THE CONIFEROUS FORESTS 



tingnished for an element of softness. 

 This is seen in the delicate texture and 

 pure color of their foliage, the effect of 

 which is heightened by being massed 

 in the dense forest. We have already 

 noticed the mild olive shade of the 

 eastern white pine. "When the wind 

 blows through it, it seems as if the 

 foliage were melting away. It would 

 be difficult, also, to match the green 

 color of the red fir, especially as it 

 looks in winter ; or the luxuriant bluish- 

 gray of the western blue spruce. 



A further softening in the general 

 effect of evergreen forests is produced 

 by the manner in which the trees in- 

 termingle in the dense mass, merging 

 their sharp, individual outlines in the 

 rounded contours and upper surfaces of 

 the combined view. Near at hand, of 

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