in this section. Most 

 of the Christmas trees in our market of recent years have 

 been of this kind although the Balsam Fir is also used. The 

 wood is used here to some extent and elsewhere in large 

 quantities for paper pulp, for which purpose it is highly 

 esteemed. In the eastern range of this tree its wood is largely 

 used for flooring, masts, spars, general house and shipbuild- 

 ing, sounding boards for instruments and for any other pur- 

 pose where a light stiff wood is needed. The gum which this 

 tree exudes is valued as chewing gum and the gathering of it 

 is quite an industry in some sections. The essence of spruce 

 is made by boiling the young branches in water and evapor- 

 ating the decoction. It is used in the manufacture of spruce 

 beer which is a pleasant and wholesome beverage, and it is 

 sometimes useful on long sea voyages as a preventive of 

 scurvy. 



Picea pungens. Colorado Blue Spruce. Silver Spruce. 

 Rocky Mountain White Spruce. 



Leaves about one inch long, rather broad, rigid, stout, 

 pointed, usually incurved, falling during sixth and seventh 

 years: branchlets smooth and shining. Cones light brown in 

 color, very prickly, 3 to 5 inches long, cylindrical, with more 

 or less elongated thin truncate wavy scales; seeds small but 



