17o THE BOOK OF EVERGREENS. 



According to Dr. Engelmann, in the " Transactions of 

 the St. Louis Acad. of Science," this fine new Conifer is 

 found on the " higher parts of the Rocky Mountains, from 

 New Mexico to the head waters of the Columbia and 

 Missouri Rivers, and probably further ; from the sub-alpine 

 to the alpine districts, and with Pinus aristata reaching 

 the highest limits of timber, occupying in Colorado a belt 

 between the limits of 8,000 and 12,000 feet. It reaches its 

 fullest development between 9,000 and 10,000 feet, near the 

 head waters of the streams on both slopes of the Snowy 

 range, constituting magnificent forests about the head 

 of Middle Park, at Tarry-all, etc., often mixed with Abies 

 grandis" 



The same author thus speaks of its size: "In its most 

 favorable localities this species makes a stately tree 60 to 

 100 feet high, forming a narrow, sharply tapering spire of 

 a rather darkish hue ; trunk perfectly straight, columnar, 

 tapering very gradually, 1-J- to 2^ feet in diameter, branches 

 mostly small, lower ones horizontal, upper ones ascending ; 

 on higher altitudes it is a smaller, nearly round-topped 

 tree, very much branched, bearing more perfect fruit than 

 in either lower or higher elevations ; on the highest sum- 

 mits a prostrate and almost creeping sterile shrub, just as 

 Picea nigra is found on Mt. Washington, N". H." 



This species was at first taken for a form of the A. nigra, 

 by its discoverer, Dr. Parry, but upon subsequent examina- 

 tion it has proved to be a new species. We have raised 

 young plants from the seed furnished us by the discoverer, 

 and will soon be able to settle the question of its hardiness 

 with us. 



Dr. Engelmann says " the wood is soft, white, not knotty 

 or resinous, therefore much esteemed for inside and 

 cabinet work." 



11. A, firm a, Siebold < ZuccarinL Syn. Abies Momi, 

 Siebold m Verhand.; Pinus firma, Antoine <& Endlicher j 



