2312

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

spruce beer; but both these appear to be mistakes. Michaux and Pursh,indeed, both expressly assert that the branches are quite unfit for makingbeer; and Michaux adds that the leaves, when bruised, diffuse an unpleasantodour. It was introduced into England by Bishop Compton, in 1700. Therate of growth, in the climate of London, in sandy soil somewhat moist, isfrom 12 ft. to 15 ft. in 10 years. In 30 years, the tree will attain the heightof from 30 ft. to 40 ft.; but in dry soils it seldom reaches either this age orheight: indeed, all the American spruces may be considered, in England, asshort-lived trees. The largest specimen that we know of in England is one atWhite Knights, where, in 1837, after being 40 years planted, it was 50 ft. high;one at Dropmore is 47 ft. high; and a plant in the Horticultural Society’sGarden, 12 years planted, is 14 ft. high. The tree is very ornamental when itssummit is richly laden with cones.

Statistics. In England. In Surrey, at Farnham Castle, 50 years old, it is 40 ft. high; at BagshotPark, 16 years planted, it is 35 ft. high ; at Deepdene, 9 years planted, it is 20 ft. high. In Oxford-shire, in the Oxford Botanic Garden, 40 years planted, it is 20 ft. high. In Staffordshire, at Tren-tham, it is 20 ft. high. — In Scotland. In Forfarshire, at Courtachy Castle, 14 years planted, it is 18 ft.

high. In Berwickshire, at the Hirsel, 18 years planted,it is23 ft. high_In Ireland. At Dublin, in

the Glasnevin Botanic Garden, 35 years planted, it is 20 ft. high. In Down, at Ballyleady, 60 yearsplanted, it is 55 ft. high. In Galway, at Cool, it is 56 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 2 ft. 6 in., and

of the head 37 ft.—in France, near Paris, at Sceaux, 10 years planted, it is 24 ft. high_In Hanover,

at Harbcke, 10 years planted, it is 16 ft. high. — In Austria, near Vienna, at Brtick on the Leytha,50 years'planted, it is 40 ft. high. — In Bavaria, at Munich, in the English Garden, 20 years planted,it is 18 ft. high. — In Prussia, at Sans Souci, near Berlin, 30 years planted, it is 40 ft. high.

Commercial Statistics. Price of seeds, in London, 4s. per lb.; of plants,two-years’ seedlings, 10s. per thousand. At Bollwyller, plants are 1 franceach ; and at New York, 50 cents.

* 3. A. ni'gra Ait. The black Spruce Fir.

Identification. Poir. Diet Encyc., 6. p. 520.; Michx. Art)., 1. p. 123.; N. Amer. Syl., 3. p. 176. ; N.Du Ham., 6. p. 292.

Synonymes. Pinus nigra Ait. Hort. Kew. t 3. p. 370., Willd. Berol. Baumx ., p. 220., Lamb. Pin.,ed. 2., 1. t. 37., Du Roi Harbk ., ed. Pott., 2. p. 182.; P. mari&na Ehr. BeytS. p. 23.; A' biesmariana Wang/i. Beyt., p. 75.; double Spruce.

Engravings. Lamb. Pin., ed. 2., 1. t. 37.; Michx. N. Amer. Syt. 3., t. 147.; our fig. 2225.; and theplate of this tree in our last Volume.

Spec. Char., §c. Leaves soli-tary, regularly disposed allround the branches; erect,very short, somewhat qua-drangular. Cones ovate,pendulous; scales somewhatundulated ; the apex of thescale crenulated or divided.

( Michx .) Cones from 1 > in.to l | in. long, and fromfin. to nearly 1 in. broad.

Seed rather larger than thatof A. alba, but the wingsmaller. Leaves from Jin.to f in. long. A large tree,a native of North America.

Introduced in 1700 ; flower-ing in May or June.

Varieties. The kind generally designated as A. rubra, P. rubra Lamb., is as-serted by Michaux to be only a variety, or rather variation, of A. nigra,produced by the influence of the soil ou the wood. “ The inhabitants ofthe country, and mechanics who work in the woods,” says Michaux, “ takenotice only of certain striking appearances in forest trees, such as thequality of the wood, its colour, and that of the bark ; and, from ignoranceof botanical characters, they give different names to the same tree, accordingto certain variations in these respects arising from local circumstances. Tothis cause must be attributed the popular distinction of red and black