Frost Canker of Picea sitchensis (Trautv. et Mey.), 
| the Menzies Spruce. 
BY 
A. W. BORTHWICK, D.Sc., 
LECTURER ON Forest BOTANY IN THE UNIVERSITY 
OF EDINBURGH. 
With Plate LI, 
The Menzies spruce was introduced in 1831 by Douglas, and 
as a timber tree it was a very valuable addition to our forest 
flora. It is one of the many conifers introduced from Western 
North America. In horizontal distribution it ranges between 
Northern California and Alaska, and is especially abundant on 
the island of Sitka. In vertical distribution it ascends to an 
altitude of 7000 feet in the Rocky Mountains. 
Authorities both in this country and on the Continent agree 
that the Menzies spruce is an exotic conifer which has proved 
itself to be well worthy of cultivation as a forest tree for profit. 
Dr. Nisbet states that—“ With the sole exception of the larch, 
this tree and the Douglas fir (but especially the latter) are 
probably the most important coniferous timber trees that have 
ever been introduced into Britain. They are certainly the most 
important introduced from North America at any time, and the 
most important trees introduced into Britain during the nine- 
teenth century.”! 
At the. beginning of October of 1908 I received a number 
of specimens of diseased Menzies spruce from an estate in 
Ayrshire. My correspondent, in his letter, says :—‘“ The trees 
were planted about three years ago in order to fill up the 
vacancies in a fifteen-year-old plantation of Scots pine, larch, 
and spruce. I was particularly struck by their fine appearance 
last year, and was very pleased to think the soil would be 
completely covered in a year or two, but in the early part of 
last summer I was much disappointed to find about two-thirds 
either dead or dying. The severe frost we experienced in the 
! The sana ae Vol. L., p. 242. 
(Notes, R.B.G., Edin., No. XX, Mar 
