SILVER FIR-TREE. 245 



ninety-two fir-trees were planted upon a piece 

 of ground, about three quarters of an acre in 

 extent. The land was waste and poor: no 

 extra expense was incurred, and no attention 

 was paid to the young trees. In 1813 they 

 were cut down, and yielded ninety tons of 

 timber, then worth 4/. per ton, giving a round 

 sum of 360/. which was equal to a rent of 

 61. 10s. during the intervening fifty-five 

 years. 



We have often regretted that the trustees 

 of public roads cannot be induced to plant 

 the waste ground which often borders the 

 turnpike with trees, which would greatly or- 

 nament the country, accommodate the tra- 

 veller by shade and shelter, and in time be 

 the means of lowering the toll. 



The balm of Gilead fir, pi?ius balsamea, is so 

 called, because the turpentine which is ob- 

 tained from the wounds of this tree, is similar 

 to the true balm of Gilead, for which it is 

 sometimes sold. The buds and leaves of this 

 tree are also very fragrant, which induces us 

 to give it a situation in the shrubbery. It is 

 a native of North America, and was growing 

 in the Bishop of London's garden, at Fulham, 

 as long back as 1696 ; but it does not ge- 

 nerally arrive at any considerable size in this 

 country. The finest specimens, we are told, 



r 3 



