FOREST TREES. 179 
They are ripe at the end of autumn, and must be 
gathered immediately in order to secure the seeds, as 
they soon open, and allow them to escape. 
The Red Spruce is a variety equally valuable, 
differing only in the larger and redder cones, and 
redder bark. Another variety, called by some Blue 
Spruce, is brought from the forests of Northern 
Michigan and Wisconsin. The leaves are of a bluish 
color, slender and loosely spreading, and can scarcely 
be distinguished from the White Spruce except by the 
cones. These it often produces when not more than 
three feet high. 
3. Abies excelsa—Norway Spruce. 
Leaves, scattered, rigid, curved, quadrangular; 
cones, from five to seven inches long, cylindrical, 
terminal, pendent; scales, slightly incurved, truncate 
at the summit; cotyledons, seven to nine; seeds, small, 
with a long wing. 
The Norway Spruce is the loftiest tree of the 
European forests, growing to the height of from one 
hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty feet, 
and sometimes even more. The trunk is uniformly 
straight and upright with a diameter of from two to ; 
five feet. According to Michaux it is one hundred 
years in attaining its full growth. It is indigenous 
to the northern parts of Europe and Asia, but in 
more southern countries, abounds only among the 
mountains. On the Alps of Switzerland, it is often 
found about one hundred and fifty feet in height, 
growing on moist soils in mountain valleys, with 
