128 FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 



levels on west than on east slope. Grows in well-drained, shallow, gravelly sand to 

 moist, sandy loam, or in porous rocky soils ; best on sandy loam ; good drainage necessary, 

 as is also abundant, freely flowing soil moisture. 



In pure, limited stands and small groups (Vancouver Island, Olympics, high levels 

 in Cascades), but more commonly in mixture. In British Columbia, above Douglas fir 

 with western and black hemlocks, and western white and white-bark pines ; in Wash- 

 ington and Oregon, at low altitudes with western hemlock, noble and lowland firs, west- 

 ern red cedar, and Douglas fir; moderately high up^ sparingly with lodgepole and western 

 white pines and yellow cedar; near upper limit, with black hemlock, alpine fir, Engel- 

 mann spruce, and white-bark pine. 



Climatic Conditions. — Climate equable, with abundant precipitation, moderate 

 humidity, long growing season, and small seasonal and daily variation in temperature. 

 Annual precipitation averages about 45 inches ; 2 feet of snow, which soon disappears. 

 Temperature rarely below zero or above 90° F. 



Tolerance. — Moderately tolerant of shade, in this ranking close to noble and lowland 

 firs and Engeimann spruce. Endures more shade than Douglas fir, western white pine, 

 and western larch, but less than Pacific yew, western red cedar, yellow cedar, and west- 

 ern hemlock. Long suppressed young growth under dense shade eventually dies if 

 overhead light is not admitted. 



Reproduction. — Prolific seeder. Some seed borne locally nearly every year, but heavy 

 seeding occurs at rather irregular intervals of 2 to 3 years. Seed of rather low rate 

 of germination, and vitality very transient. Considerable seed eaten by squirrels. 

 Reproduction fairly abundant. Moist duff and moss-covered humous soil with moderate 

 light favors best germination and growth of seedlings. 



Noble Fir. 

 Abies nobilis Lindley. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



The woodsman's and lumberman's name for this tree is "larch," or some- 

 times "red fir." Why either, especially "larch." should he used it is difficult 

 to understand. There is little, except possibly the thin foliage of this fir, to 

 suggest likeness to any of the true larches or tamaracks, and little also about 

 the tree to deserve the name "red fir." It is said that "larch," first applied 

 in Oregon some twenty-five years ago. was used in order to avoid the prejudice 

 against its admirable timber, which would have been aroused if the lumber had 

 been offered as "fir." Perpetuation of such a misnomer is confusing, even for 

 so good a reason. It prevents lay people from acquiring a useful and correct 

 knowledge of the natural relationships of these important forest trees. It is 

 hoped therefore that " larch " will be replaced by the name " noble fir," which 

 servos to popularize the tree's technical name. 



In the deep forests which this fir inhabits it is, when at its best, one of 

 the most magnificently tall and symmetrically formed trees of its kind. The 

 remarkably straight, evenly and only slightly tapering trunks are often clear 

 of branches for 100 feet or more. Large trees are from 140 to 200 feet in height, 

 or exceptionally somewhat taller, and from 30 to 60 inches in diameter ; trees 

 6 to 7 feet in diameter occur, but they are rare. The crown of such closely 

 grown forest trees is an open, short, narrow, round-topped cone : the short, 

 stiff-looking branches stand out straight from the stem in distant whorls or 

 groups, while the closely-leafed branchlets appear like stiff fingers against the 

 sky. The heavy lower branches sometimes droop. Young trees 10 or 12 inches 

 thick often bear their characteristically open, sharply conical crown down to 

 the ground. The short branches stand out stiffly, almost straight, from the 

 smooth grayish-brown trunks. Bark of old trees is rather thin — about 1J to If 

 inches thick — and very characteristically divided by narrow seams into flat, 

 narrow ridges. These are broken into long, irregular plates, which are soft 

 and flake off easily, revealing a clear, dark reddish-brown beneath the ashy- 



