OF NORTH-WEST AMERICA. 133 
uriance and rapidity, so that in the beginning of September, when 
we first visited this part of the country, it was with difficulty that 
we could believe that it had so recently been inundated, the grass 
having by this time in many places attained a height of between 
9 and 6 feet, and being so dense as to render walking through it 
exceedingly tiresome. 
The autumn of 1858 and part of the summer of 1859 were 
spent in these localities, and the greater portion of the plants 
collected were obtained from within a few miles of the Boundary- 
line on either side. 
The banks of the Lower Fraser River and (with the exception 
of the clear grounds above mentioned) the whole of this district 
are densely covered with forest, many of the trees in which attain 
à very large size. 
The trees most commonly met with are the Abies Douglasii, 
Lindl. (the Douglas spruce or fir), several specimens of which, 
measured in the neighbourhood of Sumass, were found to be nearly 
30 feet in circumference at five feet from the ground. Two 
hundred and fifty feet was the measured. length of one that had 
been blown down; but some which we saw must have been con- 
siderably higher than this. 
The Abies Menziesii (Menzies’ spruce or fir), a large tree, 25 to 
30 feet in cireumference, and at least 200 feet high. 
The Abies Mertensiana (hemlock spruce of our axmen) is a 
common tree, growing to the height of 150 or 200 feet. Some 
trees were observed with a perfectly straight trunk of 60 or 70 
feet high before giving off a branch. 
The Pinus contorta is not uncommon here. 
The Thuja gigantea, Nutt., known as the ‘ Cedar,’ also attains 
a very large size in this neighbourhood. The circumference of 
one measured was 26 feet 9 inches at six feet from the ground, 
and the estimated height 250 feet. This and the Douglas fir are 
the most useful trees on this part of the coast. There is a large 
and increasing export of the Douglas fir, both as spars and lum- 
ber, from Puget’s Sound as well as from Vancouver Island. 
Various parts of the ‘ Cedar’ are applied to different purposes by 
the Indians. The trunk is used to form their canoes, and, when 
split into slabs (which it is very easily), to build their permanent 
huts or lodges. The stringy bark and the integuments of the root 
are plaited into useful and ornamental articles of clothing and 
household utensils. . 
At intervals, interspersed amongst the trees already mentioned, 
