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LANDSCA1E GARDENING. 
The Fir Trees. Abies. 
Nat Ord. Coniferse. Lin. Syst. Monoecra, Monadelphia. 
The Fir trees differ from the Pines, to which they are 
nearly related, in having much shorter leaves, which are 
placed singly upon the branches, instead of being collected 
in little bundles or parcels of two, three, or five, as is the 
case in all Pines. They generally grow in a more conical 
manner than the latter, and in ornamental plantations owe 
their beauty in most cases more to their symmetrical 
regularity of growth than to picturesque expression. 
The Balsam, or Balm of Gilead Fir (A. balsamea ), 
sometimes also called the American Silver Fir, is one of 
the most ornamental of our native evergreens. It is found 
most abundantly in Maine and Nova Scotia, but is 
scattered more or less on the mountain tops, and in cold 
swamps, through various other parts of the Union. At 
Pine Orchard, near the Catskill Mountain-house, it 
flourishes well, though never seen below the elevation of 
1,800 feet. When standing singly, it forms a perfect 
pyramid of fine dark green foliage, 30 or 40 feet high, 
regularly clothed from the bottom to the top. The leaves, 
about half or three-fourths of an inch long, are silvery 
white on the under surface, though dark green above ; and 
are inserted both on the sides and tops of the branches. It 
is one of the most beautiful evergreens for planting in 
grounds near the house, and is perhaps more cultivated for 
that purpose than any other in the Union. The cones, 
which are four or five inches long, like those of the 
European Silver Fir point upwards. However small the 
plants of this Fir may be, they are still interesting, as they 
