FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 125 



Reproduction. — A moderately prolific seeder, but apparently cones are produced only 

 at rather- long intervals (3 to 5 or more years) ; as yet, however, little exact knowledge 

 is available of its seeding habit and reproduction. Seed of comparatively low germi- 

 nation and of transient vitality. Exposed, moist, mineral soil appears to be most 

 favorable seed bed, since most of young growth and seedlings occur on such ground. 

 Reproduction exceedingly meager, probably, in part at least, on account of long intervals 

 of seed production and low germination, the destruction of seed by rodents, and the 

 falling of most of the seed in narrow canyon bottoms from which it is probably washed 

 by flood waters. 



Amabilis Fir. 



Abies amabilis < Loud.) Forbes. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



Amabilis fir is known by woodsmen as " white " fir or " silver " fir, from the 

 white, smooth bark. Woodsmen distinguished it from the grand tir (Abies 

 grandis), also called white fir, as "another variety." To avoid the confusion 

 resulting from applying the same name to two or more distinct species, it is 

 desirable to take the nam* 1 of "amabilis fir." meaning lovely or beautiful fir. 

 The name is deserved, since the tree is one of the handsomest of its kind. A 

 most striking characteristic is its smooth, ashy-gray, unbroken bark, conspicu- 

 ously marked with large chalky-white areas. Only the old large trees (over 2 

 or 3 feet in diameter.) are seamed at all, and then mainly at the base of the 

 trunk. It is a straight tree, clear of branches for from 50 to 100 feet in close, 

 dense stands. Its height in favorable situations is from 150 to 180 feet, some- 

 times 200 feet, and its diameter from 3 to 5 feet, or rarely (5 feet. In less 

 favorable sites the height is from 75 to 100 feet and from 18 to 30 inches in 

 diameter. Trees in the open, even when old, carry a wide, conical crown of 

 dense, heavily foliaged branches down to the ground, the top of the cone being 

 abruptly rounded. Forest-grown trees have a shorter crown of similar form. 

 All of the branches, except the uppermost, droop strongly, those at the bottom 

 of the crown most, and with a long curve downward and out from the trunk. 

 The dense, deep, lustrous-green foliage is a marked feature. The leaves of 

 lower crown branches (fig. 48) are fiat and sharply grooved on the upper side, 

 white-lined below, and usually with a notch at the end, but sometimes bluntly 

 pointed. They are about 1? inches long, and, by a twist in the bases of those on 

 tlie lower sides of the branches, they appear massed on the top sides. Branches 

 of the uppermost part of the crown have shorter and stouter leaves, about three- 

 fourths of an inch long, which are sharp-pointed and stand erect in dense 

 masses on the tops of the sprays (fig. 40). The scattered leaves of the leader 

 an- very keenly pointed. The spherical resin-covered buds of this fir are char- 

 acteristic, while twigs of the season are minutely hairy and pale yellowish 

 brown. The dark purple cones (fig. 49), ripe in September, are about 4 to 5£ 

 inches in length by 2| to 2i inches in thickness. The bracts adhering to the 

 backs of cone scales are rounded at their free ends, gradually narrowing into a 

 long, thin point. The seeds (fig. 4!>, r;), which fall from the trees in October, 

 are dull yellowish brown, with shiny light brownish wings. Seed leaves bluntly 

 pointed and three-fourths to seven-eighths of an inch long. Wood soft, light but 

 considerably heavier than that of the white or grand firs. It is fine-grained and 

 light yellowish brown. Rarely cut for lumber, but one of the best of the 

 soft firs. 



Longevity. — Age limits undetermined. It appears to grow slowly through- 

 out life and to be only moderately long-lived. Trees from 10 to 24 inches in 

 diameter are from 175 to 230 years old. 



15188—08 9 



