HARDY CONIFEROUS TREES 17 



while the large purple cones, often 5 inches long 

 and cyHndrical in shape, decide it to be a true 

 Abies. The leaves are only three-quarters of an 

 inch long, many being much shorter, for the most 

 part erect, and evenly disposed around the stem, 

 and of a dull green colour. Being quite hardy in 

 this country, it is to be hoped that it will soon get 

 widely disseminated, while it grows with a fair 

 amount of freedom, and in soils of ordinary quality. 

 A. NOBiLis, Lindley. Noble Silver Fir. 

 (Synonyms : Pinus nobilis, Douglas ; Picea 

 nobilis, Loudon.) Washington, Oregon, and Cali- 

 fornia. 1825. — ^This tree is one of the hardiest 

 and handsomest of the group, and is probably 

 more common than any other of the recently 

 introduced species. Amongst the silver firs it is 

 certainly one of the most conspicuous and beauti- 

 ful, the deep silvery glaucous foHage, regularly and 

 neatly disposed branches, and not too stiff outline 

 being points of special interest and recommenda- 

 tion. The leaves are crowded on the upper sides 

 of the branches, varying in length from i to ij 

 inches, rigid, obtusely pointed, and with two 

 glaucous bands beneath. The brownish purple 

 cones are very handsome and conspicuous, being 

 often 6 inches long, perfectly cylindrical, obtuse 

 at both ends, and with conspicuously recurved 

 bracts. The first cones produced in this country 

 were at Churchhill, in the north of Ireland, and 

 were sold at a guinea each, and young plants 

 realised as much as twenty guineas. Few trees 

 are less particular about the quality of soil in w^hich 

 they are planted than that in question, but it cer- 

 tainly prefers that of not too light nor too dry a 



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