Coniferce of the Rocky Mountains. 121 



It grows in the same dry lands as tlie otlier pines of tlie region, 

 and readies from the foot-hills to the line of daily frosts. 'his 

 would make a highly ornamental tree where a dark shade was 

 desired, and its long flexile leaves, and large cones give it great 

 beauty when near at hand, and its conical formed top and dark 

 green foliage make it a graceful feature in the landscape. It 

 would make an excellent shelter as a wind breaker to protect 

 buildings, crops and animals, from the effects of the wind. 



Abies Douglassi, Douglas spruce, is a tall straight tree where it 

 grows in thickets, or has a fair supply of water, as in the canons 

 of the mountains. In dry and open grounds, it holds its long 

 horizontal limbs near the ground, and with these forms a per- 

 fect conical top, with a diameter nearly equal to its altitude. 

 The foliage is dense and dark green. The leaves are one and 

 one-half inches long, gTowing in two ranks as a slender spray, 

 much like the Hemlock, Abies Canadense. The bark is thicker 

 and rougher than the hemlock, and contains a larger per cent- 

 age of tannin. The cones are cylindrical, three inches long 

 and three-fourths in diameter, and being colored during the 

 first year are highly ornamental. The timber resembles the 

 other spruces, and is strong and elastic ; a good building mate- 

 rial but not as durable as the pines. I know of no spruce that 

 would be as valuable an acquisition to our ornamental trees 

 and tree belts, as this would be, especially for dry situations. 

 The wood burns with great heat when dry, but crackles badly, 

 in an open fire. The long periods of drought in its native 

 habitat do not affect it ; and it flourishes above the pines ; 

 thus proving incontestibly its hardy character. We may there- 

 fore safely conclude that the Douglas sprace, would thrive, 

 where all the other species of the family would fail from the 

 effects of drought and cold. 



Abies Nea Mexicana (?) Eocky Mountain fir, so I have ven- 

 ventured to name this beautiful species. The leaves are twice 

 the length of the Abies balsamea, and the cones bear the same 

 increased proportions, being often two inches long. I have 



