NURSERY AND PLANTING. 



117 



valuable for most purposes to any other tree of the tribe. In 

 regard to soil and situation the silver fir is not so particular as 

 has been supposed, and is found to succeed on very opposite 

 ones. " In a loamy soil, and elevated situation, (as at Castle 

 Howard,)" Sang observes, " on a sandy or gravelly hill, (as at 

 Woburn,) and in clayey soil, incumbent on till, on a high situa- 

 tion, (as at Panmure,) the silver fir has arrived at a very large 

 size." This tree has not hitherto been much planted merely for 

 its timber, having been considered rather as an ornamental tree 

 than a useful one, but there can be no doubt of its deserving the 

 attention of planters, as the rapidity of its growth, and the 

 value of its timber, which is not liable to warp, are equal to 

 that of any other of the pine tribe. 



The cones of the silver fir ripen in October, and should be 

 gathered as soon as ripe, for if left longer they are apt to open 

 and give out their seeds. When gathered, they should be 

 stored by in a dry loft till spring. In April, the seeds should 

 be taken out of the cones and sown in beds in land of a mellow 

 texture, and not exhausted too much by previous crops. In 

 regard to the quantity of seed, it should be regulated in sow- 

 ing so that the plants may come up about three to a square- 

 inch, or if hardly so thick, the crop may be reckoned sufficiently 

 plentiful. In covering, the necessary precaution must be taken 

 that it be done in a careful and regular manner^ so that all the 

 seeds may be of an equal depth ; for when this is not attended 

 to, some will be buried too deep, while others will not be deep 

 enough, and both are thereby alike liable to be destroyed. The 

 covering should not be less than one inch in thickness, and 

 when laid on the bed, should be smoothed with the back of a 

 rake, to give the whole a neat and finished appearance. 



Silver firs should be allowed to stand two years in the seed- 

 beds, and during that time they should be kept entirely free of 

 weeds. When planted out at that age into nursery-lines, they 

 should be allowed at least nine inches between the lines, and the 

 plants six inches apart in the line, if the intention be for them 

 to remain only for one year in that state ; but if they be in- 

 tended to remain for two years, they should be allowed two- 

 thirds more room. The silver fir, from its habit of growth, 

 requires more room than most others of the same family ; and 



