386 



THE SPRUCE FIR. 



lays its eggs on the under side of the buds on the 

 side branches. When these begin to burst in 

 spring, the young leaves grow together into a solid 

 mass, composed of a number of cells. Each of 

 these contains an embryo insect, and towards the 

 end of summer opens and suffers the perfect insect 

 to escape. These galls somewhat resemble im- 

 perfect cones, bearing a shoot at the summit ; the 

 part of the shoot beyond the gall is often distorted 

 in consequence, and sometimes entirely killed. 

 Young trees are the principal sufferers from these 

 attacks. The Laplanders, it is said, eat these 

 galls. 



The largest Spruce Fir in Britain is at Studley, 

 and is said to have been planted by Eugene Aram 

 about the middle of the last century. It is a 

 hundred and thirty-two feet high, with a trunk 

 six feet five inches in diameter, clothed with 

 branches from the base to the summit. 



