THE PINE SUB-FAMILY. 195 



River. The timber is firmer, finer, and straigliter-grained 

 than the Canadian Hemlock Spruce, which it represents 

 on the Pacific Coast. The fruit is remarkably abundant ; 

 a specimen 8 inches long had 60 cones. 



. MCEA. FIR. 



The Firs are found in Europe, Asia, and North Ameri- 

 ca, extending from the torrid to the frigid zone, but 

 greatly preponderating in the latter. Some of the finest 

 specimens are found on our north-west coast, and are rep- 

 resented by travellers as being of enormous proportions. 

 A. bracteata, A. nobilis, A. amdbilis, and A. grandis, are 

 all magnificent trees, averaging from 150 to 200 feet in 

 height. Mexico is well represented by A. religiosa, an 

 elegant Conifer growing 150 feet high ; and Europe, al- 

 though possessing no such gigantic species, furnishes A. 

 Nordmanniana, A. pectinate^ and A. Pindrow, which are 

 often found 100 feet high or over. 



The Firs are remarkable for a perfect and formal, coni- 

 cal growth, furnished with branches to the ground, and 

 terminating at the apex in a straight, strong, leading 

 shoot ; thus whilst they present a form perfect in its out- 

 line, rich in color, and vigorous in growth, it must be con- 

 fessed is by no means so graceful as the Spruce, or so 

 charming as the Pine. On hills, rocky prominences, or 

 rugged valleys, where a picturesque effect is to be intro- 

 duced, they are of the greatest importance; but on 

 smooth, plain lawns, or tame, highly cultivated landscapes, 

 they should be very sparingly and judiciously introduced. 



The timber of most of the species is of but secondary 

 importance, but the resinous products of the greater por- 

 tion are very abundant and valuable. In the classifica- 



