CONIFERS 



grey-brown or yellow-brown, broken into oblong plates ; BuiU globose ; Wood 

 light, soft, coarse-grained, not strong nor durable, light brown, very resinous, 

 taking good polish. 



Native of N. America, there attaining height of 250-300 ft. ; seeds sent 

 home by Douglas, 1831. 



BALSAM FIR, Abies bakamca. 



Parks. June. Does well in cool, rather moist soil. 



Flowet's monoecious ; Males dark indigo-blue, turning violet ; Females, 

 scales obovate, dark violet-purple, bracts long, reHexed, tips slender ; Fi'uit 

 a cone, oblong-cylindrical, truncate or depressed at apex, dark purple, 2-0-4 ins. 

 long, 1-1^ in. diam., scales rounded and broad at apex, 3 times length of 

 bracts, bracts obovate, red-brown, lacinate, long slender tips ; seeds \ in. long, 

 wings nearly covering scales. 



Leaves crowded, nearly erect by twist at base, on lower branches 1— If in. 

 long, sometimes emarginate at rounded apex, on upper branches shorter, 

 thickened, usually acute, pale blue-green. 



An evergreen tree, 40-70 ft., with dense spire-like head ; Branches crowded, 

 short, tough, somewhat pendulous ; Bark fissured, roughened with red scales, 

 resin known as Canada Balsam ; Buds sub-globose, scales orange-brown ; growth 

 slow ; JVood light, soft, not strong, pale brown or nearly white. 



Native of Canada and North-East U.S.A. ; introduced 1696. Known also 

 as Ealni of Gilead. 



RED FIR, Abies nobilis. 



Parks. May. 'I'he deep silvery glaucous foliage and regular branches make 

 this perhaps the most beautiful of tlie Silver Firs. 



Flowers monoecious; Males icddish-purple; Females scattered over upper part 



of tree, scales shorter than bracts, toothed, slender reHexed tips, bracts nearly 



orbicular ; Fruit a cone, oblong-cylindrical, obtuse both ends, 4-6 ins. long, 



227 u 2 



