General Notices. 227 



in massive irregular whorls a great way from tlie trunk, which more than its 

 lofty stature render it one of tlie most striking products of the Himmalayan 

 forests. Nor is the general effect lessened by the depth of its robust dark- 

 green foliage, which invests it with an air of gloom, but of a gloom that 

 passes into grandeur, as the Alpine breeze attains sufficient force to throw 

 up the thickly clad boughs, all sparkling as with silver on the under side. 

 The tree bears purple cones, which are said to yield a dye of the same 

 color, while its wood equals in perfume and in tlie fineness of its grain, that 

 of the Jimiperus Bermudiana, or pencil wood. Though found at so great an 

 altitude, great complaints have reaches us of its having suffered much in 

 England, from spring frosts. Better hopes have been formed of it in Scot- 

 land. Nor have these been disappointed at the Cairnies. It succeeds, nay, 

 thrives here. The young trees are vigorous, witli summer shoots, the leader 

 perfect, and the growth upward, not running away into laterals merely, as it 

 is sometimes seen. It should be tried on a dry bottom, where its young 

 wood is lilvcly to get matured, its besetting infirmity being its liability to 

 injury by early winter or late spring frosts. It seems to do best, with Mr. 

 Patton, on a north exposure, where these evils are less likely to ensue. The 

 seeds are frequently obtained from Upper India, under the name of Picea 

 spedahiHs. Lindley has classed it as an Abies, A. Webbiana, whom End- 

 licher follows. Others have it Pinus Webbiana. But Loudon is generally 

 followed, in classing it as a Picea, P. Webbiana. The native name is CJiil- 

 roiv. 



Picea Pindroio of Loudon, is another Hunmalayan kind, growing at an 

 elevation of 8000 to 9500 feet. It attains a height of 80 to 100 feet, of the 

 fairest form and straightest growth. It is grown, too, in the valley of the 

 Sutledge, as an indispensable concomitant of tlie vine culture. It offers to 

 realize here, the high character assigned to it for beauty, in its native hills. 

 While Loudon classes it among the Piceas, Endlicher sets it down as an 

 Abies, A. Pindrow, otliers as a Pinus, and Wallich as a Taxus, T. Lamber- 

 tiana. Found to be quite hardy at the Cairnies. 



Picea Cephalonica of Loudon. — Found at the height of 5000 feet, on the 

 Black Mountain of Cephalonia, Mount Enos of tlie ancients. This beautiful 

 silver fir is not unworthy of its classic birth-place. A tree of not more than 

 60 feet, it is eminently distinct from all others of this section, by its assum- 

 ing the broad spreading habit and outline of the Cedar of Lebanon, and by 

 its assimilating in tlie general aspect of its foliage, to the beautiful Aurica- 

 ria Braziliensis, over which, however, it has tliis advantage, in its proved 

 hardihood. It is variously classed as Pinus, Abies, and Picea; Loudon, 

 who held it in high estimation, having it under tlie two last classes. It is 

 tlie Abies taxi/olia of one, and the Abies Luscombiana of anotlier of his 

 works ; while witii all others it is eitlier Picea, Abies, or Pinus Cephalonica. 



Picea Pichta of Loudon. — The Pitch silver fir. This, in its native forests, 

 on Siberian and Altaian hills, is a remarkable tree, yet, though one of the 

 dwarfest of its section, it is for its perfect hardihood a valuable kind. Some 

 authorities question the claims upheld for this tree to be regarded as a spe- 

 cies, holding it to be a variety merely of the common P. pectinate, the whole 



