VALUE IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS OF INTRODUCED CONIFERS. 85 ' 



ference. Near Castle Menzies, in tlie Perthshire highlands, 

 Archibald Menzies was born in 1754, after whom Douglas named 

 this fine Conifer, which was first discovered by Menzies about 

 100 years ago, when accompanying Vancouver, as naturalist, in 

 his celebrated voyage of discovery round the world. Many other 

 fine trees of Menzies' Spruce grow in Perthshire, and one at least, 

 which was measured in Keillour pinetum this autumn, but of 

 which the exact height was not obtained (approximately guessed 

 at over 95 ft.), was found to be of the great girth of 13 ft. 

 9 in. at five feet up, and carried its straight massive bole 

 high up the tree with comparatively little taper. This tree 

 is known to have been planted in 1834, or fifty-seven years 

 ago, and this great girth shows an average annual increase of 

 about 3 in. throughout that long period. The tree when planted 

 was a small one, like all the others employed in forming the 

 pinetum at that date, and had probably not reached 5 ft. in 

 height two years afterwards, which would give exactly 3 in. annual 

 increase of girth in fifty-five years. The tallest tree recorded 

 in England is at Howick, Northumberland, 90 ft. high and 

 9 ft. in girth ; and the one with the thickest stem is at Boconnoc, 

 Cornwall, 12 feet in girth and 85 ft. high. The finest tree in 

 Ireland, and the tallest recorded in the United Kingdom, is at 

 Curraghmore, 110 ft. high and 10 ft. in girth. Another tree, 

 at Coollattin, is 80 ft. high and 9 ft. in girth ; while at Markree 

 there is one 75 ft. high and 4 ft. 10 in. girth ; and at Shane's 

 Castle 71 ft. high and 9 ft. in girth. All these dimensions 

 show a great production of timber in the period, and the ex- 

 cellent quality of the wood places this tree at the head of the 

 SpruceSj and the most valuable of that tribe as a forest tree in 

 soils and situations where it thrives. It is well known to be 

 quite unsuitable for dry and hot soils, and should not be planted 

 on them as a timber tree. 



Picea {Abies) Morinda (Indian Spruce), also known as Abies 

 Smithiana, is the only Spruce from the North of India which 

 is of any value as a forest tree. Although it is tolerably hardy, 

 and thrives well in favourable situations as far north as the Moray 

 Firth, its rather slow progress is against its general use for a 

 timber tree ; but for ornamental purposes, in suitable soils and 

 proper sites, it is of great value, and forms a very effective and 

 picturesque tree. It was introduced from India to Scotland by Dr. 



