w mil SPRl ( E 



i i Mill. > BSP. 

 The Pine Familj 



PIN \i! \i 

 Habit and Habitat: A medium-sized tree, usual!; feet high. 



Bometimea 150 feet, with a trunk diameter of L-2 feet or occasionally 

 :: the long, comparatively thick branches, clothed with stout rigid 



laterals form a broad-based, rather open, pyramidal crown. Pref< 

 low. damp woods, hanks of Btreams, borders of lakes, and high rocky 

 or sandy slopes; adapts itself to variable conditions. 



Leaves and Buds: Leaves spirally arranged, hut crowded on the 

 upper side of the twigs hy the twisting of the bases of the leaves on 



the under side, -1-sided or angled, awl-shaped, curved, terminating in 



rigid, callous tips, pale blue and hoary when they first appear, becoming 



rk blue-green, Vk-% inch long, ill-smelling when bruised, persistent 



for several years. Winter-buds broadly ovale, obtuse, covered by 

 light, chestnut-brown scales, ^s-'i inch long. 



Flowers and Fruits: Flowers borne in cones late in April or in May. 

 Staminate cones oblong-cylindrical, long-stalked, fa-% inch long, com- 

 posed of many spirally arranged, red flowers becoming yellow as the 

 pollen is shed. Pistillate cone oblong-cylindrical, composed of many, 

 round, nearly entire, red or pale green scales which are broader than long, 

 ociated with orbicular bracts. Fruit a leathery cone, oblong-cylin- 

 drical, slender, slightly narrowed towards each end, usually about '_! 

 inches long, sometimes less, pale brown and shiny, with thin flexible 

 scales; seeds about % inch long, with large wings which are oblique at 

 the apex. Fruit ripening in the autumn or early winter of the first sea- 

 son. 



Bark, Twigs and Wood: Bark of twigs smooth, gray-green, be- 

 coming orange-brown, finally dark grayish-brown: thin, light gray-brown 

 on the trunk and separating irregularly into thin, plate-like, grayish- 

 brown or reddish scales. The wood is light, soft, not strong, straight- 

 grained, light yellow with scarcely distinguishable sapwood; manu- 

 factured into lumber in the eastern Canadian provinces and in Alaska. 

 and used in construction, for interior trim, paper pulp, baseball bats. 

 flooring, casks, lime and cement barrels, butter tubs and pails, ex- 

 celsior and charcoal. 



Distribution in the State: White spruce does not grow naturally in 

 \- braska but is very commonly planted in the state. This species has 



a remarkeMy wide distribution, extending from Newfoundland and Lab- 

 rador on the Atlantic coast westward entirely across Canada and to the 

 shores of the ocean in Alaska. It is found upon the most northerly 

 border of the (Treat transcontinental, coniferous forest of Canada. Also 

 in the Black Hills. 



Remarks: The weather never gets too cold for white spruce, but the 

 climate may be too dry for it. however, it is one of the besl spruces for 

 planting in this state, generally slow of growth but forming a beautiful 

 conical tree. It should always lie planted in as moist and cool sit- 

 Is possible to be found. The white spruce ifl RlOSl Conspicuous in N ~ka 



during the Christmas season since it is very widely used for Christn 

 tnd other holidav decoration. 



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