VALUE IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS OF INTRODUCED CONIFERS. 79 



68 ft. higli and 4 ft. 3 in. in girth. In Wales it grows freely, 

 and at Stackpole Court, Pembrokeshire, it is 56 ft. high and 

 6 ft. 5 in. in girth, at 35 years old ; and at Golden Grove, 

 Carmarthenshire, it is 52 ft. high and 6 ft. 5 in. in girth, at 

 the early age of 22 years. It also seems to be quite at home 

 in Ireland, the finest trees recorded being at Shane's Castle, 

 Antrim, 49 ft. 6 in. high and 3 ft. 11 in. in girth, at 27 years 

 of age ; at Baron's Court, Tyrone, 48 ft. high and 3 ft. in girth, 

 at 32 years ; and 46 ft. high and 4 ft. 2 in. in girth, at 24 years 

 of age, at Powerscourt, Wicklow. The wood is of good quality, 

 and, so far as such a recent introduction has yet been tested, 

 it is fairly durable, clean in the grain, and suitable for all ordinary 

 purposes ; and its bark, like that of its near relation the Hemlock 

 Spruce (Tsuga [Abies] canadensis), may be found to be useful to 

 the tanner when it can be produced in quantity at a moderate cost. 



Abies ceplialonica (Grecian Fir) was introduced by General 

 C. J. Napier, from Cephalonia, in 1824, and is now generally 

 disseminated over the country. Where it escapes injury from 

 spring frost, to which it and several others of the Fir tribe are 

 rather liable in a young state, it grows with freedom and forms 

 a fine tree. The tallest recorded is at Studley Eoyal, Yorkshire, 

 75 ft. high and 8 ft. 3 in. in girth ; and the tree with the greatest 

 girth is at Boconnoc, Cornwall, which, with a height of 73 ft., 

 has a girth of 9 ft. 6 in. ; but it is nearly equalled by one at 

 Linton Park, which is 9 ft. 4 in. in girth and 70 ft. high. The 

 finest in Scotland in the recording tables is at Whittinghame, 

 East Lothian, 55 ft. high and 8 ft. in girth. The best in Ireland 

 is at Woodstock, Kilkenny, 61 ft. high and 8 ft. 6 in. in girth. 

 It is chiefly grown for ornamental purposes, and succeeds well 

 even in the far north of Scotland ; but the figures given show 

 that it may be planted as a forest tree, with good prospects of a 

 profitable result, where its peculiarities are suited and Fir timber 

 of average quality is in demand. It generally thrives best on a 

 north aspect. 



Abies concolor. — This very fine Fir was introduced from North- 

 west America in 1851 by both Jeffrey and Lobb. It is a variable 

 species with several varieties, the best known being A. lasio- 

 carpa, which has an upright habit of growth with a slender 

 stem, and A, Lowiana,* with wider spreading branches and 

 * See Dr. Masters' Synopsis, p. 192. 



