The Spruce, which is indigenous in New England, comprehends the White
and the Black Spruce and the Hemlock. The etymology of this word is
worthy of notice. Evelyn says, “For masts (speaking of firs), those from
Prussia, which we call Spruce, and Norway are the best.” The word seems
to be a corruption of “Pruse,” meaning Prussian. I have formerly thought
that the name was applied to this tree to distinguish it from others of
the same family which display less of this formal symmetry; but the fir
proper is certainly more _spruce_ in its shape than the more flowing
Spruce Fir.