112 TMF. PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



cies cultivated for timber are the P. Sylvestrisy or Scotch fir, 

 Pinus Larix, ah'eady noticed, Pinus P'tceOy silver fir, and 

 Pinus Abies J or Norway spruce fir. It is, however, very 

 probable, that some of the other species may be worth culti- 

 vation, as they appear abundantly hardy, and the timber 

 appears to be ccpially valuable, when of suflicient age and 

 size. Of these, the Scotch fir (Pinus Sylveslris) is by far 

 the most generally planted, if we except the larch, either with 

 a view to attain a timber size itself, or to nurse up other trees 

 of a more valuable nature. 



SCOTCH FIR. 



This is probably the most hardy tree indigenous to our 

 country, and is found, although in a stinted state, throughout 

 the North of Europe, almost within the limits of perpetual 

 snow, and is also found within the tropics. It appears to be 

 naturally an inhabitant of barren mountainous districts, and in 

 such is found to flourish much better than in more fertile and 

 sheltered valleys. In rocky, sandy, or the most barren kinds 

 of soils, its timber becomes most valuable, both in durability 

 and beauty, and trees, self-sown, are, for the most part, pre- 

 ferable to all others. The Scotch fir, like the larch, is only 

 to be found in perfection in the highlands of Scotland ; and in 

 that country are still to be met with the remains of forests of 

 a very ancient date. The proper soil and situation for this 

 tree are, according to Sang, " on the sides of mountains, in 

 dells and hollows, among stones and rocks, beside rapid rivu- 

 lets or mountain torrents, it is found in liifih perfection ; and 

 if it stand single, it is of great beauty. In many parts of the 

 Scotch highlands, where the soils are extremely various and 

 much mixed, the Scotch fir has arrived at a good size, and 

 often attained remarkable dimensions. In any kind of soil, 

 from a sand to a clay, provided the substratum be rubble, or 

 rock, it will grow and flourish : but, in wet, tilly soils, it ought 

 never to be planted : because, wherever the roots have ex- 

 hausted the turf or upper-soil, and begin to perforate the sub- 

 soil, the tree languishes and dies." It will, however, grow, 

 and indeed flourish, in almost every soil and situation, if not 

 too rich, but not with the same degree of vigour; neither will 



