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men, the best of which are the Austrian for ornament and Scotch for timber. 

 These are rapid growers, but not more so than the two native varieties above 

 mentioned. And as their foliage is inferior to the natives, and their timber 

 no better than the red pine, and greatly inferior to the white, we cannot see 

 why they should be prefered to such as we know have stood the test of ages 

 in this state. 



The young trees may be grown in the nursery, and transplanted to where 

 they are to grow ; but with these as with most other trees, the best way is to 

 plant the seeds where the tree is to remain. It is cheaper to tend the very 

 young tree than to transplant it and then tend it. And time is gained by the 

 planting process, and the tap root is better. 



All the couiferae grow slowly at first, and will be overgrown by the decid- 

 uous trees during the first five years of their existence, though afterwards 

 they mount upwards faster than any other tree. Therefore in planting these 

 trees, their own rows should be exclusively coniferae, but not necessarily all 

 of the same tribe or species. Thus pines, spruce and larch may be planted 

 in the same row, and they will grow up about together. 



ABIE 5. {Fir and Spruce famHy. ) 



In this sub-order of the coniferae are found the firs and spruces. The ste- 

 rile catkius are scattered or som,ewhat clustered towards the end of the 

 branchlets — scales of the cones thin, flat, not at all thickened at the apex, 

 nor with a prickly point— seeds with a persistent wing. Leaves are scatter- 

 ed, short, frequently two ranked, otherwise nearly as in the pines. The 

 name is classical Latin. 



ABIES BALSAMEA. {Balsam Fir.) 



Leaves narrow, and about an inch long ; cones three to lour inches long, 

 and an inch wide, erect, violet colored when young — bark with numerous 

 blisters, from which the well-known Balsam fir or Canada balsam is taken. 



It grows naturally in cold, damp woods and swamps ; where it makes a 

 slender tree of but little value, and is short-lived. When the tree is young 

 It looks very well in cultivation, but at about ten or fifteen years the lower 

 branches die, and it becomes a tall, spindling, ill-looking tree. Its cultiva- 

 tion is not recommended, except as a specimen, where so many better trees 

 can be found. 



ABIES CANADENSIS. {Hemlock Spruce.) 



Leaves linear, flat, obtuse, one-half an inch long, dark green above and 

 silvery underneath, on light elegant spray-like, often drooping, branchlets. 

 Cone oval, of few scales, little longer than the leaves, hanging, terminal. 



It is a large tree, and most graceful of all the spruces, as well as the most 



Taluable, almost rivalling the pine, when all its parts are considered. The 



bark is a light reddish brown, and the most valuable material for tanning 



leather we have. All parts of it are used, and it is the main dependence of 



the tanners. The timber ia coarse grained, and is of first quality for joists 



and other building timbers, as it never springs, holds nails well, is stronger 



