474 



CONIFER.E. 



gradually till the tree lias attained its utmost limit of 

 growth, which may be stated to be near two hundred 

 years, though some individuals live much longer. 



The introduction of the Silver Fir into England is sup- 

 posed to have taken place about the commencement of the 

 seventeenth century, as it is noticed both by Plot and 

 Ray ; Evelyn also speaks of two Silver Firs growing in 

 Harefield Park, Middlesex, that were planted there in 

 1 603, when seedlings of two years old ; and he also recom- 

 mends it for its beauty, and adaptation for the embellish- 

 ment of avenues and public walks. Since that period, it 

 has generally been introduced, to a greater or less extent, 

 in ornamental plantations, and in some few instances has 

 been more largely planted with a view to profit, but not 

 upon that extensive scale it appears to merit, taking the 

 excellent quality of its timber and the large scantling it 

 attains into account, in both of which respects it is equal, 

 if not superior to the Spruce, or even the Scotch Pine ; it 

 has also the advantage of thriving upon soils where the 

 Spruce would never attain a timber-like size. 



It is indigenous to all the mountainous districts of cen- 

 tral Europe, being found in those of France, Spain, Italy, 

 Switzerland, Germany, and Greece, inhabiting a zone im- 

 mediately below that of the Pinus sylvestris. In these 

 its native habitats it frequently attains enormous dimen- 

 sions, trees of from sixteen to twenty feet in circumference 

 at five or six feet from the ground, and from one hundred 

 to one hundred and sixty feet high, being by no means un- 

 common. It is also a native of the west and north of 

 Asia, but in Siberia and the Caucasus seems to be repre- 

 sented by the Picea pichta, which by many is not con- 

 sidered a distinct species, but only a variety of Picea 

 pectinata. 



