322 ON THE SYNONYMY OF VARIOUS CONIFERS. 
The above we believe are all the silver firs which have been introduced 
into this country from California, regarding the origin of which we possess 
authentic materials or information ; and it is with the view of enabling the 
reader to form his own opinion upon our views, that we have given the 
comparative tables of the outlines of the cones, of the seeds, and figure of 
the bract of each of the species or supposed species which we have above 
spoken of—magnifying the bracts to twice their natural size, in order to 
bring the difference of their characters more prominently into view. It 
may perhaps be thought that we have been unnecessarily minute in our 
details; but it was plain to us that, unless this inquiry was done 
thoroughly, there was no use in doing it at all, and that what was wanted 
was, not an additional dogmatic opinion, but materials which would enable 
every one who would take the trouble to judge for himself. 
We do not mean, however, that we think that this exhausts the subject of 
the Californian Silver Firs. It only does so as far as our authentic informa- 
tion regarding their origin goes. A great deal yet remains to be cleared up. 
There are more than one species introduced into this country whose leaves 
do not correspond with those of any of the species we have mentioned. 
There is а species or variety from Vancouver's Island distinguished by its 
short leaf and well-protected buds. There are others which have an ex- 
tremely long leaf, with stomata on both sides (fewer than those of A. 
Lowiana), which may perhaps turn out to be new, but we are not yet in à 
position to ane: upon these. We have not seen the cones from which 
. 
they were raised. 
