118 Canadian Forestry Journal. 



manner which it is unnecessary to describe particularly, is used 

 as an article of food by the natives further south. 



Arbutus or Madrona — Arbutus Menziesii. — This is quite a 

 common tree on Vancouver and Gulf islands, and on some parts 

 of the coast line on the mainland. It is a striking looking tree 

 with its red bark and evergreen leaves, most ornamental for large 

 grounds. As a rule it does not attain a great size, especially 

 when growing on exposed rocks, and headlands, but trees a foot 

 in diameter are common, although as a rule twisted and crooked. 

 When growing in forests, however, it grows fairly straight, and 

 sometimes attains a large size. On the Alberni road, in the 

 vicinity of Nanoose Bay, many fine specimens are to be seen. 

 When travelling in company with Dr. Fletcher and the Rev. Mr. 

 Taylor, some time ago, I took the measurement of one tree which 

 was ten feet five inches in circumference. I am not aware that 

 the wood of this tree has been put to any particular use, it is hard, 

 fine and close grained, takes a good polish, but is apt to warp 

 and check if cut before being well seasoned. By the natives it 

 was used for gambhng sticks and rollers, the latter being in the 

 form of discs some two inches in diameter, which are divided into 

 two parts and concealed in a kind of oakum made of cedar bark. 

 I cannot describe the game, but the discs are rolled over a mat, 

 one of the discs being, I believe, the king. The laurel-shaped 

 leaves of this tree are a beautiful bright green, remaining on 

 the tree for two years, so that there is a constant succession of 

 evergreen leaves. The flowers are borne in dense compound 

 racemes, whitish yellow, with a strong odor of honey, which they 

 evidently produce in large quantities, as bees frequent the trees 

 in great numbers. The fruit, a beautiful red, somewhat rough- 

 ened on the surface, resembHng small strawberries, is greatly 

 relished by grouse and other birds in the autumn. 



Dogwood — Cornus Nuttallii. — A highly ornamental tree 

 with immense white flowers is fairly abundant throughout the 

 islands and the coast of the mainland. It often attains a size of 

 twelve inches in diameter, and a height of thirty feet or there- 

 abouts, and has a fine-grained, hard and pinkish wood, which 

 takes a good polish, not used to my knowledge, except in isolated 

 cases, for ornamental work. The fruit is borne in dense spherical 

 heads of 30 or 40 drupes, which turn red as they ripen and form an 

 article of food for birds of various kinds, including grouse. 

 The leaves are of dull green, turning to a dull red when touched 

 with frost. The bark is smooth and somewhat white — a tree 

 well worth cultivating, but rather difficult to transplant. 



Buckthorn — Rhamnus Ptirshiana. — Sometimes called Bear- 

 berry, and from that often wrongly called Barberry. Is not an 

 uncommon tree on the islands of Vancouver and the Gulf, and on 



