Abies. ] 



CONIFERS. 



407 



1. A, Smithiana, Forbes; Branch's 525; Gamble 82. A. Khutrow, 

 Loudon. The Himalayan Spruce. Vern. Wesha, bajur, Afg.; Kachal, 

 kachan, Hazara, Kashmir ; Rewari, ban ludar, sangal, salla, sarei, Midi, 

 roi, raff, rdo, bang re, krok, Pb. Himalaya; Tos, Ravi ; Ran, raiang, re, 

 Sutlej ; Rai, Jaunsar; Kandre, re, rhdi, rdo, khutrau, ridlla, rdgha, 

 morinda, kail, kilu, Garhwal, Kumaun ; Sehshing, Bhutia. 



A lofty tree, with rough greyish-brown bark, cut into small quadran- 

 gular plates by shallow furrows. Wood white, with a reddish or brown 

 tinge, a little harder than that of A. Webbiana. The inner belt of annual 

 rings soft and spongy. Vertical resinous-ducts scanty, visible on a 

 vertical section. Medullary rays fine and extremely fine, very numer- 

 ous, prominent on a radial section. 



North-West Himalaya between 7,000 and 11,000 feet, Sikkim and Bhutan in the 

 inner valleys between 7,800 and 10,000 feet, mountains of Afghanistan, Kafiristau 

 and Gilgit. 



Regarding the rate of growth of Spruce, very little information has yet been 

 collected. In Mr. Ribbentrop's " Working Plan of the Kalatop Forest, 1873," ^" 

 measurement of 10 trees are given thus : 



the 



No. Locality. 



1. Bindraban 



2. 



3. Kalatop . 



4. 



6. Jagrota 



6. Near house 



7. 



8. Dainkiind . 

 9. 



10. 



Girth at base. 



68 inches 



69 

 65 

 64 

 89 



69 

 90 

 102 

 87 

 90 



Height. 



108 feet 

 104 



90 



98 



82 

 114 



142 

 125 

 125 



Age. 



125 

 112 



70 



74 



80 



70 



237 



310 



202 



183 



No. of rings 

 per inch. 



11-6 

 10-2 



67 



72 



5'6 



6'3 

 16-5 

 10-1 

 14-6 

 12-8 



giving an average growth of 11 rings per inch of radius, and 125 years of age to a 

 girth of 6 feet. In Appendix II to the " Preliminary 'Report on the Deoban Working 

 Circle, 1875 " the measurements of 67 trees, 17 in the Kanjatra and 50 in the Thona 

 Block, gave an average radius of 9'9 inches and average age of jlOo'6 years ; this would 

 shew a mean rate of growth of 10'67 rings per inch of radius. Up to 6 inches, which 

 is as far as the averages can be taken for all the trees counted, we have as follows : 



Radius. 



Average number of rings 

 or, per inch . 



02 inches. 



, 16-3 



, 8-15 



24 inches. 



19-4 

 97 



46 inches. 



22-5 

 11-25 



shewing that the growth in Deoban Forest seems to get slower as the tree gets older. 



The figures further shew that the following are the average ages for different 



girths : 



Girth. Eadius. Age. 



18 inches 2'9 inches 20 



36 57 39 



54 8'6 63 



72 11-2 91 



Our small specimens shew an average rate of growth of 12 rings per inch of radius. 



The weight given by our specimens varies from 26 to 32, giving an average of 

 301bs. per cubic foot, which is slightly heavier than the wood of A. Webbiana. The 

 wood is extensively used locally, e. g., in Simla, for packing-cases, rough furniture and 

 planking, and sometimes for shingles. It crackles and sends out sparks in burning, 

 besides burning away very quickly, but it is much used for charcoal. The bark is 

 used for roofing shepherd's huts, and to make water-troughs ; and the leaves and twigs 

 are used for litter and manure. 



It comes up well naturally in tolerably moist localities, where it has not too much 



