BALSAM FIR 



(Abies Balsamea) 



BALSAM fir is the usual name applied to this tree in New England, 

 New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and 

 Ontario. The shorter name balsam suffices in some parts of that region, 

 and particularly in New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Because 

 it is common north of the international boundary, the name Canada 

 balsam has been given it in some regions. In Delaware it is known as 

 balm of Gilead, but that name belongs to a tree of the cottonwood group, 

 (Populus balsamifera) which is a broadleaf species. In New York and 

 Pennsylvania a word of distinction is added, and it is called balm of 

 Gilead .fir. Toward the southern limit of its range it is spoken of as fir 

 pine and blister pine. New York Indians knew the tree as blisters. 

 They referred to the pockets under the bark of young trees and near the 

 tops of mature trunks, in which resin collected. The name balsam 

 refers to that characteristic also, as does the word balm. In some parts 

 of Canada the tree is known as silver pine, and as silver spruce. The 

 secretion of resin in bark blisters is a characteristic of several firs. 



The list of names and the locality of their use indicate fairly well 

 the geographical range of balsam fir. Its northern limit forms a line 

 across eastern Canada from Labrador to Hudson bay. From Hudson 

 bay its northern boundary trends northwestward and reaches the 

 vicinity of Great Bear lake. In the United States it grows westward 

 to Minnesota and southward to Pennsylvania. It is cut for lumber 

 in eleven states. 



In a range so large and including situations so various, it is natural 

 that the tree should vary greatly in size. In the Lake States the common 

 height is fifty or sixty feet, and the diameter is twelve or fifteen inches. 

 Young balsam firs grow vigorously when the ground is suitable and 

 their tops receive sufficient light. In lumbered regions in the Lake 

 States, this fir gets a foothold in the shade of a dense growth of paper 

 birch and other quickly-growing species ; and in a few years the pointed, 

 intensely green spires of the balsams may be seen piercing the canopy of 

 other young tree tops, and shooting above into the light. This is 

 accomplished after a struggle of some years in the shade; but the firs 

 ultimately win their way upward, and in a few years they shade to death 

 most of their broadleaf associates. If they are in competition with 

 northern white cedar or tamarack, they are not always successful in 

 winning first place. 



The leaves of balsam fir are from one-half to one and one-fourth 



145 



