250 



Remarkable Trees of the Norwai/ Spruce, 



Fir ; but it might have been more appropriately called the banyan 

 spruce, on account of its branches having taken root wherever 

 they have come in contact with the spongy soil. In this speci- 

 men {^g. 87.} to a scale of 1 in. to 12 ft.), the rooting appearance 

 is seen in a very remarkable degree, in consequence of many 

 natural layers from the trunk, and from the primary substems, 

 having taken root. 



This natural layering of the spruce fir has probably been 

 caused by the excessive weight of snow bending the branches 

 towards the ground, and, perhaps, slightly sinking them into it, 

 during some severe season ; and the circumstance of the branches 

 being thus held in contact with the spongy peat, for a consider- 

 able time, has caused them permanently to assume this position. 

 Being thus inclined downwards, roots seem absolutely drawn 

 from the branches. The tree grows on the surface of the im- 

 mense bed of peat, as it did when it was first planted, without 

 any increase of soil having taken place ; nor is the stem any 

 deeper below the surface of the peat than is usual with trees in 

 other soils. 



The depth of the peat soil where the banyan spruce grows 

 is about 14 ft. The Wilderness is placed on a rising ground, 

 which slopes gradually down to a rivulet, where the subsoil 

 appears to be a light- coloured clay. Had it not been that the 



