THE SILVER FIR. 199 
rich deep loam, not absolutely wet, but that which is cool and 
moist, rather than dry, such as usually occurs in valley ground, 
ravines, and along the slopes of Scottish moorland, at no great 
altitude. But the tree also thrives in heavy clay, and in soils 
of very opposite qualities, that are not apt to be much affected 
by severe drought. 
It is valuable for filling up vacancies in woods, and for being 
inserted among timber which is intended soon to be removed. 
The excess of shelter in such places, which is fatal to many 
kinds of young trees, tends to promote the growth of the 
silver fir, and preserves it from the effects of late spring frosts, 
to which, in this country, it is so liable while a plant. This 
tree is altogether unfit for the bare and rough elevations 
adapted to the native pine and larch. In countries where 
the tree is indigenous, it is frequently associated with the 
oak; and it is uniformly an inhabitant of a region less 
elevated than that occupied by the P. sylvestris. 
The yearly growths of the young plants of silver firs are 
always very short, and from the circumstance of the buds of 
the top shoots being generally unfolded simultaneously with 
those of the lateral branches, and being exceedingly tender, 
and sensitive to the slightest degree of frost, the plant gene- 
rally suffers severely in the opening up of the season. When 
it becomes more established, however, and has reached the 
height of ten or fifteen feet, it assumes a more robust habit, 
and shoots vigorously ; then the buds on the older and lower 
branches become first developed, and those of the top shoot 
at a later period, when they are generally exempt from 
injury. 
The tree has seldom been planted in masses by itself, but 
where such has been the case in suitable soil, it has been 
found that it admits of standing very close on the ground, 
which tends to produce tall clean wood of a fine grain, and 
notwithstanding the unusual closeness of the trees to one 
another, they are found to attain a great girth, so that in 
suitable soil, the cubical contents of the timber, per acre, in 
seventy years is seldom equalled by any other tree. Hitherto 
