Page:TheTreesOfGreatBritainAndIreland vol01.djvu/109

 which I brought the smallest home in a tin box alive, and planted the larger ones in the forester's garden at Han Semec. Those which I brought home have established themselves slowly, but a quantity of seed received in the autumn germinated well in boxes, and in November 1905 was much larger than common spruce of the same age. They were quite uninjured by the severe frost of May 21, 1905, which injured the common spruce very severely, and on my limy soil are growing faster and more vigorously than any other species of Picea.

The tree appears to have been first distributed by Messrs. Fröbel of Zurich about 1884, and has been found quite hardy in England, as might be expected from the climate of its native country.

The finest specimen I know of in England is in the garden of W.H. Griffiths, Esq., at Campden, Gloucestershire, where it was bearing a good crop of cones near the summit in August 1905, and measured about 25 feet in height; this seems to show that the tree prefers limestone. At Kew there are three fine trees which were raised from seed obtained from Belgrade in 1889. These trees are now (1905) 13 inches in girth at 5 feet from the ground, and the tallest one is 23 feet high, making a strong, vigorous leading shoot, and assuming the very narrow pyramidal form which is so remarkable in the wild trees. The other two are 18 and 20 feet in height.

At Tortworth Court it has attained about 15 feet in height, and produced cones containing in the year 1902 apparently good seed; but Lord Ducie tells me that no plants raised from them can now be found. Though the tree is a very ornamental one I do not expect it can have any value as a forest tree in Great Britain, its timber having, so far as known, no special use. Judging from the soil and climate of its native country it should succeed in the Highlands of Scotland, especially on limestone soil, as well as, or better than in England, and as seedlings can now be procured in small numbers it will no doubt be planted by all lovers of coniferæ. Rh