130 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERiE 



rather coarse-grained, and is easy to work. In Mexico and 

 Guatemala it appears to be used for general carpentry. In 

 Mexico the branches are used extensively for decorating places of 

 worship at the times of religious festivals, hence the specific and 

 common names. 



It is a tender species and will only grow in the milder parts 

 of the country. Very few well- developed trees are known, one 

 of the best being in Lord Falmouth's garden at Tregothnan 

 near Truro. There is also a good tree at Fota, Ireland, which in 

 March, 1922, was 90 ft. high and 7 ft. 3 in. in girth. This fir 

 should only be planted in good damp soil in places where a mild 

 temperature and moist climatic conditions prevail. 



Elwes and Henry, loc. cit. iv, 808 (1909). 



Abies sachalinensis, Masters. 



Abies Akatodo, Miyabe ; A. Veitchii var. sachalinensis, Schmidt. Todo- 

 matsu. 



A tree attaining a height of 100-130 ft. and a girth of 6-9 ft. 

 Bark smooth, whitish, with numerous resin blisters. Branches 

 short and slender. Young shoots grey or slate-coloured with 

 prominent hairy furrows. Leaves arranged like those of A. 

 Veitchii, but longer and narrower, If in. long by ^V in. broad, 

 apex rounded and sHghtly notched ; upper surface grass-green ; 

 lower surface with two inconspicuous bands of stomata each of 

 7-8 lines ; resin canals median. Cones cylindrical, 3| in. long 

 and 1| in. wide, with large reflexed bracts which nearly con- 

 ceal the scales ; scales thin, fan-shaped, |-| in, wide and about 

 I in. long. Seed-wing f in. long. 



Var. netnorensis, Mayr. 



Abies nemorensis, Miyabe and Miyake. 



Cones smaller, about 2| in. long, resembling those of A. 

 Veitchii, with the bracts concealed. 



Recorded from Hokkaido and the Kurile Islands. Seen in 

 Saghalien by Wilson. 



This species closely resembles A. Veitchii in the arrangement 

 of the fohage, but the individual leaves are much more slender 

 and the shoots are slate-coloured. The cones are also larger, 

 with reflexed bracts. It is chiefly distinguished from A. sibirica 

 by its furrowed shoots. 



A. sachalinensis is found wild in the Kurile Islands and the 

 Island of Saghahen, and is abundant in Hokkaido, the northern 

 island of Japan, where it forms pure forests. Introduced by 

 Maries in 1878, the Saghahen fir has not done well in cultivation, 

 being too susceptible to spring frosts. It is probable that it 

 requires a more decided rest in winter than is possible in 

 Britain. 



