44 The greater evergreen trees 



thriving in ordinary soils, and a free and rapid grower, 

 even without the special attention in the way of soils 

 such conifers often receive. Avoid cutting or sucker 

 plants. It attains in its own country a maximum height 

 of 150 feet, and its wood is fine-grained and good. N.W. 

 America, finest on the Columbia river. Syn. T. Lohbii. 



The Piiget Sound Fir [Abies grmtdis). A stately tree of 

 over 200 feet high, with dark-green cones 2 to 3 inches 

 long, and dark shining leaves, white below. Hardy and 

 free in various parts of Britain ; best in moist soils, and 

 promises to be a valuable tree for our islands. N.W. 

 America. 



The Columbia Fir {Abies nobilis). A mountain tree 

 200 to 300 feet high, with silvery foliage, tipped with 

 bright green as the young growths start in spring, and 

 set with handsome brown cones 5 to 7 inches long. It 

 is hardy in this country save in cold low lands towards 

 the north, and when sheltered and well suited as to soil 

 it thrives remarkably. Shelter is of importance, for the 

 tops of vigorous young trees are not infrequently blown 

 away in a gale, if too much exposed. They seed freely 

 in this country, and soon make timber. The finest trees 

 in this country are upwards of 80 feet high, with a girth 

 measure of 8 feet. Oregon. 



The Crimean Fir [Abies Nordmanniana). A beautiful 

 tree of 100 to 150 feet, with rigid branches, dense dark- 

 green foliage, and large cones. It is hardy and of rapid 

 growth when well placed, the new shoots making and 

 ripening their growth within a few weeks. It will grow 

 in almost any soil, and even in dry sandy places where 

 many Firs refuse to thrive ; but in such soil it is par- 

 ticularly liable to a blight like the woolly aphis which 

 finally destroys the trees. This pest follows the tree 



