18 



FORESTS OF MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK. 



every year, although in some seasons it is much more abundant than 

 in others. 



The wood is strong, close grained, and elastic. It is used for 

 lumber and particularly for inside finishing. The noble fir is a 



FIG. 12. Noble fir (Alries noMlis), 6 feet in diameter. 



slow-growing and long-lived tree. Old trees in mixed forests are 

 easily distinguished from the associated species by the ashy-brown 

 outer bark broken into large irregular plates. 



