PINETUM DANICUMi 



433 



about fifteen galettes, or as many sea-biscuits, or if neither of these 

 are to be had, fifteen pounds of bread cut into slices and toasted. As 

 these articles are prepared, they are put into the boiler, where they 

 remain till the Spruce Fir twigs are well boiled. The Spruce branches 

 are then taken out, and the fire extinguished. The oats and the bread 

 fall to the bottom, and the leaves, &c., rise to the top, where they are 

 skimmed ofi" with the scum. Six pints of molasses, or 12 to 15 lbs. 

 of coarse brown sugar, are then added, and the liquor is immediately 

 tunned off into a cask which has contained red wine ; or, if it is 

 wished that the spruce beer should have a fine red colour, five or six 

 pints of wine may be left in the cask. Before the liquor becomes cold, 

 half a pint of yeast is mixed with it, and well stirred, to incorporate 

 it thoroughly with the liquor. The barrel is then filled up to the 

 bunghole, which is left open to allow it to ferment, a portion of the 

 liquor being kept back to supply what may be thrown off by the fer- 

 mentation. If the cask is stopped before the liquor has fermented 

 twenty-four hours, the spruce beer becomes sharp, like cider ; but if it 

 is suffered to ferment properly, and filled up twice a day, it becomes 

 mild and agreeable to the palate. It is esteemed very wliolesom.e, 

 and is exceedingly refreshing, especially during summer " (Duham. 

 Arb. i. 17). According to Michaux, "the twigs are boiled in water, 

 a certain quantity of molasses or maple sugar is added, and the 

 mixture is left to ferment." The essence of spruce (of which spruce 

 beer is made in America) is obtained " by evaporating to the con- 

 sistence of an extract the water in which the ends of the young 

 branches of Black Spruce have been boiled." Michaux adds that he 

 cannot give the details of the process for making the extract, as he 

 has never seen it performed ; but that he has often observed the pro- 

 cess of making the beer in the country about Halifax and in Maine, 

 and that he can aflirm with confidence that the White Spruce is never 

 used for that purpose. He also states that spruce beer is considered 

 very wholesome, and in long voyages is found efiicacious in prevent- 

 ing attacks of scurvy. 



Ficea nigra (Black Spruce) has little to recommend it to the British 

 arboriculturist, either as an ornamental or commercial tree. At certain 

 stages of growth, and when planted in peculiar situations, there is a 

 , certain beauty about this Spruce, but as usually seen in this country 

 it is of meagre appearance and ill adapted for ornamenting our parks 

 and woodlands (Trans. Roy. Scot. Arb. Soc. xii. pt. 2). 



P. n. piimila, Knight. Abies nigra fastigiata, hort, Picea 

 nigra fastigiata, Carr. 



A dwarf variety, growing 3 or 4 feet high, and rather slender, 

 with smaller foliage and a more compact habit. 



P. obovata, Ledeb. Fl. Altaic, iv. 201, and lUust. t. 499. Pinus 

 ohovata, Ant. Conif. 96, t. 37, f. 2. P. Abies, Pall. Fl. Ross. i. 6 

 (excl. syn.). Abies olovata^ Loud. Arb. Brit. iv. 2329, A. excelsa 



