Soil. A tree of moist situations and will thrive on poor soils if there 

 is sufficient moisture. Generally inhabits rather deep soils. 



Association. Rarely in pure stands. Associates commonly with 

 Douglas fir and is dominant over red cedar, western hemlock, etc. 



General. Of ? econdary importance as it is cut only incidentally. 

 Most of its associates are more valuable and are to be favored. 



ABIES BALSAMEA, (L.) Mill. 

 Balsam Fir. Balsam. 



Size. Averages 25 to 60 ft. by 12 to 18 in. Maximum, 70 ft. by 

 2 ft. 



Growth. Rapid but briefly sustained. 28 trees in the Riding 

 Mountains grew to 5 inches in 51 years, and 10 inches in 86 years; 39 

 swamp trees near Halifax, N.S., grew 5 inches in 64 years, and 10 inches 

 in 95 years. 



Root System. Shallow. 



Bole. Considerable taper. 



Crown. Conical. 



Tolerance. Very tolerant, more so than most of its associates. 



Wood. Soft, weak, perishable; 24 pounds. 



Reproduction. Very prolific with frequent heavy seed years. 

 Flowers in May and June ; cones ripen in September and shed seed rapidly. 

 Seeds are winged; germination percent high; vitality not persistent. 

 Germinates on humus or mineral soil. Seedlings stand much shade. 



Range. Labrador to Great Bear Lake region, south to Pennsyl- 

 vania (and along the mountains to Virginia), Michigan and Minnesota. 



Soil. Inhabits wide range; is very adaptable; xerophytic. 



Association. Rarely in pure stands (Cape Breton Plateau); 

 generally in mixture with spruces, hemlocks and hardwoods. Common 

 with poplar after burns. 



General. Commercial importance is small except from the stand- 

 point of its prevalence. It supplies practically all of the total fir lumber 

 and pulpwood in Canada. It is very liable to disease and early rot. 



ABIES LASIOCARPA, (Hook.) Nutt. 

 Alpine Fir. Mountain Fir. Balsam. 



Size. 50 to 90 ft. by 10 to 24 in. 



Growth. Slow growth and is short lived; averages 14 inches in 

 140 years. Life 200 to 250 years. 



Root System. Very shallow and superficial; often killed by ground 

 fires. 



Bole. Rapid taper. 



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