88 The Forest Trees of Oregon. 



in the scientific as well. The American R. R. surveys in their 

 reports of our forestry named the trees of this group having pen- 

 dant cones, Abies y and those bearing upright cones, Picea. The 

 popular names are spruce and fir. The popular maintenance ot 

 this distinction became easy, and inasmuch as a popular descrip- 

 tion of their place in economic botany is what is here attempted, 

 we will retain this distinction of the R. R. surveys and call those 

 bearing pendant cones, spruce; all bearing upright cones fir; — 

 the former A dies, the latter Picea. 



Abies Douglasii — Pseudotsuga Douglasii. Popularly and es- 

 pecially in the lumber market this ought to be called Douglas' 

 spruce. In Oregon and Washington we have it in two varie- 

 ties — 'red fir' and 'yellow fir.' The yellow is a fine grained 

 wood, and its boards are often as smooth as pine, while the red 

 variety is more stiff and splintery. But red or yellow, this fir is 

 one of the grandest trees of the continent and one of the most 

 important to commerce. For spars, for bridges or for framing 

 for buildings, its strength and great length make it the first in 

 the market. Its great abundance and rapid growth ensure a 

 long continued supply. Douglas' spruce will raise more com- 

 mercial timber to the acre than any other tree on the continent. 



Abies Menziesi — Menzies' or Tideland Spruce. This fine for- 

 est tree is seen in its best condition along the coast, where it often 

 reaches the height of ioo feet or more. Its lumber is soft and 

 heavy and coarse, but is so tasteless and odorless that it is found 

 to be the best material for barrels and boxes for packing, and for 

 these purposes is now finding a wide market. It is a handsome 

 ornamental tree and easily transplanted. 



Abies Canadensis — Tsuga Canadense — Hemlock Spruce. In 

 any country less favored in commercial timber the hemlock of 

 our mountains or that of our coast would rank well. It reaches 

 its finest growth in Tillamook county. The young trees are 

 graceful ornaments in landscape gardening and are easily trans- 

 planted. 



Abies Williamsonii — Williamson's Spruce. A handsome tree 

 of elevated mountain habits and so out of reach of present com- 

 mercial demands. All these spruces have pendant cones 



Thomas Condon. 



THE DA Y LIL Y OF THE DESER T 



(From Garden and Forest, III, 128.) 



One of the most beautiful and characteristic plants of the des- 

 ert region of California is the Day Lily (Hesperocallis undulata). 

 Its flower stems rise from one to two feet above the sand, and bear 

 from a few to thirty or more fragrant flowers, in color, I should 

 judge, of a pearly or greenish white, with greenish stripes. I 

 have seen only one in blossom, and that was too far gone to 

 show the genuine tint. 



This interesting species is one of the most promising novelties 



