i y 
8 
PINETUM BRITANNICUM. 
in Pomerania, and in Prussia proper (Patze, “ Mey. Elk. FL,” p. 116), and is found in quantity in 
Switzerland, the Carpathian Mountains, and all the mountainous region in the centre of Germany. 
It is plentiful in Poland, and Marshal Saxe (“Reveries, or Memoirs on the Art of War, 1757,” 
p. 102), who knew Poland well, tells us incidentally the size of the Firs in that country in his time:— 
“ Poland is the best country in the world for the expeditious construction of fortifications; the soil is soft, 
and there is great plenty of Firs , which are palisades ready made in a manner, little more being required 
than just to cut them down and to plant them ; they are in general a foot in diameter, and sometimes more, 
which will render them more difficult to be demolished by the enemy.” It is also met with, although not 
generally, in the Pyrenees, but' not in Spain south of the Pyrenees, nor in the plains of the south of 
Europe. It occurs in the north of Italy, but not in the Apennines nor in Sicily. It is doubtful whether 
it occurs in Turkey, although it is said by Rigler to have been met with in the forest of Belgrade, near 
Constantinople, and by Sistini on the Olympus of Bithynia; but this may be doubtful, as Prince 
Tchitchacheff observed it in no part of Asia Minor. Neither it nor the Silver Fir have yet been found 
in the Caucasus (Tchitchacheff, ii. 307, 1856). 
We see it stated in a paper in the “ Scottish Gardener,” p. 148, by Mr Archibald Fowler, the gardener 
at Castle Kennedy, that he had grown a species of Abies from Mexico, “evidently a variety of Abies 
excelsa; ” and he says that it appears to grow quicker, and to be opener and more irregular in its habit 
than the species, “ otherwise it very much resembles it.” We may be mistaken, but we cannot help 
thinking that the reason why it very much resembles it is that it really is it—not that the Spruce grows 
in Mexico, but that the plant which Mr Fowler has received as a Spruce from Mexico is only a plant 
of the Norway Spruce, by accident or otherwise misnamed from Mexico. We do not believe that any 
true Spruce has yet been met with in Mexico—that is, Spruces with quadrangular leaves and prominent 
phyllulae and pulvini. No doubt, other species of Abies, as that section is at present defined by some, 
but belonging rather to the Hemlock Spruce section than the true Spruces, grow in Mexico, as Abies 
Douglasii var. Lindleyana, and perhaps A. hirtella; but these have flat leaves, and are without pro¬ 
minent phyllulae. 
M. De Candolle gives (“ Geogr. Bot.,” i. 277) a valuable comparative statement of the different heights 
to which it reaches on the mountains in Europe, which we cannot do better than quote :— 
“ In Silesia it reaches 4000 feet (1290 French metres), according to Mr Wimmer (FI. Schles., 2d edit., i. 340). In Austrian Silesia, on the 
Reisengebirge, according to M. Schneider (Verth. Schles. Pflanz, p. 170) only to 2800 feet (909 metres). 
“ In the Carpathian chain it grows to 4500 feet (1462 metres) on the exterior mountains; and up to 4700 feet (1527 metres) in the central 
mountains (Wahl. FI. Carp., p. 312). The first are calcareous, the others granitic. The author does not distinguish the exposures. 
“As regards the Alps called Algauer, in Southern Germany, M. Sendtner (Flora, 1849, p. 116) indicates some stunted and isolated plants 
up to 5425 feet on the south-west side; and plants in good condition up to 5234 feet (1700 metres) on the south side. 
“As for Eastern Switzerland, north of the Alps, M. Heer (Flora, 1844, p. 629) gives 5800 feet (1884 metres) in the Oberland Grison, and 
as a point lower than the mean, at St Bernardin, 5600 feet (1819 metres). 
“ In Central Switzerland, Wahlenberg has remarked (Helv., p. xxxvii.) a small forest which occurs on Mount Pilate, at a place called Holz 
fluhe, at 5700 or 5800 feet (1852-1854 metres) of elevation. On that mountain, and at the Righi, the ordinary mean limit is at 5506 feet (1788-6 
metres) ; the exposure, however, not being distinguished. Around Engelberg, the limit is 5588 feet (1815 metres). Wahlenberg (Helv., p. 181) 
admits as a mean about the Lake of the Four Cantons, at the Grimsel and in the Grisons, 5500 feet (1786 metres), for those localities exposed 
to the sun (in apricis)-, as a maximum rather rare, 5800 feet (1884 metres); lastly, as a maximum observed in the Appenzell, 5100 feet (1657 
metres). It does not take into account stunted plants, which do not reach two fathoms in height, but which are sometimes found above the real 
limits of the species. 
“ M. Ch. Martins (Ann. Sc. NcU., 2d ser., v., xviii. p. 198) has found the limit on the northern slope of the Grimsel 1545 metres. M. de 
Mohl (Bot. Zeit. 1843, P- 4 H) fixes the limit in the Matterthal, viz. the valley of Zermatt in Valais, a little below 5000 feet (1624 metres). M. 
Schouw (Clim. Nat. I., part ii., p. 44) has found the limit on the route of the Simplon, from the Valaisan side, 5718 feet (1857 metres). 
“ M. Heer, in comparing the limit on the north and south slopes in the canton of Glaris, and in that of the Grisons, finds first 600 feet, and 
afterwards makes it 700 feet of difference. Let us take 650 feet (211 metres). 
“ In the Jura, it exceeds the limit of Abiespectinata; but M. Thurman does not state the elevation. 
“ In Savoy, valley of Chamounix, from the south side, Schouw (Clim. Nat. I., part ii., p. 44) noted the limit of trees (which must probably 
have been the Abies excelsa , for the Larch is rare on that exposure) at 6351 feet (2063 metres). 
“At Mount Ventoux, on the north side, the limit is 1720 metres (Martins, Ann. Sc. Nat., 2d ser., x. 150). The species is absent on 
the south side. 
“ The 
