combined stands of all the hardwoods. In the lumber cut of 1910 it 

 ranked second only to the yellow pines, with a cut of 5.2 billion feet, or 

 13.0% of the total. Average mill price $13.09. It also furnished over 

 11 J million cross ties or over 7% of the total. The tree is remarkably 

 free from disease. 



ABIES, The Firs. 



Growth. Only moderately long lived, up to 350 years. A. 

 nobilis and A. magnifica are longer lived. 



Crown. Very conical; dense and heavily foliaged. 



Tolerance. Very tolerant. (A. nobilis and A. magnifica are only 

 intermediate). 



Reproduction. Germination percent low, 50% or under, and 

 vitality transient. 



Range. Cold and temperate regions; sea-level to mountain timber 

 line; in North America chiefly in Pacific forests. 



Association. Occurs generally in groups or singly in mixture. 



General. There are 25 species of which 9 are in the United States, 

 and 4 in Canada. In Canada in 1912, it was eighth in rank with 1.8% 

 (at $13.62) of the total lumber cut ; and second only to spruce with 17 . 5% 

 (at $6.40 per cord) of the total pulpwood cut; spruce and fir together 

 furnished over 99% of the total. In the United States, the western firs 

 are estimated at 50 billion feet or 2% of the total stumpage. 



ABIES AMABILIS, (Loud.) Forb. 

 Amabilis Fir. Red Fir. Lovely Fir. 



Size. Average 75 to 100 ft. by 18 to 30 in. Maximum 200 ft. by 

 5 to 6 ft. 



Growth. Fairly rap'd, and is long sustained; most rapid in the 

 first 150 years; trees 16 to 24 inches in diameter are 175 to 230 years old. 

 More rapid than lowland fir, red cedar, hemlock or Engelmann spruce; 

 slower than Douglas fir, Sitka spruce or western white pine. Life up to 

 400 years. 



Root System. Shallow and restricted. 



Bole. Straight and cylindrical on good sites. 



Crown. A long, spire-like pyramid, later becoming widely conical. 



Tolerance. Tolerant, more so than Douglas fir; less so than cedar 

 and hemlock. Ranks with lowland fir and Engelmann spruce. 



Wood. Fine textured, soft, light, not durable; 24 pounds. 



Reproduction. A prolific seeder with heavy seed years every 2 to 

 3 years. Cones ripen in September of the same season and the seeds fall 



25 



