THE GIRTH-INCREASE OF TREES. 177 
ABIES LOWIANA. 
Of two specimens observed in the first decade one perished 
almost immediately. - The other, No. 31, girthed 15 inches in 
1876, and its annual average was I‘11 for 12 years, with a maxi- 
mum of 1°40, but it then rapidly degenerated and was cut down 
in 1888, girthing 27 inches. i 
No.| Girth. | 1887. | 1888. | 1889. | 1890. | 1891. | 1892. | 1893. | 1894. | 1895. | 1896. [Total.! Av. | Girth 
8} 4°65 11-95 | 1°50 | 1-85 | 1-90 | 1°65 | 1°70 | 1°85 | 1°50 | 1°05 | 1:20 [16-15 | 1°61 | 20°85 
92} 3-95 | 1-95 | 1-65 | -30 | 1:00 | 1-00 | 1-80 | 2°60 | 1-75 | 2°30 | 2°80 J17°15| 1°71 | 21-15 
The two younger trees, Nos. 8, 92, show a better rate, up to a 
girth, however, not much above that of No. 31 when it began to 
fail. Their conduct, too, has been erratic. No. 92 had the high 
average rate of 2°22 for the five years 1892-96, but next year 
it dropped to ‘95, and the tree looked so ill that it was cut down. 
In No.8 the rate fell off from a ten years’ average of 1°61 to 1°12 
in 1896 and 1897. It was then transplanted. The range in 
No. 8 was 1°05 to 1’95, but in No. 92 was no less than °30 to 2°80. 
The remarkable minimum of °30 happened in 1889 from some 
unknown cause which did not affect No. 8. 
ABIES GRANDIS. 
Pete ie ie ll 
Ann. |Final 
1894. | 1895. | 1896. | 1897. |Total.| “ay” |Girth.| 
No.| Girth. | 1887. | 1888. | 1889, | 1890. | 1891. | 1 1893. 
—$—<— 
2°50 Ee 1°85 | 1-95 | 1°65 |19°20| 1°74 | 22°20 
Pt 
91 | 3:00 } 1°25 | 1°15 | 1°65 | 1°25 | 1°60 | 2°10 
In No. gt the rate rose prettily steadily from infancy toa 
maximum of 2°50 in 1893, and although it declined to 1°65 in 
1897 the tree is still one of the most thickly-clothed pines in the 
Garden. The increments were at first taken 2 feet above ground, 
and the points were raised to four and then to six feet, as the tree 
grew. The measurements in the Table are at 2 feet; but as it 
is a matter of some interest, I subjoin a Table of the rates at all 
three points for the four years 1893-96, showing that there was 
no great difference at the three points. The tree was well 
