PIXETUM DANICUM. 



473 



Introduced into England in the sixteenth century, but the precise 

 date is unknown. It is described by Gerarde, in his " Historie of 

 Plantes," 1597, under the name of the Pitch-tree. 



As an ornamental tree it is only of secondary importance, but 

 for the value of the timber it produces it is well worthy of attention, 

 although its merits in this particular have been exaggerated. The 

 timber is of fairly good quality, and well fitted for rough outdoor 

 carpentry. The timber is elastic, and the graining irregular, while 

 it is soft, apt to shrink, and soon decays on exposure. For temporary 

 buildings, tool-sheds, cattle-shelters, and many such purposes we 

 have used the best quality of Silver Fir timber produced in this 

 country, and with satisfactory results. It is excellent for use in 

 connection with sluices and dams, or for lining the banks of streams 

 and ri-vailets. Except the Larch, we may say that the Silver Fir is 

 second to none of the Firs that have been introduced for upwards 

 of a hundred years for the value of the timber which it produces. 



A. peotinata was planted about one hundred and twenty-five years 

 ago in the Jasgersborg deer park at Klampenborg, a few miles from 

 Copenhagen. Many of the trees have developed into most beautiful 

 specimens, and travellers who have seen this Silver Fir in its native 

 habitats are generally astonished to find that it attains perhaps greater 

 perfection in Danish forests than in its native haunts. But it is not 

 only in Zealand that this species grows into real magnificence ; in 

 Jutland also fine examples of it are to be seen. According to a state- 

 ment of measurements taken in 1874, on Count Frijs's estate at Frijsen- 

 borg, in Jutland, a Silver Fir, planted about one hundred and ten 

 years ago, measured 120 feet high. The above-mentioned trees in the 

 Jfegersborg deer park were measured in 1882, and are reported to 

 have given a height of only a couple of feet less, 



A forester who at the end of 1891 measured some of the trees in 

 the deer park now estimates them to be not far short of 140 feet. 

 He has also measured several in the vicinity of Copenhagen, and states 

 the measurements to be 134, 132, 130, 128, 121, 107, and 105 Danish 

 feet (an English foot is the equivalent of 0*971 Danish foot). The 

 circumference of the stems, breast high, he has given me as follows : 

 13 "7, 13 '2, 12 "1, 9*8, 9 "5, 9*3, and so on, counted in Danish feet. 



According to information supplied by Baron F. Eosenkrantz, trees 

 of this species were planted a hundred years ago on the beautiful 

 Danish chalk and limestone island of Moen, and when recently 

 measured were found to be about 100 feet high, with a girth (three 

 feet from the ground) of 11 feet, while others were somewhat less. 



On free, well-drained ground this variety is to be found even as far 

 north as Upsala. 



A. p. fastigiata, Booth (the Upright Common Silver Fir). A. 

 pectinata stricta, Carr. A. metensis, hort. Paris. A. pyramidalis 

 metensis, Carr. Ficea pectinata metensisj hort. P. metensis, hort. 



