ABIES CANADENSIS, A. HOOKEBIANA. ]15 



which are smaller than those of any other Fir, have greyish brown 

 broadly wedge-shaped scales, and are produced at the extremities 

 of the branchlets. 



Habitat. — North America, eastern portion, from about latitude 

 85° N., to Hudson's Bay. It is most abundant in Canada (whence 

 the specific name) and the New England States, less common 

 further south, and confined to the Alleghany Mountains at its 

 southern limit. 



Introduced into England by Peter Collinson, about the year 

 1736. 



Abies canadensis parvifolia is a very distinct variety, with 

 small pointed leaves not more than half the size of those of the 

 species, scattered over and appressed to the slender branchlets ; 

 they are also of a deeper green above, and show but faint traces 

 of glaucous lines beneath. 



The common Hemlock Spruce, although one of the hardiest of trees, 

 rarely assumes in this country the elegant form and habit usual to it 

 when standing singly in its native country. Its trunk frequently 

 becomes forked and much divided, and the growth of the brandies is 

 irregular, so that it can never be depended on to grow into a 

 symmetrical tree when planted as a single specimen for ornamental 

 purposes. It appears to thrive best in elevated airy situations, and 

 in such places good specimens may occasionally be seen, notably at 

 Norbury Park, near Dorking, the residence of T. D. Grisell, Esq., 

 where are some of the finest trees of Abies canadensis in Britain, For 

 landscape and ornamental planting its near ally, A. ATbertianu, should 

 always be preferred to it. 



Abies Hookeriana. — The late Mr. Andrew Murray described 

 this * as an Alpine tree, with a spreading and irregular but 

 remarkably graceful habit, thickly branched and clothed with 

 light feathery foliage. "Leaves slightly curved, with a rib in the 

 middle, and sometimes depressed above so as to give the leaf a 

 triangular or boat-shaped form, rich grassy-green above, pale green 

 and very silvery beneath, except when young and fresh ; closely 

 but irregularly set along the young branches, chiefly on the upper 

 side, except at the extremity of the shoot, where they surround 

 the whole twig. Cones ovoido-cylindrical, from 1J to 2 inches 



* Lawson's Pinetum Britcmnicum, part iv. 



