COMPARATIVE VALUE OF EXOTIC CONIFERS IN BRITAIN. 251 



same colour. The cones, wliicli are usually ])rocluced singly, are 

 larger, and the seeds much weightier, than those of A. grandis. 

 It is more liable to be injured by spring frosts than that species, 

 and this is noticeable when the trees are growing side by side 

 and under similar conditions in every way. As a first-class 

 ornamental conifer it is worthy of extended culture andof greater 

 attention than it has hitherto received. The leaves are of a 

 whitish hue, changing to a pale green as they grow old, the upper 

 and under surfaces being of the same colour. When it has 

 attained to a height of a dozen feet the colour of the foliage 

 is very pleasing. The outline is symmetrical without being stiff". 

 To produce rapid growth the tree must be planted in elevated 

 ground. Kegarding the quality of timber produced by this ti-ee 

 in Great Britain little is known, too short time having elajised 

 since its introduction. A native of the Southern Rocky Moun- 

 tains. Inti'oduced in 1851. 



10. Abies (Pseud o-tsuga) Douglasii (Douglas Fir) is in certain 

 situations one of the most valuable timber trees that have yet 

 found their way into these islands. As regards the actual produce 

 of timber in a given time, it is far ahead of any other tree gi-own 

 in this country, not excepting the Wellingtoriia or Stquoia. We 

 state this from measurements I'ecorded by ourselves for a number 

 of years of trees grown under similar conditions as regards soil, 

 altitude, and situation. The greatest amount of timber produced 

 by the Douglas fir in this country during fifty years is no doubt 

 that of which we kept a record, viz., 240 feet, or nearly 5 feet 

 per year for half-a-century. The tree here referred to as having 

 produced this almost fabulovis quantity of wood is growing on an 

 estate in North Wales, and is of the following dimensions : — Girth 

 of stem at 3 feet uji, 11 feet 9 inches ; and at 21 feet up, 8 feet 

 '1 inches; 42 feet in length of the butt contains 217 feet of 

 excellent clean timber. Another Douglas fir, growing within a 

 few yards of the former, has a girth of stem at 3 feet from the 

 ground of 13 feet 8|- inches; and 24 feet in length of the stem 

 contains exactly 131 feet of wood. In a plantation of this fir 

 formed twenty-two years ago, the average sizes we found to be 

 as follows : — Height, 76 feet; girth of stem at 24 feet uji, 4 feet ; 

 cubic contents, fully 50 feet. 



The timber produced in this country is of excellent qualitv, 

 being light but strong, works readily, has a pleasant yellowish 

 tinge, and takes on a good polish. By way of expei-iment we 



