PICEA CEPHALONICA. 
Black Mountain would have been a great fource of richnefs to the ifland. Ample proof of his fondnefs for 
trees, and of his regard for this tree in particular, may be feen in the grounds at Blairadam, where numerous 
fine plants of P. Cephalonica (whose introduction is referable to the period of Sir Frederick’s adminiftration 
in the Ionian Ifles) are posthumous witneffes of his recognition of their worth. 
Properties and Ufes. —General Napier’s remark as to the hardnefs of the timber of old trees of this 
fpecies has been already quoted. He further informs us that in pulling down fome old houfes in the town 
of Argoftoli, which had been built from 150 to 300 years before, all the woodwork of the Black Foreft fir 
was as hard as oak, and perfectly found. 
It appears incidentally from Mr Curling’s report, above quoted, that the refin of the tree is collected 
for economical purpofes. He fays that the young trees in the Black Foreft “are in danger of being 
deftroyed by the women who collect refin, who take off about a foot of the bark of the leading fhoot, and, 
of courfe, the tree dies ” (p. 282). 
Culture. —Mr Foudon gives the following account of the firft introduction of the feeds fent by General 
Napier, which may be worth tranfcribing, for the fake of tracing the probable whereabouts of the oldeft 
trees in Britain. “ In 1824, in compliance with a requeft of Flenry F. Fong, Efq. of Hampton Fodge, 
near Farnham, who was defirous of knowing the fpecies of fir defcribed by the antient writers as the peuke 
and the elate, Colonel Napier fent a packet of feeds of the Cephalonian Fir to England. The feeds were 
without the cones, and were fent to the Colonel’s filler, Fady Bunbury. The packet was duly forwarded 
to Hampton Fodge, but fome feeds having dropped from it, Fady Bunbury gave the feeds to Charles 
Hoare, Efq. of Fufcombe. . . . Three of the plants raifed from them were given to Mr Pince of the 
Exeter Nurfery, and one to Mr Pontey of the Plymouth Nurfery. Four plants remained at Fufcombe. 
The largeft of thefe in 1837 was 3 feet 10 inches high, and the branches covered a fpace of 4 feet 3 inches 
in diameter. The plant fent to the Plymouth Nurfery was, in 1837, fold to the Duke of Bedford for 25 
guineas. Two of thofe fent to the Exeter Nurfery were fold to the Rev. Theodore Williams, of Hendon 
ReCtory, for about the fame fum each; and the third is retained as a ftock plant to propagate from. The 
feeds fent to Hampton Fodge were fafely received, and vegetated without difficulty. Mr Fong, in a letter 
dated Dec. 3, 1837, fays, I loft a great number of plants by fpring frofts and by rabbits, owing to want of 
care while I was on the Continent. I have only three plants left, and they are in full vigour, and have 
made fhoots during the paft fummer from 6 inches to 7 inches in length. I gave fome plants to Ford 
Oxford for his Pinarium at Wolterton, in Norfolk; fome to Ford King for his Collection at Ockham 
Park, Surrey; two to Robert Mangles, Efq. of Sunninghill; three I have planted out myfelf; and the 
remainder I gave this year to Mr Penny, the nurfery-garclener at Milford. We are thus enabled to 
account for all the plants raifed from the feeds fent home by General Napier.” 
There are many fine young trees at Craigo, in Forfarfhire, about three miles from the fea, growing 
on dry fandy foil, which overlies foft fandftone rock. Thefe had been raifed from feed by the late Mr 
Carnegie, and planted by him about the year 1840. They had reached the height of 12 and 15 feet in 
1858, and as they were then making yearly fhoots of 12 and 15 inches in height, they muft be now nearly 
20 feet high. Judging from thefe, it would appear that the tree prefers a drier foil than moft other 
Silver Firs. 
We do not know of any trees of very large fize in this country. The talleft we have met with does 
not exceed 30 feet; and when the tree thrives, the rate of growth feems to be about a foot in each year. 
In Meffrs Waterer and Godfrey’s Nurfery at Knaphill, near Woking, there are trees about 25 feet in 
height, which have borne cones for fome years. At Elmham Hall, in Norfolk, growing on fandy 
loam, there is a plant 30 feet high. At Nettlecombe, in Somerfetfhire (300 feet above the level of the 
fea) is one 2 p feet high and 13 feet in the diameter of the fpread of the branches; the foil is rich loam. 
At Finton Park, in Kent, there is a very handfome tree, the fpread of whofe branches is 18 feet, but its 
[ 2 ] c height 
