Handbook ov TjmvK.s of ttie Noirrii i:i;.\ Statks and Canada. 



This is ii handsome tree of characteristic 

 aspect and rarely attains more than 75 ft. in 

 height or with trunk more tlian iVj ft. in 

 diameter. Its hranchcs arc arranged in 

 «hiirt-i >isii;illy iif from 4-li, the longest at the 

 hottom and tlie otliers siiccessi\ely sliorter to 

 a narrow pointed summit. Tlie barl-c of all 

 but the oldest trunks is abundantly supplied 

 with resin blisters which yield the Canada 

 Balsam of commerce. Very diH'erent from tlie 

 Fraser Fir this tree is a lover of bottomdamls 

 and moist slopes, and is of \-ery wide <listrilin- 

 tiim. Us abundant spire-shaped tops indicate 

 the loi'ation of swampy tracts in northern 

 regions from the Atlantic nearly to the Pacific, 

 and its soft fragrant branches can be gen- 

 erally depended upon to furnish the favorite 

 " balsam pillows " for campers throughout the 

 forests of this vast range, liarely forming ex- 

 clusive forests of any extent, it associates witli 

 the Tamarack, Black Ash, ]',Ia<k Spruce. Arbor 

 Vitae, etc. or where it is less common on Tip- 

 lands with Beeches, Hemlocks, etc. 



Its wood, a cu. ft. of whii'h when absolutely 

 dry weighing '2.'^. 80 lbs., is {icciisionally sawn 

 into lumber for boxes, etc.. niul of late is lieing 

 used in the manufacture of pa per. i 



Lrarrs about V-2 in. Imm- niui 

 bearing branches, and 1 in. or i 

 rounded at apex on sterili' i)raiic 

 Ma.v : pistillate with n(>arl,\- 

 scales sranller than the lirarls 

 date, sorrtilafc with pro.ii'Cted slender tip. Conix 

 2-4 in. lon.u. oblong-cylindi'ical. rounded at tip 

 gpnerall.v lieaiinp beads of frrc pitch with scales 

 about twice as Ion,!;- as tlir hi-ads, or rarely with 

 hracts soniowliat huigei' llian I ho scales. - 



1. A. W., I, -l-l. 



2. V\)V genus see p. 421. 



', on cone- 

 ind mostl.v 

 ■tios. I'lairrrs in 

 oi-hicular puri)h' 

 which are ohcor- 



