The sylva americana; or, A description of the forest trees indigenous to the United States, practically and botanically considered . will be hereafter described; it is, however, inferior inquality, and snaps more frequently in burning. The fibres ofthe roots, macerated in water, are very flexible and tough ; beingdeprived in the operation of their pellicle, they are used inCanada to stitch together their canoes of birch bark, the seamsof which are afterwards smeared with a resin that distils fromthe tree. The bark is sometimes used in tanning, though muchinferior to the hemlock spruce. The bra
The sylva americana; or, A description of the forest trees indigenous to the United States, practically and botanically considered . will be hereafter described; it is, however, inferior inquality, and snaps more frequently in burning. The fibres ofthe roots, macerated in water, are very flexible and tough ; beingdeprived in the operation of their pellicle, they are used inCanada to stitch together their canoes of birch bark, the seamsof which are afterwards smeared with a resin that distils fromthe tree. The bark is sometimes used in tanning, though muchinferior to the hemlock spruce. The branches are not used forbeer, because the leaves when bruised diffuse an unpleasant odor,which they are said to communicate to the liquid. The resinof this tree is composed of a fragrant essential oil, and probablycontaining sylvic or pinic acid. It is solid, dry, brittle, of a paleyellowish brown color, frequently intermixed with white streaksand whitish when broken. Medicinally it is a stimulant andrubefacient, and is employed externally in form of plaster inchronic catarrh, hooping cough, rheumatic pains, etc. DENDROLOGY. 95. PLATE 1. A branch with a cone. Fig. 2. A seed. American Silver Fir. Mies bahamifera. The coldest regions ofNorth America are the nativecountry of this species ofspruce. In the United States,Canada and Nova Scotia, itis called Silver Fir, FirBalsam, and Balsam of Gil-ead. It does not constitutemasses of woods, but isdisseminated, in a greater orless abundance, among thehemlock and black spruces;Farther south it is found onlyon the summit of the AUe-ghanies, and particularly onthe highest mountains ofNorth Carolina. Like theother spruces it generally flourishes best in a moist sandy height rarely exceeds 40 feet, with a diameter of 12 or 15inches. The trunk tapers from a foot in diameter at the surfaceof the ground to 7 or 8 inches, at the height of 6 feet. Whenstanding alone and developing itself naturally, its branches, whichare numerous a
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, booksubjectforestsandforestry, bookyear1832
