FLORA OF MOl M i:\l\ltt: \\ilo\\i PARK. 1 3 



of these large trees is considered verj valuable on account of its 

 hardness and fine grain. 



On account of the character of the -oil the trees mentioned 

 above do not attain their highesl development. 'This is especially 

 true of the hemlocks. The hemlocks oan be distinguished by their 

 foliage. The lowland hemlock 1ms numerous small cones and 



foliage thai is white on the lower aide. The alpine hemlock has 



cones p. to 2 inches in length and there i- little or no difference in 

 the color of the upper and lower sides of its foliage. 



The Douglas fir from this point begins to give way to other types. 



This - also true of the white cedar. 'The Lowland hemlock, on the other 



hand, form- nearly pure foresl at 3,200 feet and higher. Thenoblefir 



seems to reach its highesl development jusl below the glaciers at an 



altitude of about 3,900 feel . Just below the NTisqually( rlacier the forest 



- composed more largely of this tree than any other locality with 



which the writer i- familiar. In the distance these tree- can lie 



recognized by their peculiar blue-green color which i- very different 



from the color of any other coniferous tree. They have large cones 



rered by long exserted green bracts. 'The noble fir is usually 



ompanied by the lovely tir. In the upper part of this zone the 



alpine tir is common, so that the foresl ha- a decidedly changed 



appearance. Here the valley ha- become very narrow ami the 



trees grow mostly on steep mountain -lope-. Occasionally the wake 



of the avalanche can he distinctly seen where the trees have heeii 



swept away. Where this i- of common occurrence there is little 

 ■ •r no vegetation, only the hare rock- or gravel, hut where this 

 happens at long intervals new tree- -tart up and grow until they in 

 turn may he destroyed. 



In wet plac.- a spruce occur- in the tree groups of the meadows. 

 the south side of the mountain the spruce i- seldom -ecu. though 

 it i- common on the north ami ea.-t sides. 



r 1 species of Usnea, a lichen, become attached to t he trees and 



i •• them a light gray color. These hang down from the trees h, lonu r 



thread-like tuft- which give the tree- a drooping or weeping appear- 



pendanl lichen- are popularly called Spanish moss, 



ifusing it. perhaps, with TiHandsia, a thread-like vine which grows 



profusely on the tree- in Florida. In neither case i- the name 



•ropriate. How different i- the aspeel of the forest here, clothed 



in its (.Mrh of lighl gray drooping thread-like lichen-, from the majest ic 



tree- of the lr.wer fore-t in t heir a ppa rent ly tropical at tire. 



y of the shrubs of the lower valley continue on up into the 



The white rhododendron, B. dUbifiorum (figs. 9 and 10 . 



a beautiful shrub of the huckleberry family, enriches this area with its 



creamy-white flower- and glossy variegated leaves. It i- said, how- 



