ENG-FIR. 203 



Fig, Large leaved or Moreton Bay (F. macwphylla Desf.). 

 North-eastern Australia. Height 50100 ft., diam. 36 ft. 

 W 34. Pale-brown, with a beautiful wavy figure on a darker 

 brown, but difficult to season, soft and not durable, so only 

 occasionally used for packing-cases. 



Fig, Prickly. See Ash, Blueberry. 



Fir, a name very loosely used both in commerce and in botany, 

 mostly for coniferous trees. 1 Thus Dantzic, Eliasberg, Memel, 

 Norway, Red, Kiga, Saldowitz, Scots, Stettin, Swedish and 

 Yellow Fir are all Pinus sylvtstris [See Pine, Northern], 

 named mainly from the port of shipment, Douglas or Oregon Fir 

 is Pseudotsuga Daugldsii [See Pine, Oregon], and White Fir is 

 Picea excelsa [See Spruce, Norway]. The name is preferably 

 restricted to the genus Abies, conifers distinguished by their flat 

 leaves with two lateral resin-canals, and by their erect cones which 

 fall to pieces when the seed is ripe. Their wood is generally 

 without resin-ducts, coarse-grained, soft and perishable. 



Fir, Balsam or American Silver (Abies balsdmea Miller). 

 Wet ground in Eastern North America. Known also as " Balm- 

 of-Gilead Fir." French " Sapin baumier." Germ. " Balsam- 

 Tanne." Height 3060 or 80 ft. ; diam. 2 ft. S.G. 382. W 

 23-8. R 515 kilos. Yellowish, very light, soft, coarse-grained, 

 not strong or durable. Sometimes used for staves for fish- 

 barrels. The most valuable product of this species is Canada 

 balsam, a resin collected in Quebec. The names " Balsam Fir " 

 and " Black Balsam " are sometimes applied to A. cdncolor [See 

 Fir, White]. 



Fir, Red (A. ndbilis Lindl.). Western United States. " Larch- 

 fir." "Noble Fir." Germ. " Edel Weisstanne. Height 100 

 200 ft. or more ; diam. 4 5 ft. or 9 ft. Light-brown, streaked 

 with red, light, hard, strong, durable when seasoned. Used for 

 internal work. The name is also applied to A. magnified Murray, 

 Germ. " Prachtige Weisstanne," a loftier species of the same 

 region, with inferior timber, used for rough work or fuel. 



1 Among Anglo-Indians species of Casuarina are known as "Fir." [See 

 Oak, Swamp]. 



