MNETUM DANICUM. 



435 



P. Orientalis, Link and Carr. Man. des PI. iv. 340. Pinus 

 orientalisy Linn. Spec. Plant. 1421. Ahies orientalis, Poir. Diet, 

 vi. 518. 



Tournefort found this species growing about twenty-five miles to 

 the south-east of Trebizond, He there found it pretty high up the 

 mountains. He says: "After having visited the environs of the 

 convent, where there are plants which interested us in the most 

 agreeable manner, we ascended to the most elevated places, which the 

 snow had only left a few days previously, and where we saw others 

 which were yet loaded with it. The people of the country call the 

 common Firs 'Nevkos,' which differ in nothing from those which grow on 

 the Alps and the Pyrenees ; but they have preserved the name * Eyatn ' 

 for another fine species, which I had not previously seen except 

 around this monastery." Stevens records it as growing on the summits 

 of the Imeritian Mountains in Upper Mingrelia, also between Guriel 

 and the Adscharensen Mountains. Lambert gives figures of the 

 details of specimens which he had received from China and the 

 neighbourhood of Tiflis, and which he thought belonged to this 

 species ; but it has been doubted whether either of these truly belongs 

 to it, and one of them certainly does not. Consequently, the habitat 

 of this species, so far as yet known, does not extend greatly beyond 

 the regions to the east of the Black Sea, Trebizond not lying very 

 far from its south-east corner. 



The usually dense habit of this Spruce, combined with its deep 

 dark green foliage, which is perfectly distinct from that of any 

 ther Conifer, renders it of great value for contrasting with other 

 trees of a more light and airy appearance. Although of slow 

 growth and doubtful value as a forest tree, still for ornamental plant- 

 ing, particularly for lawns of small extent, or where larger trees 

 would be out of place, this Spruce is of particular value, and cannot 

 fail to attract attention and win the admiration of the lovers of 

 trees. As scarcely half a century has elapsed since its introduction 

 no trees have reached maturity, although specimens of fully 50 feet in 

 height are not uncommon. When grown under favourable circum- 

 stances, the Eastern Spruce makes an annual upward growth of about 

 17 inches. A specimen growing on gravelly loam, with a surface 

 coating of decayed vegetable matter, and in a sheltered situation, has 

 attained to the height of 47 feet in twenty-nine years, and in that 

 time has produced about 30 feet of timber. The few specimens of 

 wood I have examined were of good quality, the graining and texture 

 resembling closely its near ally, the Norway Spruce. As a timber 

 tree it will never rank high with us, but as an ornamental and 

 perfectly hardy tree it merits greater attention than it has received. 

 The date of introduction is not certain, but it is supposed to have been 

 about 1838. Nearly three hundred years before, in 1553, however, 

 it was noticed by Bellon, who visited its native country. Habitat, 



F F 2 



