Hardwood trees. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Conifers. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Berries and 
     
     curran ts. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A few observations upon the native productions of the island, may not improperly 
     
     precede, what it will be necessary to say of the produce of the cultivated districts. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The predominant tree of the forest, is the common beech. This tree attains its 
     
     perfection upon the best lands: it is a clean and useful wood, and is much used in 
     
     ship building, being found to be very durable under water. [p. 29] 
     
    
   
   
    
     Birch, ranks next to beech, as to the quality which the native forest produces. There 
     
     are several species of this genus, but the two principal, are, the black and the white. 
     
     The black birch attains to a much larger size than the beech, and is a useful wood in 
     
     ship building, cabinet making, and mill machinery. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The white birch does not grow very large, and except for fire—wood, is of no use to 
     
     the settlers. The Indians, however, construct their canoes of the bark of this tree. 
     
    
   
   
    
     There are several kinds of maple which attain to a large size. The principal, is the 
     
     rock or bird's-eye-maple. Some of this is annually sent to England, where it is used 
     
     for cabinet work. It is about the color of satin-wood, but being spotted with marks 
     
     resembling birds-eyes, from which it receives its name, it is a much handsomer wood; 
     
     but it will not be much esteemed until it becomes more scarce. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The sap of the maple tree produces sugar, which is manufactured by the older 
     
     settlers, especially the Acadians and those of highland descent, but is rarely sold; 
     
     and the more recent English settlers value their time too highly, to employ it in the 
     
     manufacture of an article, which is but a poor substitute for what the produce of their 
     
     farms will well enable them to purchase. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Elm and oak are found in the island, but the trees of these species are not numerous, 
     
     nor is their timber valuable. The same with the willow, ash, poplar, and several 
     
     others. [pp. 29-30] 
     
    
   
   
    
     There are great varieties of the fir tribe, the principal of which, is the yellow pine. 
     
     This tree grows to an enormous size, and was formerly very plentiful in the island; 
     
     but except in the district of Cascumpec in Prince County, it has been nearly all cut 
     
     down and exported. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The hemlock or hemlock fir is a valuable wood, and grows to a size, nearly equal to 
     
     that of the pine. It is exported as lathwood, and used in the country for flooring and 
     
     wainscotting, but is not durable when exposed to the weather. It is used also for the 
     
     foundation of wharfs always under water, and its bark is valuable for tanning leather. 
     
    
   
   
    
     There are several kinds of spruce, of which, the black is the most valuable. It is used 
     
     for spars for large vessels, and for the masts of the smaller, and also for the top-sides 
     
     and decks of ships. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The white cedar is common in the district of Cascumpec, and from its durability is 
     
     valuable for shingles for exportation to the West Indies. (pp. 30-31] 
     
    
   
   
    
     There are several wild fruits indigenous, and very plentiful in the island. The more 
     
     esteemed, are the cranberry, the strawberry, and the raspberry. The common 
     
     American cranberry is well known in this country; but the sort which the island 
     
     produces is superior to any to be found on the continent. Strawberries are plentiful, 
     
     but they are small and inferior in flavor to the garden strawberry of this country. The 
     
     Raspberries, however, which are exceedingly abundant, are not inferior to those 
     
     which are produced by the most careful cultivation at home. Where the woods have 
     
     been burnt, or the land cleared and left uncultivated, they are found in great 
     
     quantities; and they are common in all parts of the island by the road sides. 
     
    
   
   
    
     136