COMPARATIVE VALUE OF EXOTIC CONIFERS IN BRITAIN. 207 



in soils, exposures, altitudes, and temperatui-es sucli as those in 

 which we find them growing naturally, we will then have a more 

 uniform success. 



I shall first treat of the Fir tribe, including the Hemlock, 

 Spruce, and Silver Firs ; all of which are evergreen. These, 

 when growing alone, or promiscuously among deciduous trees 

 having attractive outlines, produce a pleasing effect in the land- 

 scape, especially during the spring and autumn months, when 

 their tints blend more distinctly with that of other trees than 

 during the summer season. 



The Hemlock Firs. 



Abies Albertiana (Prince Albert's Fir). — Introduced in 1851. 

 Habitat, Oregon and British Columbia, where it grows to 150 feet 

 in height, and from 12 to 18 feet circumference. It much re- 

 sembles the better known species, A. canadensis ; and is quite 

 hardy. A very free growing and useful tree, its graceful drooping 

 branches and pyramidal form rendering it always attractive. 



A. canadensis {the Hemlock Spruce). — Habitat, Canada and the 

 United States. Introduced about 1736. It has numei'ous slender 

 droojDing branches, clothed with short broad leaves of a light 

 green colour on the upper and glaucous on the under side. In its 

 young state it is a useful ornamental tree, of a branchy habit, and 

 suitable for open exposed altitudes. It is of no value as a timber 

 tree in this country. In America the bark is much used in 

 tanning, but the tree is not grown in sufficient numbers in Britain 

 to make the bark an article of commerce. 



A. Douglasii (the Douglas Fir). — Habitat, California, Oregon, 

 and British Columbia ; was introduced in 1827. Perhaps more has 

 been written about this fir than any other of recent introduction. 

 Although of a spreading habit where it has room to grow, it is 

 among the fastest timber-producing trees of the Fir tribe ; but 

 when too fast grown the wood is of a rough and second-rate quality. 

 Possibly, with the exception of the larch, this fir is the most 

 valuable, commercially, of all the exotic conifers. Hitherto it has 

 been grown in too limited numbers, and under exceptional treat- 

 ment, to enable us to put a proper value upon its timber. If 

 treated like our common forest trees, my belief is, that it will 

 not supersede some other species of fir. From the table at 

 the end of this Report, it will be seen that Abies Menziesii 

 grows at as high altitudes in its native habitat ; and in some 



