2310
ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.
PART III.
main object is to produce timber trees; or by cutting out the largest when fit forpoles, if this be the main object. Very little pruning is required for the sprucefir, except in the case of large trees; when the lower branches may be cutoff close to the stem, to the heighth of a fourth, or from that to a third, partof the height of the whole tree. When pruned, the branches ought to be cutoff close to the stem, in order that the wound may heal over as speedilyas possible. Hayes mentions a practice adopted by a gentleman in Ireland,of cutting off every other tier of branches, for the purpose of strengtheningthose which were left; and, by allowing the branches to hang down morefreely, thus to increase the picturesque appearance of the tree. ( Pract.Trent., p. 166.) At whatever age the trees are cut down, the roots oughtto be grubbed up, as they furnish a valuable material for fuel or charcoal.The season of felling, where the bark is to be kept on, should be mid-winter,when the sap is in its most dormant state: but, where the bark is wanted fortanning, May is preferable; because then the sap is in motion, and the barkeasily separates from the wood.
Statistics. In the Environs of London. At Mount Grove, Hampstead, 18 years planted, it is 29 ft.high; at Syon, it is between 90 ft. and 100 ft. high; at Chiswick Villa, it is 60 ft. high; at Whitton,between 80 ft. and 90 ft. high. — South of London. In Somersetshire, at Kingsweston, it is 95 ft.high, with a trunk 3 ft. in diameter. In Surrey, at Bagshot Park, 16 years planted, it is 35 ft. high ;at Claremont.it is 95 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 2ft., and of the.head 36 ft. In Sussex, atCowdrey, it is 80 ft. high, with a trunk 3 ft. 9 in. in diameter. In Wiltshire, at Longleat, 80 yearsplanted, it is 99 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 4ft., and of the head 44 ft. — North of London.In Buckinghamshire, at Temple House, 40 years planted, it is 50ft. high. In Essex, at Audley End,61 years planted, it is 60 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 2 ft. 6 in., and of the head 30 ft. In Here-fordshire, at Haffield, 105 years old, it is 71 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 2 ft. 6 in., and of thehead 15 ft. In Hertfordshire, at Aldenham Abbey, 34 years planted, it is 65 ft. high. In Leices-tershire, at Donnington, 38 years planted, it is 52 ft. high. In Norfolk, at Merton Hall, it is 87 ft.high, with a trunk 3 ft. 6 in. in diameter. In Shropshire, at Hardwicke Grange, 10 years planted, itis 28 ft. high ; at Willey Park, 18 years planted, it is 40 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft., andof the head 20 ft. In Staffordshire, at Trentham, it is 90 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 3 ft.4 in., and of the head 30 ft. Jn Suffolk, at Finborough Hall, 60 years planted, it is 100ft. high, thediameter of the trunk 3 ft., and of the head 50 ft. In Worcestershire, at Hadzor House, 10 yearsplanted, it is 20 ft. high. In Yorkshire, in Studley Park, the tree of which a figure is given in ourlast Volume, 132 ft. high.—In Scotland. In Ayrshire, at Kilkerran, 55 years planted, it is 95 ft.high, with a trunk 3 ft. 6 in. in diameter, and that of the head 30 ft. In Aberdeenshire, at Thainston,54 years planted, it is 67 ft. high. In Argyllshire, at Toward Castle, 15 years planted, it is 30ft.high. In Forfarshire, at Monboddo, 28 years planted, it is 30ft. high ; atCourtachy Castle, 14 yearsplanted, it is 27 ft. high; another, 50 years planted, is 55 ft. high. In Inverness-shire, at Couan,40 years planted, it is 60 ft. high. In Perthshire, at Invermay, it is 84 ft. high, the diameter of thetrunk 5 ft. 9 in., and of the head 64 ft.; at Taymouth, it is 100 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk4 ft., and of the head 51 ft. In Stirlingshire, at Sauchie, it is 96 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 2 ft.6 in., and of the head 30 ft.; at Blair Drummond, 120 years old, it is 98 ft. high, the diameter ofthe trunk 2 ft. 6 in., and of the head 20 ft. — In Ireland. In Fermanagh, at Florence Court, 55 yearsplanted, it is 70 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft. 6 in., and of the head 60 ft.; at Castle Code, itis 62 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 2 ft. In Sligo, at Mackree Castle, it is 96 ft. high, the dia-meter of the trunk 2 ft. 8 in. In Tyrone, at Baron’s Court, 60 years planted, it is 100 ft. high, thediameter of the trunk 2 ft. 6 in., and of the head 50 ft—In Saxony, at Worlitz, 60 years planted,it is 80 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 4 ft., and of the head 40 ft. — In Cassel, at Wilhelm-shoe, it is 60 years old, with a trunk 4 ft. in diameter. — In Bavaria, in the Botanic Garden atMunich, 24 years planted, it is 40 ft. high.— In Austria, at Vienna, in the University Botanic Garden,30 years planted, it is 50 ft. high ; at Briick on the Leytha, 60 years planted, it is 100 ft. high. —.InPrussia, near Berlin, at Sans Souci, 40 years planted, it is 60ft. high.
Commercial Statistics. Price of seeds, in London, 3 s. per lb.; and of plants,one year’s seedlings, 1«. 6 d. per thousand; three years’ seedlings, 8s. perthousand; and transplanted plants, from 12 in. to 18in. high, 25s. per thou-sand. At Bollwyller, single plants are 8 cents each; and at New York, from50 cents to 1| dollar, according to the size.
1 2. A. a'lba Michx. The white Spruce Fir.
Identification. Michx. FI. Bor. Amer., 2. p. 207., Arb., 1. p. 133.; N. Amer. Syl., 3. p. 182. j Poir.Diet. Encyc., 6. p. 521.; N. Du Ham., 6. p. 291.
Synonymes. Plnus ilba Ait. Hort. Keio., 3. p.371., Willd. Berol. Baumz., p. 221., Lamb. Pin.,ed. 2., 1. t. 36.; P. laxa Ehrh. Beitr., 3. p. 24.; P. canadensis Du Roi Harbk. p. 124., Wangh.Beyt., 5. t. 1.; ,4'bies Picea foliis, &c., Hort. Angl., 2. t. 1., Du Ham. Arb., 1. p. 3.; A. curvifoliaHort .; single Spruce, Amer .; E'pinette blanche, Canada ; Sapinette blanche, Fr.
Engravings. Lamb. Pin., ed. 2., 1. t. 36.; Wangh. Beyt., 5. t. 1. f. 2.; Hort. Angl., 2. t. 1.; N. DuHam., t. 83. f. 2.; Michx. N. Amer. Syl., 3.1.148. j our fig. 2224. ; and the plate of this tree in ourlast Volume.
Spec. Char., fyc. Leaves somewhat glaucous, scattered round the branches,erect, quadrangular. Cones oblong-cylindrical, pendulous, lax; scaleswith entire margins. (Michx.) Cones from If in. to 2j in. long, and fromA in. to § in. broad; on the tree at Dropmore, 4 in. long. Seed very small;