(146) 
in diameter, but in the Rocky Mountains it is seldom one- 
half this size, and trees taken from the far northwest do not 
thrive well on the Atlantic coast, owing to the much greater 
rainfall which they naturally receive there; the cones of the 
Douglas spruce are from 2 to 4 inches long, pendant on the 
branches, their scales rounded and shorter than the bracts 
which project beyond them. 
The Hemlock Spruces (7suga) are planted between the 
approach to the elevated railway station and the power 
house, and are represented by the Canadian hemlock spruce 
(Tsuga canadensis), the same species which forms the inter- 
esting forest on the hills bordering the Bronx River within the 
Garden, and indicated on the general plan as the hemlock 
grove. This tree occasionally becomes about go feet high, 
with a trunk up to 12 feet in diameter, and is distributed 
throughout northeastern North America, extending south- 
ward along the mountains to Alabama, northward to Nova 
Scotia and westward to Minnesota. Its bark is the most 
important tanning substance in the United States and a great 
many trees are annually felled to obtain it; its wood furnishes 
a cheap lumber of little strength and durability. The Caro- 
lina hemlock (Zsuga carolinzana), from the mountains of 
southern Virginia to Georgia, may also be seen here, as well 
as the Japanese hemlock spruce, to which the name 7suga 
was first applied. 
In the area to the westward of the conservatories, and 
bounded by the surrounding paths, are the firs (Adzes). 
These can at once be distinguished from the spruces (P%cea) 
by the erect, instead of pendulous, cones, and by the smooth 
branchlets. The wood of the firs is usually soft and not 
durable, so it makes poor lumber. Specimens of the balsam 
fir will be found here; this is widely distributed over north- 
ern North America, and from it is obtained canada balsam 
or balm of fir, used in the arts and in medicine. The Japan- 
ese silver fir is an attractive plant, with its dark green stiff 
foliage. Veitch’s silver fir, from Japan, and said also to 
occur on the neighboring coast of Manchuria, is one of the 
