SPRUCE PIBS. 9 



Abies excelsa Finedonensis, Paul, the Finedon Hall 



Spruce. 



Syn. Abies Finedonensis, Hort. 



A striking variety of the Common Spruce, with all the 



younger leaves on the upper side of the shoots at first of a 



pale yellow, or straw colour, as well as the young wood ; but 



afterwards, as they get older, they change to a bronzy brown, 



and finally, when fully matured, become light green; while 



those leaves on the under side of the shoots and fully shaded 



branchlets are more or less green from the first. 



This variety originated at Finedon Hall, in Northampton- 

 shire, where it came up accidentally in a bed of seedling Common 

 Spruces. 



Abies excelsa Geegoryana, Paul, Mr. Gregory's Dwarf 



Spruce. 

 Syn. Abies Gregoryana, Low. 

 „ „ Gregoryi, Hort. 

 A very dwarf variety, seldom growing more than 1 or 2 feet 

 high, but with numerous small spreading and somewhat de- 

 clining branchlets, thickly covered with short, stifi", needle- 

 shaped leaves, placed obliquely all round, the shoots, and of the 

 same colour in all parts. 

 It was raised at the Cirencester Nursery, in Gloucestershire. 



Abies excelsa INVEBTA, Smith, the Inverted-branched Com- 

 mon Spruce. 

 Syn. Abies inverta. Smith. 



A pendulous variety of the Common Spruce, in which the 

 leading shoot straightens itself in the old wood, after the 

 manner of the Deodar Cedar, but not so quickly ; the lateral 

 branches on old plants are as drooping as the weeping willow ; 

 and the leaves are longer, larger, and of a brighter green than 

 those of the Common Spruce, of which it is only an accidental 

 variety, obtained by Mr. Richard Smith, of the St. John's 

 Nursery, Worcester. 



This kind appears, according to the drawing of the original 



