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74 The Trees <strong>of</strong> Great Britain and Ireland<br />
interior finish <strong>of</strong> houses, and in boat-building, as well as for shingles, pumps, and<br />
wooden ware.<br />
The only timber I know which it resembles closely in colour, texture, and grain,<br />
is that <strong>of</strong> Magnolia acuminata?<br />
Nei<strong>the</strong>r Stevenson, Hough, nor Stone, however, speak <strong>of</strong> a form <strong>of</strong> this timber<br />
known as " blistered poplar," which is occasionally found, as I believe, only in old<br />
<strong>trees</strong>, and which is sometimes imported in small quantities to Europe. This seems<br />
akin to <strong>the</strong> figured maple wood known as bird's eye maple, but has <strong>the</strong> figure in<br />
oblong patches from 2 inches long downwards, <strong>of</strong> a dark olive colour on a paler<br />
olive-green ground, and is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most ornamental woods I know, fit to be used<br />
in <strong>the</strong> finest cabinet work. I saw large planks <strong>of</strong> this variety in <strong>the</strong> Exhibition at<br />
St. Louis, and have had some <strong>of</strong> it worked into <strong>the</strong> panels <strong>of</strong> a screen.<br />
The wood <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tulip tree grown in England seems to be nearly as good in<br />
quality as <strong>the</strong> imported timber, though not quite so pure in colour. From a tree<br />
which was cut at Highclere a plank was sent me by <strong>the</strong> kindness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Earl <strong>of</strong><br />
Carnarvon, which has been used in <strong>the</strong> same screen, and I have a large book-case <strong>of</strong><br />
which <strong>the</strong> back is made <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> imported wood, selected by an experienced cabinet<br />
maker as best for <strong>the</strong> purpose.<br />
Mouillefert says that in Paris its use is increasing for all purposes for which <strong>the</strong><br />
wood <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lime and poplar is suitable, and that it has when fresh cut a pleasant<br />
smell <strong>of</strong> orange, which, however, is soon lost as it dries. (H. J. E.)<br />
1 Mr. Weale tells me that <strong>the</strong> timber <strong>of</strong> this Magnolia, as well as that <strong>of</strong> M. grandiflora and M. glauca, come into <strong>the</strong><br />
Liverpool market mixed with that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tulip tree, and that though <strong>the</strong> two former may easily be distinguished by a person<br />
who knows <strong>the</strong>m well, yet that M. glauca can only be identified with a lens, and that in consequence <strong>of</strong> this mixture, opinions<br />
differ .is to <strong>the</strong> suitability <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wood for laying veneers upon. He thinks that if bone dry, <strong>the</strong> wood <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tulip tree is fit<br />
for this purpose, but not equal to that <strong>of</strong> American chestnut, American cherry, or Honduras mahogany, <strong>of</strong> which <strong>the</strong> latter is<br />
best. He also says that for pattern making Quebec yellow pine is distinctly superior, and worth from is. to 2s. a foot more.<br />
PICEA<br />
SPRUCE-FIRS<br />
Picea, Link, AMiandl. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1 827, 179 (1830); Bcntham et Hooker, Gen. PI. iii. 439<br />
(1880); Masters, Jour. Linn. Soc. (JBot.) xxx. 2 8 (1893).<br />
Abies, LinnEeus, Gen. PL 2 94 (in part) (1737); D. Don in Lambert, Pinus, vol. iii. (1837), ex<br />
Loudon, Arb. et Frut. iv. 2293 (1838).<br />
THIS genus includes <strong>the</strong> spruce-firs, which in England, following <strong>the</strong> practice <strong>of</strong><br />
Don and Loudon, are still <strong>of</strong>ten called Abies. However, all botanists in England,<br />
on <strong>the</strong> Continent, and in America apply <strong>the</strong> term Picea to <strong>the</strong> spruces, and Abies to<br />
<strong>the</strong> silver firs.<br />
Tall evergreen <strong>trees</strong> belonging to <strong>the</strong> tribe Abietinese <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> order Coniferse,<br />
with shoots <strong>of</strong> only one kind, bearing in spiral order peg-like projections ("pulvini"),<br />
from which <strong>the</strong> leaves arise singly. The needle-like leaves are ei<strong>the</strong>r tetragonal or<br />
flattened in section, and persist for many years, rendering <strong>the</strong> foliage very dense.<br />
At <strong>the</strong> ends <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> leading shoots <strong>the</strong>re is a terminal bud, with 2-5 side buds directly<br />
under it; <strong>the</strong> buds are dry and not resinous.<br />
Flowers monoecious. Male flowers solitary in <strong>the</strong> axils <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> uppermost leaves,<br />
ovoid or cylindric, short-stalked, surrounded at <strong>the</strong> base with scale-like bracts, com<br />
posed <strong>of</strong> numerous stamens spirally arranged, each with 2 pollen-sacs opening longi<br />
tudinally, and a connective prolonged into a too<strong>the</strong>d crest. Pollen grains with 2<br />
air-sacs. Female flowers solitary, terminal, erect, stalked, with a few empty scales<br />
at <strong>the</strong> base; composed <strong>of</strong> 2 series <strong>of</strong> scales, <strong>the</strong> bracts small and membranous, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> ovular scales bearing at <strong>the</strong>ir base 2 inverted ovules. Cones: generally<br />
becoming pendulous, but in certain species remaining erect or spreading; cylindrical<br />
or ovoid, with <strong>the</strong> bracts minute and concealed, and <strong>the</strong> scales enlarged and firm in<br />
texture, with entire or denticulate margins, and bearing on <strong>the</strong>ir inner surface 2<br />
winged seeds. The cones are ripe in <strong>the</strong> first season, and after dispersal <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> seed<br />
(<strong>the</strong> scales persisting on <strong>the</strong> axis) fall <strong>of</strong>f in <strong>the</strong> following winter, or remain in some<br />
species much longer on <strong>the</strong> tree. The cotyledons are 5-15 in number, 3-sided, and<br />
serrate in margin.<br />
Species <strong>of</strong> spruce occur in Europe, Asia Minor, <strong>the</strong> Caucasus, Siberia, Mongolia,<br />
China, Japan, <strong>the</strong> Himalayas, and in North America. The genus is marked out into<br />
two natural sections by <strong>the</strong> character <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> leaves. These are defined by Willkomm<br />
as follows :<br />
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