THE nEi\n.OCKS 259 



red, and liandsomely wavy when quarter-sawed; dis- 

 tractingly so in the "slash grain," oftenest seen in the 

 interior finish of the t\'pical California bungalow. 



The living tree is a superb, broad-based pyramid, bear- 

 ing a load of crowded drooping branches, where it has a 

 chance to assume its normal habit. A delicate lace-like 

 drooping spray of yellowish or bluish green leaves, flat, 

 spreading at right angles from tlie twig, gives the Douglas 

 spruce its hale, abundant vigor. The dark red staminate 

 flowers glow in late winter against the yellow foliage mass 

 of the new leaves; but even the flowers are not so showy as 

 the drooping cones, two to four inches long, their plain 

 scales adorned with bracts, notched and bearing a whip 

 that extends half an inch beyond the scales. Blue-green, 

 shading to purple, with red-lipped scales and bright green 

 bracts, these cones are truly the handsomest ornaments 

 worn by any tree. 



Finally, this paragon of conifers surprises Eastern 

 nui'serymen by outstripping other seedlings in vigor and 

 quickness of growth. Rocky Mountain seed does best. 

 The Oregon trees furnish seed to European nurseries and 

 seedlings from Europe grow quickly into superb orna- 

 mental trees. 



TIIE HEIVILOCKS 



Unlike any other conifer, the hemlock mounts its ever- 

 green leaves on short petioles, jointed to projecting, homy 

 brackets on the tv/Ig. At any season this character de- 

 termines the family name of a group of exceptionally 

 graceful pyramidal conifers. The Eastern hemlocks have 

 their leaves arranged in a flat spray, silvery white und«:- 



