NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF THE UNITED STATES 35 



ever, very clearly recognized that there may be other records extant, 

 and corrections and additional material are earnestly solicited by the 

 author. 



Under Observations are placed all records obtained from the litera- 

 ture. These cannot be considered as reliable as stomach records ; but 

 as indicated in the section Planting for Wildlife (p. 6), considerable 

 care has been exercised to see that those stated actually do apply to 

 the species under which they are placed. The animals listed under 

 Stomach records and Observations should not be added to give the 

 total number of animals feeding upon the plant since they are two 

 separate and distinct items, and since the same species of animal may 

 often have been observed to eat a part of the plant as well as to have 

 had a portion of the plant found in its stomach or crop. 



LIST OF WOODY PLANTS 



Abies spp. Firs. 



About 23 species of firs are known, of which 10 occur in the United States. 

 All are evergreen forest trees producing soft perishable wood of great importance 

 commercially, and balsamic exudations; the seeds at each end of the cone 

 are usually not fertile ; cones break up at maturity ; seed germination is usually 

 under 50 percent and viability endures no longer than one season ; propagation 

 is entirely by seed sown in spring after stratifying at 32^41 F. 



Stomach records (in addition to specific records) : 10 species of birds includ- 

 ing dusky and ruffed grouse ; elk, Coeur d'Alene chipmunk, black-tailed deer. 

 Observations (in addition to the specific records) : Four species of birds includ- 

 ing spruce and dusky grouse ; Fremont pine squirrel, Arizona porcupine. 



Abies amabilis (Dougl.) Forbes Silver fir. 



Picea amabilis Dougl. 



Range: 1, 4. 



Site: Well-drained, sun. 



Fruit : Cone ; ripe in September, breaks up in October. 



A very large, long-lived evergeen tree; slow growing; susceptible to fire 

 damage because of its thin bark ; somewhat attacked by rot ; wood of impor- 

 tance commercially, especially as pulp ; grows poorly in cultivation ; seeds borne 

 heavily every 2 or 3 years, vitality transient, germination low; 11,000 seeds 

 per pound. 



Abies arizonica Merr. Corkbark fir. 



A. lasiocarpa arizonica Lemm. 

 Range: 13, 14. 

 Site : Dry, well-drained, sun. 

 Fruit: Cone, ripe in September. 



A large evergreen tree ; wood of no importance commercially ; good seed 

 years every third year; germination rate low, 25,000-45,000 seeds per pound. 

 Observations: Porcupine, squirrels, and other rodents. 



Abies aromatica, see Abies grandis. 



Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. Balsam fir. 



Range: 23, 24, 26, 27. 

 Site: Well-drained; moist, sun. 

 Fruit: Cone; ripe in September, breaks up soon afterwards. 



A large, fairly rapid-growing evergreen tree with a very shallow root system ; 

 intolerant of shade except for the first 6 to 8 years ; age limit about 150 years ; 

 easily wind-thrown and damaged by fire and rot ; short-lived and generally not 

 satisfactory in cultivation ; some 10 varieties distinguished in cultivation, one 

 bearing larger cones; wood important for pulp, rarely lumber; seed borne 

 abundantly at intervals of 2 to 4 years, shaded trees generally not bearing; 

 55,000 seeds per pound, germination 25 percent. 



Stomach records: Five species of birds, including spruce and ruffed grouse. 

 Observations: Six species of birds including ruffed, spruce and prairie sharp- 

 tailed grouse; porcupine, snowshoe hare; highly important winter food of 

 moose, white-tailed deer ; rarely cut for building material, not food, by beaver. 



