118 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



Abies Nordmanniana, Spach. (Fig. 22.) 

 Caucasian Fir. 



Picea Nordmanniana, Loudon ; Pinus Abies, Parlatore ; P. Nord- 

 manniana, Steven. Crimean Fir ; Nordmann's Fir. 



A tree attaining a maximum height of 200 ft. and a girth of 

 15 ft. m its natural state. Bark of young trees smooth, thin, and 

 greyish, on old trees rough and breaking up into scales like that 

 of A. pectinata,. Young shoots shining browTi or grey-brown, 

 with short, scattered hairs, denser on the lateral shoots. Winter 

 buds non-resinous, ovoid, light brown, with ovate, acute, shghtly 

 keeled, closely pressed scales. Leaves on the lower side of 

 the shoot in two lateral sets, horizontally arranged, spreading 

 obliquely forward, those above shorter, directed forward, and 

 densely covering the shoot ; 1-1 1 in. long, iV-rV in- wide, apex 

 notched, upper surface bright shining-green, grooved ; lower 

 surface with two conspicuous white bands of stomata ; resin 

 canals marginal. Cones cylindrical, dark brown, about 6 in. 

 long by 2 in. broad, covered -udth resin ; scales broad, 1 J in. wide 

 by I in. deep, bracts slightly protruding with the point reflexed. 

 Seed wing about 1 in. long. 



Var. equi-Trojani, Guinier and Maire. 



SJioots reddish brown, without down, leaves short-pointed and 

 only shghtly notched. Cones with long protruding bracts which 

 almost conceal the scales. 



A. Nordmanniana is easy to distinguish from all the other firs 

 except A. amahilis, which has duller green fohage emitting, when 

 bruised, an odour like that of orange peel, and small resinous 

 buds. It is a native of the mountains of the S. and S.E. shores 

 of the Black Sea, and of the western spurs of the Caucasus, occur- 

 ring at altitudes between 3,000-6,000 ft., sometimes forming pure 

 forests. It appears to have been introduced into cultivation in 

 1848. 



The timber resembles that of A. pectiriata and can be used for 

 similar purposes. It does not appear to be of more than local value. 



A. Nordmanniana succeeds in the British Isles, ^ where it is 



commonly cultivated, but is very subject to attack by Chermes 

 nusslinii, and when once this pest becomes well established the 

 tree quickly deteriorates, the leaves becoming flabby, yellowish, 

 and falling prematurely. Affected plants should be sprayed 

 several times with paraffin emulsion at intervals of a few days. 

 This fir may be expected to give the best results when planted 

 in cool, moist soil where the atmospheric conditions are on the 

 moist side. The valleys of Wales and Scotland are more suitable 



^ A tree at Dawyck is over 100 ft. high, growing fast, and is free from Chermes. 



