PINACEiE 97 



it grows well (particularly in the moister parts of the country). 

 It could be used in the West of England and in Scotland for 

 forest work, but would probably be of no more use for the pur- 

 pose than the better known A. pectinata, except that it is less 

 subject to insect pests. Both the type and the variety violacea 

 may generally be found in the same batch of seedlings. 



Sudworth, The Spruce and Balsam Fir Trees of the Rocky Mountain Region, 

 33 (1916). 



Abies Delavayi, Franchet. 



Keteleeria Fabri, Masters ; Abies Fargesii, Masters [not Franchet]. 



A tree 60-100 ft. high, with massive branches when old. 

 Young shoots reddish-brown, shining, grooved, glabrous or hairy 

 in the grooves. Winter buds large, ovoid, reddish-brown, up to 

 I in. long, resinous, scales persistent at the base of the shoots. 

 Leaves on lateral branchlets arranged in two opposite sets with a 

 V-shaped parting between them, crowded, in three or more ranks, 

 those of the upper side of the shoot much shorter than the lower 

 leaves which are directed outwards and downwards ; up to about 

 1 in. long, dark shining green and furrowed above, lower surface 

 with two broad white bands of stomata separated by a prominent 

 green midrib equalling in breadth the two marginal green bands ; 

 margins more or less revolute.^ Cones barrel-shaped, 3-4 in. 

 long, dark violet-black, the apex of the bract slightly exserted 

 when the cone is ripe. 



According to Wilson this is the common silver fir of W. and 

 especially of S. W. Szechuen, and it has a greater altitudinal and 

 latitudinal range than any other Chinese species. 



The timber, though soft and not very durable, is valued on 

 account of the large size of the logs which it yields. 



Young plants are growing vigorously in several gardens in 

 the British Isles. 



Abies Fargesii, Franchet. 



A tree 100 ft. or more high in W. China with a trunk of nearly 

 uniform thickness for half its height and short massive branches. 

 Young shoots glabrous, red-brown or purplish. Leaves horizon- 

 tally spreading in two or more ranks, the upper rank about haK the 

 length of the lower, more or less notched at the apex. Cones 

 with exserted and spreading bracts. 



We have only seen native specimens of this fir, which does not 

 appear to be in cultivation, 



^ In some native specimens collected by Forrest in Yunnan and by Faber on 

 Momit Omei, the margins of the leaves are so strongly revolute as to completely 

 cover the stomatic bands beneath ; in others they are only slightly so. The 

 latter form, which is the one in cultivation, has been separated by Craib {Notes, 

 Roy. Bot. Oard. Edinb. xi, 278, 1919) as a distinct species under the name 

 of A. Fabri; he considers the true A. Ddavayi is not in cultivation, but leaves 

 of both types are occasionally found on the same plant, and this character 

 depends apparently on situation. 



