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CONIEEE.E. THE ABIES, OR SPRUCE FIR. 
" likely to prove more valuable than even the 
larch itself." Plants one foot high are 
7s. 6d. each. 
Variety. Abies D. taxifolia. — A variety 
with foliage resembling the yew, raised from 
seeds received from the late Mr. Thomas 
Drumruond, after the Arctic expedition. An 
upright growing tree, both stem and side 
branches being straight. Leaves longer than 
in the species, and of a much deeper green. 
The finest tree of this variety in this country 
is in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, and 
young plants of it are to be had at Knight's, 
and Loddiges'. 
Abies Menziesii, Douglas (Menzies's 
Spruce Fir). — Leaves very short, acute, 
whitish beneath, almost regularly spread round 
the branches. Cones oblong, with thin, ovate 
ragged scales ; the cone nearly three inches 
long. 
A native of the northern parts of California, 
where Douglas discovered it. In its general 
appearance it resembles A. Douglasii, but it 
does not attain the altitude of that tree. It was 
named by Douglas in honour of his friend, 
Archibald Menzies, Esq., the botanist. The 
wood of the tree is represented to be very 
valuable, probably as much so as that of 
A. Douglasii, and from the great numbers of 
it which are cultivated throughout Scotland, 
there is no doubt of its being hardy enough 
for Britain. The remarks of Mr. Locke of 
Rozelle, on this species, are particularly 
worthy of notice. " This beautiful Spruce," 
he says, "in one situation, with us, is thriving 
well, making shoots of two and three feet a 
year ; while in another situation, within a very 
short distance, it is not doing well. In the 
first case, the situation is shaded, and more 
damp, while the other is duly exposed to the 
sun, and upon a very dry bottom. I have 
remarked, that all plants belonging to the 
spruce and silver firs, delight in deep, damp, 
and shaded situations, especially when young ; 
and I conceive the reason to be this, — that on 
light soils with open exposure, the growth 
begins earlier, rendering it liable to injury 
frona spring frosts." Fine specimens may be 
seen in the Chiswick arboretum, at High- 
clere, and Hendon Rectory. 
Abies canadensis, Michaux (Canada Pine 
or Hemlock Spruce Fir). Leaves flat, soli- 
tary, two-rowed, or nearly so, downy when 
young, with rough, serrated margins, of a 
beautiful light green, with silvery lines on the 
under side. Cones small, ovate, a little longer 
than the leaves, hanging on the extremities of 
the branches. Scales round, smooth, and 
entire at the margins. 
A native of the bleakest parts of the new 
world, as far north as Hudson's Bay, in lat. 
•51°. The vast evergreen forests of Nova 
Scotia, New Brunswick, Vermont, and the 
elevated districts of New Hampshire, are 
chiefly of this tree ; but in those immense 
tracts it does not assume the graceful outline 
by which it is so easily recognised in this 
country, for when old it becomes stunted, and 
in many instances shattered and broken by 
snow lodging on its rigid branches. Towards 
the south, it becomes scarce, and is there 
found only on dark and humid exposures. 
Under. its best aspect, it forms a noble tree, 
rising to the height of 80 feet, with a trunk 
about 3 feet in diameter at the surface of the 
ground. 
American writers represent its wood to be 
indifferent ; and in that country, where so 
much wood is used for external coverings, its 
decaying so rapidly when exposed to the 
atmosphere, forms a material objection to it. 
However, when guarded from humidity, it is 
said to last as long as any other pine, so that 
large quantities of it are consumed in the shape 
of laths for the inside of walls. The bark is 
valuable for tanning, and is by many con 
sidered more valuable than that obtained from 
the oak. 
As an object on the lawn or pleasure ground, 
this tree is well entitled to be considered orna- 
mental. It is a dense grower, yet its spray 
falls about it in elegant flakes ; the colour of 
the foliage is of a cheerful silvery hue, un- 
changeable; and therefore, amongst evergreens, 
occupying that place which the birch and 
weeping willow do amongst deciduous plants. 
It is raised from seed annually imported 
from America, Germany, France, &c, and 
even in this country some old trees produce 
cones. The seeds are sown in the middle of 
April, in free loamy soil, covered to the depth 
of a quarter of an inch, and in those beds the 
plants are allowed to remain for two years 
previous to being transplanted. Two years 
seedlings are from 40s. to 50s. per 1000. 
Abies duviosa, Lambert (bushy Alpine 
Spruce Fir). — Leaves flat, solitary, turned one 
way, linear, obtuse, with a whitish bloom 
underneath. Cones solitary, ovate, erect, 
terminal, small, with ovate blunt scales. 
A fine tree, very much resembling A. cana- 
densis, attaining the height of 80 feet, and 
found in the northern parts of India, in 
Nepal, Butan, and surrounding districts. The 
trunk, to the height of 20 feet, is free from 
branches, and it is covered with an ash- 
coloured brownish bark. The leaves are so 
very deciduous, that Wallich states that the 
slightest shake of the branch is sufficient to 
detach them. The wood is bad, and is re- 
jected by the natives, chiefly on account of its 
liability to warp. This plant is not yet in the 
catalogues of the first London nurserymen, 
and the presumption is that it is not to be had 
