424 Journal op the royal horticultural society. 



various forms, according to the purposes for whicli it is intended* 

 Entire trees, of good size, merely barked, and with a little of the sap- 

 wood taken off, are exported for masts and spars. Entire trees of 

 smaller size, again, are exported for poles. These are the younger 

 trees which have been drawn up by growing close together, or near 

 old ones. Squared planks of various length, breadth, and thickness, 

 according to the size of the trees, are what are called " deals " and 

 " battens." Deals are the longer of the two. They run about 12 feet 

 long by 2^ to 3 inches thick, and 7 to 9 inches wide. Battens, again, 

 are from 2 to T inches wide, and from ^ to 1| inch thick. In mer- 

 cantile transactions 120 deals are reckoned as 100, and 120 deals of 

 the larger size, 12 x 9 x 3, are equal to 5f loads, and of the smaller 

 size, 12 X 9 X 2^, to 4^ loads . Of the latter size 38 deals make a ton, 

 and two tons make a last. It is very durable, being among Conifers 

 in this respect, according to Loudon, next to the Larch — a statement 

 which, however, we think must be taken with a qualification dependent 

 on the rate and place of growth of the individual tree. Grown upon a 

 dry soil the wood is brittle and short-grained, but grown on a dampish 

 soil it is quite of an opposite character. Disregarding exceptional 

 cases, however, its durability and tenacity make it excellently suited 

 for palings and rough purposes, and leaving the bark on makes it last 

 longer. On a comparison of the durability of the Spruce and the 

 Scots Fir which have been used for rails, paling, fences, and gate-posts, 

 at thirty years old, the Spruce Fir has been found to last two or three 

 years longer than the Scots ("Pinetum Britannicum "). 



"There is a great diversity of opinion respecting the merits of this 

 tree in a landscape. The objection is chiefly to the monotonous for- 

 mality of its appearance ; yet when it is in a situation highly artificial 

 or extra-natural, as near ornamental buildings, on rugged, rocky 

 places, or on the tops of informal hills, there is probably nothing 

 more beautiful " (T. Meehan, "Handbook of Ornamental Trees "). 



Downing says the Norway Spruce is the great tree of the Alps, 

 and as a park tree to stand alone we scarcely know a more beautiful 

 one. Its fine sweeping feathery branches hang down in the most 

 graceful and pleasing manner. 



Introduced about 1548. It thrives well, attains to a great height, 

 and is a very useful timber tree, the wood being light and elastic, and 

 suitable for a variety of purposes. Its durability depends a good deal 

 on the altitude at which it grows, the soil it grows in, and the 

 management to which it is subjected. The colour of the wood is 

 either a reddish or yellowish white, and contains much le%s resin than 

 the Scots Pine. It weighs 65 lbs. 11 oz. per cubic foot when green, 

 and 35 lbs, 2 oz. when quite dry. Its ashes furnish potash, and its 

 trunk resin, from which Burgundy pitch is made. The timber takes 

 a high polish, is used for gilding upon, and, like the Pear, takes a 

 rich black stain. This tree is an excellent and cheap nurse, and, 



