108 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFER.E 



Var. compacta, Beissner, a dwarf form of compact habit. 



The irregular arrangement of the foliage, the pointed leaves of 

 the terminal shoot, and the conspicuous stomatic Unes on the 

 upper surface of the leaves are distinguishing features of this 

 species. 



A. lasiocarpa is an alpine fir and the most widely distributed 

 species in W.N. America. It ranges from Alaska to the San 

 Francisco Mountains in N. Arizona, whilst the variety arizonica is 

 found in Arizona, New Mexico, and S. Colorado. It was dis- 

 covered by Douglas in 1832, but the date of introduction is un- 

 certain. Although it has been known for 90 years, it has made 

 little headway in cultivation and most of the trees we have met 

 with are stunted and unhealthy in appearance. 



Wood slow-growing, very Ught, soft, cream-coloured to 

 light brown, straight-grained, easy to work, finishes well, and 

 decays rapidly in contact with the earth. It is used locally for the 

 indoor finish of houses, boxes, etc., but has little commercial 

 value owing to much of the wood being knotty and there being 

 better timbers available. 



The species attains its largest dimensions at altitudes of 5,000- 

 8,000 ft., but good trees are found up to an elevation of 10,000 ft. 

 The best stands are stated to occur on north slopes in fairly deep, 

 loose, and moist soil. In dry and poor soils it is usually small, 

 and it does not succeed in clay. Seed is produced freely even 

 by young trees, and heavy seed years occur triennially. Seedlings 

 and young trees withstand shade well. It is probable that the 

 most suitable conditions in Britain will be found in the Scottish 

 Highlands and amongst the mountains of Wales and N. and 

 Central England. A long winter's rest appears to be necessary 

 for its well-being. 



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

 27-30 (191G). 



Abies Lowiana, A. Murray. 

 Low's White Fir. 



Abies concolor, Sargent (in part) ; A. concolor, var. lasiocarpa, Beissner ; 

 A. concolor, var. Lowiana, Lemmon ; A. gi-andis, var. Lowiana, Masters ; 

 A. lasiocarpa, Masters [not Nuttall nor Murray] ; A. Lowii, Annesley ; 

 A. Parsonsiana, Hort. ; Picea Lowiana, Gordon ; Pinus Lowiana, McNab. 

 Low's Fir ; Low's Silver Fir. 



On the Cahfornian Sierras this tree reaches 250 ft. in height 

 with a girth of 18 ft., forming a narrow crown composed of 

 flat sprays of foliage. Bark thin and blistered on young trees ; 

 very thick on old trunks and deeply fissured into scaly ridges ; 

 in cultivated specimens dividing into small, irregular plates. 

 Young shoots olive or yellowish -green, minutely downy. Winter 

 buds small, conical, blunt, resinous. Leaves horizontally arranged 



