XXXV.] VARIOUS. 379 



Other American Spruces are, P. Engelmannii, with 

 an excellent durable timber, in the Northern States and 

 Canada ; the Rocky Mountain Blue Spruce {P. pungens) \ 

 and the Californian Coast Spruce {P. Sitchensis), with 

 coarse but strong and useful timber. 



There are also several true Firs, some of which are 

 extremely ornamental, such as Abies nobilis, a Canadian 

 species yielding very good timber, and A. amabilis, the 

 Western Silver Fir. The Red Fir of the Californian 

 Sierras [A. magnified) is said to yield strong and durable 

 wood, but the timber of the American Silver Firs is not 

 much valued as a rule. 



North America also produces three species of Larch,, 

 of which the Tamarack or Hackmatack {Larix Ameri- 

 cana) is best known ; it is said to be tolerably abundant, 

 and is found to range from the mountains of Virginia, 

 to Hudson's Bay. 



In deep forests it sometimes attains a height of 60. 

 and even 80 feet, but it is generally of small dimensions. 

 The wood is of a reddish-grey colour, moderately hard, 

 heavy, strong, and as durable as Oak. It is extensively 

 employed in America in the framing, and generally in 

 the construction of ships. Great curves and knee-pieces, 

 however, can only be obtained from the spurs of the. 

 root and froni the branches. 



The American Red Larch {Larix microcarpa) is less- 

 abundant, and as a building wood is not much known.. 

 It is believed to be equal in strength and durability to- 

 the Larix Americana, with which, indeed, it occasionally 

 passes without being detected. 



Larix occidentalis, the Western Larch of Columbia,, 

 yields a coarse but strong and durable timber. 



