THE LIME.

The stately lime, smooth, gentle, straight and fair.

COWLEY.

THE HE lime, or linden, is generally considered as a more ornamental, than useful tree, but it is too frequently cut into shape, to form the sides of avenues, and by these means much disfigured. It is not thought to be a native of England, but to have been introduced here about Cromwell's time. Certain it is, that the finest are to be found upon the continent, where they frequently form vistas to the large towns, in one of which, Niestad, a tree of this kind, arrived to that size and beauty, as to attract the notice of many princes. The wood is smooth and light, and used for lasts and tables for shoe-makers, and no wood so well suits the chissel, or can be formed with equal nicety under the carver's hand. Mr. Gibbon, the first carver of his age, after trying several

kinds of wood, found this to

answer best;

and many noble houses can testify the beauties

that are indebted to it.*

delights in a rich loamy soil;

Like the beech, it

but, upon the whole,

I think, the planter will derive little profit from its cultivation.

The bass for matts may be produced from the inner bark.

THE HORNBEAM.

NEARLY allied to the beech in appearance, the hornbeam seldom emulates it in size, at least in this neighbourhood, but is content, generally, to form the neatly clipped hedge; for which purpose, the flexibility and toughness of its wood well qualifies it. It will grow upon a very stiff cold soil, and for no other reason, I think, is worth much attention.

THE SPRUCE,

NORWAY claims the production of this tree in its most vigorous state; but the modern plantations in England plainly speak that it is a favourite, nor can the ornament and shelter it affords, fail of rendering it such. It affects similar soil to the Scotch fir, and, like that tree, ought to be planted on the exposed sides of plantations, to afford warmth. A strong loamy and good soil will greatly add to its size; but from reasons mentioned under the Scotch fir, no great advantage is likely to accrue from its accelerated growth. The timber it produces in this country is small, and very knotty; but, were it large enough, no doubt, good floors might be cut from it. Clumps of spruce fir, or, indeed, any of the spear headed race, cannot form a beautiful object, without the assistance of other more round headed trees. The propagation of this tree, as, indeed, of all the fir tribe, is from seeds

G

:

produced in hard woody cones.

The way to get

the seeds from these cones, is to lay them before a fire, which will cause the cells to open, when they may be easily taken out. The seed will remain good in the cones for many years. When the seeds are sown, namely, the end of March, the place should be covered with mats, to keep off the birds.