G. 96) CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION 183 
obtuse to notched at the tip, smooth, thick, dark green above, 
with two white lines below. Cones scarcely 1 in. long, elliptical, 
solitary, terminal, obtuse, quite persistent; scales pale brown. A 
beautiful small tree, 20 to 30 ft. high, with an erect trunk, dark- 
brown bark, and numerous, pale, slender branchlets. Introduced 
from Japan, and probably hardy throughout. 
Genus 96. ABIES. (THE Firs.) 
Leaves evergreen, flat, scattered, generally whitened 
beneath, appearing somewhat 2-ranked by the directions 
they take. . Fertile catkins and cones erect on the upper 
side of the spreading branches. Cones ripening the first 
year; their scales thin and smooth, and the bracts gener- 
ally exserted; scales and bracts breaking off at maturity 
and falling away, leaving the axis on the tree. <A great 
number of species and varieties have been planted in this 
country, but few if any besides those here given do at all 
well in our dry and hot climate. 
* Cones 6 to 8in. long; leaves blunt at tip. (A.) 
A. Leaves over an inch long..........:+eeeeeee ceaitieses .-10, 11." 
A. Leaves an inch or less long...........eeee eee Spartans ea ek 12. 
* Cones 3144 to Gin. long. (B.) 
B. Leaves 2 in. or more long, 2-ranked......-.... saeeads saan Db 
B. Leaves 1 in. or less long. (C.) 
C. Leaves acute at tip... 0... e cece nce eee eee ee cee 7, 8. 
C. Leaves blunt or notched at tip. (D.) 
D. Two-ranked .............. 4, 
D. Not 2-ranked...........-. 3. 
* Cones 1 to 31g in. long. (E.) 
E. Leaves an inch or more long. .5, 6. 
E. Leaves less than an inch long.1, 2. 
1. Abies balsimea, Mill. (Common 
BALSAM-FIR.) Leaves narrow, linear, 144 
to 34 in. long, and much crowded, silvery 
beneath; those on the horizontal branches 
spreading into 2 ranks. Bark yielding 
Canada balsam from blisters. Cones 
erect, on spreading branches, 2 to 4 in. 
long and 1 iu. thick, cylindric, violet-col- A. balsamea, 
