PlNUS. 



CONIFERS. 



231 



A tree usually from 30 - 60 feet high, with a straight and tapering trunk 8-15 inches in 

 diameter, but occasionally 2\ feet or more. Leaves very dark green, 5 — 6 lines long, and 

 scarcely a line broad. The cones vary in length from three-fourths of an inch to an inch and 

 a half. The scales are rather thin, of a dark purple when young, but reddish brown when 

 ripe, sometimes pretty deeply toothed at the apex. Seed (with the wing) about two-thirds 

 the length of the scale. 



Sphagnous swamps, and cold rocky mountainous situations. Found in many parts of the 

 State (even as far south as New-York), but only abundant in the northern counties. The 

 largest trees of Black Spruce that I ever saw, were in the valleys of the Essex mountains, 

 particularly near the iron works of Archibald Mclntyre, Esq., where there were several that 

 measured nearly three feet in diameter. The wood is light, tough and elastic, and is very 

 much used for the yards and spars of vessels, for which it is said to be more suitable than 

 any other tree known. From the young twigs is prepared an extract that is known by the 

 name of essence of spruce, which is used for flavoring spruce beer. The fresh twigs are also 

 employed for the same purpose, being boiled with water, then mixed with molasses or sugar, 

 and left to ferment. 



8. Pinus alba, Ait. White or Single Spruce. 



Leaves solitary, scattered around the branches, erect, quadrangular, somewhat glaucous, 

 entire; cones oblong-cylindrical, loose; scales entire. — Ait. Kew. 3. p. 371 ; Lamb. Pin. 

 t. 37 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 641 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 610 ; Beck, bot. p. 340 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. 

 p. 161. Abies alba, Michx. fl. 2. p. 207 ; Michx. f. sylv. 2. t. 148 ; Loud. enc. tr. <$• shr. 

 p. 1030. 



A small tree, seldom rising to the height of more than 40 - 50 feet, with a trunk about 

 one foot in diameter ; the bark of the branches light brown. Leaves more slender and acute 

 than in the Black Spruce, as well as of a much lighter and bluish green color, 5-8 lines 

 long. Cones 1-2 inches long and half an inch or three-fourths of an inch in diameter, 

 pale green when young, brownish when mature ; the scale obovate-cuneate, rounded at the 

 extremity. Bracts minute, cuneate, ciliate at the tip. Seed small, with an obovate wing. 



Swamps, and on the sides of mountains : rare south of Catskill, and much less frequent 

 in the northern counties than the preceding species. Fl. May. The wood resembles that of 

 the Black Spruce. The northern Indians use the tough slender roots for sewing together the 

 pieces of birch bark of which they make their canoes, and the turpentine that exudes from 

 the trunk serves to make the seams water-tight. Dr. Richardson says it is the last tree that 

 disappears in approaching the pole. 



