CONIFER.E. 



49 



Cones, from two to three inches long, and from one to one-and-a-half 

 inches broad ; cylindrical in form, blunt-pointed, pendulous, at lirst 

 yellowish-green, and changing to reddish-purple when ripe ; scales 

 elliptical, loosely disposed, thin-margined, and slightly toothed ; seeils 

 very small, having an ample "wing appendage. 



Branches, numerous, dense, and well-clothed with foliage ex- 

 ternally ; but the inner stems more or less naked and jointed-like. 



It attains heights of from fifty to one hundred feet, and forms a 

 pyramidal, thickly-branched, dense-headed tree ; when young a 

 symmetrical cone of silvery green. It is thoroughly hardy, of very rapid 

 growth, and luxuriates in moist, loamy, gravelly, or clay soils ; but in 

 peat, sandy-gravel, or warm dry soils it gets sickly and subject to be 

 killed by red spiders. From examination of specimens of its matured 

 timber, and likewise of its home-gromi, but imperfectly matured 

 wood, I think it will surpass the common Spruce Fir, as a valuable 

 timber for home use and growth. If it has not. it ought to have, a 

 place in every wood or forest, pinetum or plantation. It is not yet 

 much encumbered with varieties, but there are in existence a Cri.^'jja, 

 (curled-scaled,) Fastigiata, (fastigiate-branched.) Nana, (dwarf,) and 

 Variegata, (variegated-leaved.) There are many quasi-species of it, as 

 will be seen from the many kinds referred to it in the appendix. 



AbiKS MoRINDA: The Himalayan Fir. 



From among the many Christian and barbarous names by which this 

 fi.r is known, I select its native one, and though one of the barbarous 

 ones yet I like it : — Morinda in the native dialect means ^' ^^'ectar 

 drops," or *^ honey tears," from the resinous drops or tears upon tlie 

 cones and bark resembling honey. It is also named Khutrow, which 

 is, doubtless, a misnomer of the Silma vernacular " Khudrow," or 



Noodrow," (weeping fir,) from its long and pendulous branchlets. 



Leaves, from one to two inches long, very sharp-pointed, four-sided, 

 somewhat curved, regularly disposed all round the shoots ; at first a 

 soft, light green, changing to dark green when matured. 



Cones, from three to six inches long, and from one-and-a-half to three 

 inches broad ; somewhat ovate in form, at first erect, when matured 

 pendent, at first yellowish-brown and glaucous, when matured purj)lish- 

 brown ; scales even and obovate ; seeds very small ; wing appendage 

 small, and dark purple in colour. 



Branches, horizontal, spreading, at base of tree drooping ; and the 

 laterals very numerous, slender, and drooping. It attains heights of 

 fi'om one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet, and forms a most 



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