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best for ornamental purposes. It was discovered in 1860 on 
the famous Japanese mountain, Fuji-yama, by Mr. Veitch, for 
whom itis named. The red fir, from Washington and Ore- 
gon, with its blue leaves, borne almost erect and apparently 
on but one side of the branchlets, makes a conspicuous 
object. In its native country it sometimes attains a height of 
250 feet. Its wood is sometimes used in the interior finishing 
of buildings. Among other firs here are: the white fir, from 
western North America, sometimes growing to a height of 
200 to 250 feet; the Siberian fir, from northern Europe and 
Asia, yielding a soft lumber in general use and a bark used 
in tanning leather; the common silver fir, from Europe; 
Nordmann’s silver fir, from the Caucasus; the Sicilian silver 
fir, from Asia Minor; and the Nikko silver fir, from Japan. 
The spruces (/%cea) are located in the area to the northeast 
of the firs. Some of the spruces are most valuable timber 
trees. The oriental spruce, from Asia Minor, is present in 
several specimens. One of the hardiest spruces for our cli- 
mate, and a general favorite, is the Colorado, or blue, spruce, 
the young foliage of which has a decided blue color, whence 
its name. It usually grows about 100 feet tall in its native 
country. The Norway spruce, with a number of horticul- 
tural forms, makes a group on the highest portion of the area 
devoted to the spruces and is a commonly cultivated tree. 
It furnishes a useful timber, which is known as ‘‘ white deal” 
in England, and is largely used in the manufacture of musical 
instruments. The resinous exudation of this tree is known 
as Burgundy pitch, which, in combination with other ingredi- 
ents, is used in Germany to line beer casks. Other spruces 
of interest here are the Yesso spruce, the wood of which is 
much used in Japan; the white, or Engelmann’s, spruce, from 
western North America, the wood of which is largely manu- 
factured into lumber and the bark sometimes used in tanning ; 
the Servian spruce, one of the largest and most valuable 
timber trees of Europe; and the tiger’s-tail spruce, from 
Japan, introduced about forty years ago, and one of the 
hardiest Asiatic species in cultivation. 
