THE SILVER FIRS. 161 



southern face of the Himalayas is 10,000 feet. Dr. Griffith 

 informs us that this species is rare below 9,500 in Bhotan, but 

 constitutes vast woods at from 12,000 to 13,000 feet of elevation. 

 Dr. Hooker found it in Sikkim measuring thirty feet in girth. It 

 also forms most dense and extensive forests on the north side of 

 the Shatool-Pass, but on the south face it does not flourish. It 

 is called ' Chilrow ' in the Northern Himalayas, ' Oonum/ or 

 Purple-coned Fir, and the ' Raisalla/ or King Pine, in Upper 

 Kamaoon and Nepal. 



Timber, white, very soft, and coarse-grained, but full of clear 

 white resin ; and a beautiful dye, of a lovely violet colour, is 

 extracted from the young cones. 



It is hardy, but suffers from the late spring frosts. 



M 



