This section is from the book "Trees And Tree-Planting", by James S. Brisbin. Also available from Amazon: Trees and Tree Planting.
White Spruce.—Its Attainable Height and Size.—Its Northern Nativity.— Principal Uses of its Wood. — The Oil Extracted from its Branches.—The Black Spruce.—Atmosphere Favorable to its Development.—Its Wild Luxuriance.—Description of its Cones.—Manner of Securing its Seed.—The Red and Blue Spruces.—Their Resemblance to the White Spruce.—The Norway Spruce.—Its Height. —Peculiarities of its Growth.—Its Age of Maturity and Where Indigenous.—Its Resinous Extract.—Uses of its Bark.—Importation of Young Trees to England and Uses to Which Put.—Durability of its Wood.—Effect of Soil on the Qualities of its Wood.—Its General Appearance and Persistent Growth.—Its Usefulness as Shelter.— Its Properties Preferable to those of the Black Spruce.—Manner of Saving and Sowing its Seed.—Hemlock Spruce.—Where Indigenous.—Elevation Favorable to its Thrift.—Texture and Characteristics of its Wood.—Peculiarities of Grain.—Its Beautifying Character.—Its Value Compared with other Timber Trees.—Balsam Fir.— Its Nativity.—Its Height and Size.—Medicinal Properties and Ornamental Advantages.—Fraser's Fir.—Where Found and General Characteristics.
The red and blue spruces are closely analogous to the white spruce, and differ only in the production of the cones—the blue spruce producing cones when only three or four feet high.
 
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