SPRUCE-TREE of New Zealand, a very beautiful tree, conspicuous on account of its pendant branches, which are loaded with numerous long thread-like leaves, of a vivid green. It frequently grows to the height of 50 or 60, or even of 100 feet, and above
ten in circumference. This tree proved very useful to captain Cook's people while on the island of New Zealand, who found that a wholesome and palatable liquor might be brewed from it as a substitute for spruce-beer. With the addition of some inspissated wort and molasses, they brewed a very good sort of beer; which they afterwards improved considerably, by correcting the too great astringency of the spruce with an equal quantity of the new tea-tree*. Its taste was pleasant, and something bitter; its only fault was, that, when taken on an empty stomach, it caused a nausea or sickness. Mr Forster regrets that New Zealand was visited at such unfavourable seasons that he could never find the spruce-tree either in flower or in fruit, so that he could not give a botanical description of it.