ABIES MAGNIFICA. 519 



Sierra Nevada between 6,000 and 9,000 feet, in some places forming 

 pure forests of great extent, in others mixed with Tsuga Mertensiana 

 at its higher, and Pinus ponderosa and Abies concolor at its lower 

 limit. It also forms a large and exclusive forest on the high plateau 

 of lava formerly erupted from Mount Shasta in north California 

 whence it spreads southwards along the western slopes of the 

 Sierra Nevada to Kerr County. 



On the southern slopes of Shasta the trees become a dark, gloomy 

 assemblage of massive black trunks, covered on the north side from 

 the base to the lowest branches with a bright yellow lichen ; the lower 

 branches are draped here and there with long, sweeping festoons of black 

 filmy lichen, giving -a funereal aspect to the whole scene, scarcely 

 relieved by the twitter of the red squirrel, the long wailing note of 

 the woodpecker or the occasional cry of the bald eagle.* 

 The forest here described is composed of the variety shastensis, 

 distinguished from the typical Abies magnified chiefly by its shorter- 

 cones with exserted bracts. This variety, so far as at present known, 

 is but sparingly represented in British gardens. 



Abies magnified was introduced into Great Britain in 1851 by the 

 Scottish Oregon Association through their collector John Jeffrey, who, 

 believing it to be the A. amabilis of Douglas, sent home cones and 

 seeds under that name, and the seedlings were subsequently distributed 

 among the members of the Association as A. amabilis. In the 

 following year William Lobb collected cones of this tree for the 

 Veitchian firm at Exeter; he also, supposing it to be the A. amabilis 

 "of Douglas, affixed that name to his collection ; the seedling plants 

 riot conforming to the true amabilis of which there was at that 

 time a good specimen at Bicton with which comparison could be 

 made, and more closely resembling A. nobilis, they were distributed 

 as A. nobilis robusta, the name adopted by Carriere in the second 

 edition of his "Traite GJeneral des Coniferes," published in 1867. 



Many fine specimens of Abies magnified are dispersed over the country 

 especially in Scotland in the grounds of former members of the Oregon 

 Association. Our illustration- represents a beautiful and characteristic 

 tree at Murthly Castle in Perthshire from a photograph kindly lent 

 for the purpose by Lady Stewart of Grantully.t Abies magnified is 

 hardy in nearly all parts of Great Britain, being rarely injured by 

 spring frosts ; its rate of growth, except under very favourable conditions 

 of soil and climate, is rather slow, the leader shoot rarely adding more 

 than 912 inches to its height annually; it is one of the best of 

 the Abies for the lawn, not requiring much room, a space with a 

 radius of not more than 1012 feet being sufficient for it. 



* Lemmon, Cone-bearers of North-west America, p. 63. 



t Among other tine specimens worthy of note are those at the following places. In 

 England Orton Hall, Revesby Abbey, Cheswardine, Hewell Grange, Bayfordbury, Digswell 

 Rectory Waraham Court; in Scotland -Glamis Castle, Durris, Ochtertyre, Rossie Priory, 

 The Cairnies, Haddo House, Castle Kennedy, and many others ; in Ireland Shane s Castle, 

 Powerscourt. Abbey Leix, Castlevvellan, etc. 



