54 



FORESTRY INVESTIGATIONS U. S. DEPARTMENT OK AGRICULTURE. 



tAst of one hundred */;<* / tree* <>/ the Untied States most raluublefor timber, irilli mite* un their range of distribution, 

 cultural )(</(/( limits, and the character and uses of their wood Continued. 



Name of species and limit of size. 



K.^ions of abundant growth. 



Soil and climate, and characteristics of growth. 



16. BLACK SPRUCE'. 



Mainly northeastern ; forming Light, dry, Btony BoUs ; much smaller in cold, wet swamps, 

 forests. 



(Picea mariana (Mill.) B. S. P.) . . 



Height, 80 feet; diameter, 

 1J IVot +, 



17. WHITE SPRUCE 



( Picea. canadenn (Mill.) B. S. P.) 

 Height, 100 feet; diameter, 



]J feet +. 



18. ENGELMANN SPRUCE 



(WHITE SPRUCE.) 



(Picea engelmanni Engcliu.) 



Height, 100 ft-ct + ; diameter, 

 3 feet +. 



19. SITKA SPRUCE 



(TIDE-LAND SPRUCE.) 



(Picea sitchensis Carriere.) 



Height, 150 feet + ; diameter, 

 6 teet +. 



Best development north of lati- 

 tude, 50. 



Mainly northeastern ami extrud- 

 ing into Rocky Mountains, 

 forming forests. 



Western mountain regions and 

 northward; high elevation. 



Best developmen tin central Rocky 

 Mountain region, between 9,000 

 and 10,000 feet. 



Alaska and Northwestern coast; 

 low elevations. 



K;ipid grower. 



Like Blaek Spruce,, lint probably better adapted to western 

 planting, beini; hardier. 



Dry, gravelly slopes, 5,000 to ll.soo feet. 



A tree for reforestation of mountain slopes jilongwatr courses. 



Moist soil and climate, at least a moist subsoil, shady situ- 

 ations. Rapid fjro'i'ri: 



Probably hardy in Northeastern and Middle States, in sliadeil 

 positions. 



1 Includes also the Red Spruce (Picea rubra'i, this being the principal timber spruce of the region. 



III. KIRS. Important to forestry mainly on account of their great endurance of shade. Of northern and moun- 

 tain distribution ; still more dependent on moisture of climate and cool or at least evenly tempered situations than 

 the spruces, and in their youth mostly less hardy; usually grow slowly, but persistently. Some exotics seem to be 

 of more value than the native species ( Abies nordmanniana) . 



Characteristics. Leaves single, flat, rather blunt, arranged somewhat comb-like on the twigs. Cones cylindrical, 

 standing erect on the branches; scales tbiii, and falling away when mature; seeds triangular, partly inclosed by a 

 more or less persistent wing; mature first year, but do not preserve their power of germination well. Frequent and 

 abundant seeders. Crown conical. About eighteen species, of which eight are indigenous. 



The name is frequently applied to wood and to trees which are not fir; most commonly to spruce, bnt also, 

 especially in English markets, to pine. The wood resembles spruce in color, quality, and uses, but is easily distin- 

 guished from it, as well as from pine and larch, by the absence of resin ducts. 



Name of species and limit of size. 



Regions of abundant growth. 



Soil and climate, and characteristics of growth. 



20. WHITE FIR 



(BALSAM FIK. BLACK BALSAM.) 



(Abies concolor (Gord.) Parry.) 



Height. 100 feet + ; diameter, 



4 feet +. 



21. BALSAM FIK , 



(BALM OF GlLEAI) FlR.) 



(Abies balsamea Miller.) 



Height, 70 feet + ; diameter, 

 ljfeet+. 



22. GREAT SILVER FIR 



(WHITE FlK.) 



(Abies grandis Lindl.) 



Height, 200 feet; diameter, 



5 feet + . 



23. NOBLE FIR 



(Abies nobihs Lindl.) 



Height, 200 feet + ; diameter 

 5 ieot +. 



Southwestern mountains and Pa- 

 cific slope; high elevations. 



Best development in Sierras of 

 California. 



Northeastern States and north- 

 ward. 



Northwestern coast 



Best development in western 

 Washington and Oregon, along 

 river bottoms. 



Moist slopes and canyons, between 3,000 and 9,000 feet ; cool and 

 shady situations. 



('old, damp woods and swamps. 



Rapid grower. Valuable only as undergrowth or as nurse, 

 and in imperfectly drained situations. 



Bottom lands; rich, moist soil. 



Very hardy and rapid grower; affected less by late frosts and 

 occasional droughts than most firs. 



Northwestern coast; wide range; Probably hardy cast of the Rocky Mountains, with proper 

 always near mountain tops and j protection, 

 high elevations; found often in I 

 groves dispersed through exten- 

 sive forrests. 



Best development in Sierra Nevada, 

 from Columbia River to northern 

 California. 



Requiring moist atmosphere for best development. 



