of New York 35 



NORWAY SPRUCE 



Picea Abies, (Linnaeus) Karsten 



THE NORWAY SPRUCE is not a native of New York, but it 

 has been planted so extensively for ornamental and for- 

 estry purposes that it may be regarded as a naturalized tree. 

 During the last 25 years many Norway Spruce trees have 

 been planted in all parts of New York for ornamental and 

 reforestation purposes. 



NORWAY SPRUCE 

 One-half natural size. 



The leaves are ^ to 1 inch long, 4-sided, dark green, 

 sharp-pointed, and attached to twigs by short and slender 

 stalk-like projections of bark. 



The cones are 4 to 7 inches long, cylindrical without 

 stalks or very short-stalked, usually hang down from end of 

 branches. The cone-scales arc thin, broad, reddish-brown, 

 finely toothed along margin. No other New York spruce 

 tree has such large cones. 



The bark on old trunks is roughened by rather large red- 

 dish-brown scales. The twigs are light reddish-brown, 

 roughened by projecting leaf-bases. On older trees they often 

 assume a characteristic drooping or weeping habit. 



The wood is light, soft, white, straight-grained, easily 

 worked. Heartwood and sapwood are not distinguishable 

 from each other. It is used for paper pulp, interior finish, 

 crates, and baskets. 



The Norway Spruce is native to middle Europe. It is 

 the principal tree in the famous Black Forest of Europe, and 

 prefers rich moist soil, and is rather tolerant of shade. It 

 has been said that "the Norway Spruce is the best paying 

 forest tree in the world." 



