but when two, threfe, or more of a ring of branches are cut off, the- 

 remaining ones grow large, and the result is a shapeless bit of 

 deformity, of which illustrations are plentiful under the Folkestone 

 Leas.' The Silver Firs, species of Abies, are entitled to aprize,for'- 

 they are grand and fair, one of them being the largest of European 

 conifers. The "silver" means that on the under side of the 

 leaves there is usually a shining silvery line. " Abies " comes 

 from the Latin " abeo, " " I rise up, " or " spring. " There are at 

 least five species that rise up over a hundred and fifty feet, three of 

 them often not stopping short of three hundred feet. Such names 

 as amabihs (lovely), magnifica (magnificent), grandis (tall), and 

 nobiUs (noble), tell their own tale. ' 



Such great trees as have been mentioned are indeed very grand^, 

 impressive, and awe-inspiring. Their great "length of days'* 

 stands out in bold contrast to our three score years and ten. Many; 

 conifers are beautiful, although they have no gay petals like thei, 

 rose. They may be only green, but 



" Green is to the eye what to the ear is harmony, 

 And to the scent the rose." 

 But the green is not all, for in the spring time it is often brightenect 

 up by the very conspicuous colours of the pollen-bearing flowers; 

 as well as the different hues of the young shoots. And there ar»' 

 in many cases striking varieties which are pleasing to the eye and 

 interesting to the gardener, but puzzling enough to the student," 

 An illustration of this is found in the yew, for of this well-knowr^' 

 tree there are numerous varieties, and, as varieties require names,^ 

 there is a great heaping up of Latin, and not a little confusion. 

 It is quite enough for a botanist to learn the names which indicate' 

 what are believed to be real species, and he may very well leave th^ 

 rest to people who make a special study of this or that particulaif 

 class. Many conifers are as useful as they are ornamental; 

 Indeed, it is not possible to over-rate the value of this order, as a 

 whole, for it supplies the builder with a very large part of the 

 timber he requires. All the varieties of deal are the produce of 

 pines and firs, and so are resin, tar, pitch, and turpentine. The 

 ship builder knows the value of the long straight stems of pines 

 and firs, for of these are made the masts of ships, as well as thd 

 deck planks, spars, beams, and so forth. Milton ("Paradise Lost,'* 

 Book I.) speaks thus of Satan, " the superior fiend " : ; 



: " His spear, to equal which the tallest pine, 



Hewn on Norwegian hills to be the mast 

 : Of some great Ammiral, were but a wand." -^ 



In "The Merchant of Venice" we find Antonio answering Shy- 

 lock in these words :— ^ 



