88 PINACEiE. 



units, most probably, would represent the tboiisands, and tens the 

 millions, were the actual truth known. 



As I have already indicated, it is a beautiful and useful Fir, attaining 

 heights of from eighty to one hundred and thirty feet, with trunk 

 diameters of from two to five feet. It is perfectly hardy, though con- 

 stitutionally delicate, and of very rapid growth ; but it should never 

 be planted unless in a sweet, healthy soU, rather moist than dry ; it 

 prefers loamy, light mould, and porous, gravelly soils ; and dislikes 

 heavy or wet clay ; and will only starve and die in close, peat, or 

 spongy marsh. A pure atmosphere, and declivitous rather than flat 

 surface for its situation, so as to secure thorough ventilation, are 

 essential to its growth in its best estate, much more so in its present 

 diseased condition. 



Its timber is good, but it has been much overrated in its quality, 

 even the best specimens which I ever examined, were very coarse 

 grained, and though tolerably long-fibred, not very elastic, and most 

 difficult to be wrought ; very subject to warp, not capable of receiving 

 a high polish; one of the very worst woods to season, and most 

 certainly not an economically valuable timber, although, when sound, 

 tolerably durable. Yet, for fencing purposes, pit-props, hop-poles, rail- 

 way-sleepers, and temporary purposes, where unwrought timbers are 

 required, it may be usefully employed; but now that there is scarcely 

 a perfectly healthy or sound and matured tree of it in this country, it 

 is a most objectionable and dangerous wood to employ for architectural 

 purposes, either in roofing or flooring ; for its fungoid disease wiU not 

 only soon rot its own timber, but will soon infest and destroy all other 

 woods contiguous to it in the same building, even to the furniture therein. 

 An appreciable difference exists in plants raised from home-grown 

 seed, and such as are the produce of Tyrolese-grown seed. For high 

 altitudes and exposed situations plants from home-grown seed should 

 have the preference ; while in low-lying localities and sheltered situa- 

 tions the Tyrolese will be the most suitable, as it is more free and 

 rapid in its growth, and produces equally good timber, though the 

 plants and trees have a tendency to start their growth earlier in the 

 spring, and are thereby more hkely to get injured by late spring frosts. 

 There is, moreover, an appreciable difference in the colour of the wood, 

 when seasoned, of the red and white varieties ; the former is more ruby 

 and yellow, the latter more creamy and white ; while both kinds, 

 again, are much influenced by the soil and situation in which they 

 have been grown. 



