14 CONIFEROUS TREES 



common Silver Fir, but was perhaps darker, of 

 greater specific gravity, and of firmer texture. 



It works well and takes a good polish ; but 

 from the rapid rate of growth, the graining is 

 rough, though perfect in delineation. When com- 

 pared with foreign timber from British Columbia 

 at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, that pro- 

 duced in this country revealed but small differ- 

 ences, and nothing more than might be expected 

 between that of a partially developed and a 

 mature tree. Taking into consideration the 

 quantity and quality of wood produced by A, 

 grandis, as also its highly ornamental appearance 

 and undoubted hardihood, it must be placed in 

 the first rank for extensive planting in this country. 

 It grows well on poor soils, the largest specimens 

 in this country having been planted in rather 

 light gravelly loam. At the Caimies, Perthshire, 

 it is 80 feet high, with a stem girthing 8 feet 

 6 inches. For a full illustrated account of the tree, 

 see my article in The Garden, vol. xxxvii., 1885. 



A. LASiocARPA, NuttalL (Synonyms : A. 

 (Picea) bifolia, Murray ; A. subalpina, Engel- 

 mann.) Alaska, British Columbia, Oregon to 

 Colorado. — This tree bears some resemblance to 

 the better-known A. balsamea, but it is of larger 

 growth, with thin, whitish, smooth bark, which 

 becomes cracked and ashy grey with the advance 

 of years. Leaves notched on sterile, and pointed 

 on fertile branches, in many rows, and with two 

 glaucous bands on the under sides and stomata 

 above as well. The cones are from 2 inches to 

 3|- inches long, by i inch to ij inches diameter, 

 with the scales rounded or almost square, and 



