34 FOREST-TREES OF THE UNITED STATES. 
Mountains. This species is found on the higher parts of the Rocky 
Mountains, from New Mexico to the headwaters of the Columbia and 
Missouri Rivers. In Colorado, it occupies a belt between 8,000 and 12,000 
feet, reaching its fullest development between 9,000 and 10,000 feet. On 
the highest summits, if becomes a prostrate shrub. Mr. Ward, writing 
of the tree in Utah, says: ‘ Between 9,000 and 10,000 feet altitude, it 
becomes a large and noble tree, and is of the greatest value for lumber, 
taking the place in that region of the White Pine of the Eastern States, 
and is alone known by that name among lumbermen. The wood is 
white, very light, and easily worked, and at the same time durable.” 
Botanically, it is difficult to distinguish it from some forms of A. Menztesiv. 
No. 380. Abies balsamea, Marshall.—Balsam.—New England to Wis- - 
consin. This species grows in cold, damp woods and swamps, from New 
England to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and northward. It is alsoa native 
of Canada and Nova Scotia. It generally grows about 20 to 40 feet 
high. It is a very popular ornamental tree. ‘‘ A very aromatic liquid 
resin is obtained from this tree by incisions made in the bark, and is 
called Canada Balsam.” 
No. 381. Abies sub-alpina, Eng.—Sub-alpine Balsam.—Rocky Mount- 
ains. This is one of the tallest and handsomest firs of the Rocky 
Mountains, often attaining a height of 80 or 90 feet; perfectly straight, 
and without limbs for a greag distance. The wood is white, soft, and of 
httle value for lumber. snowh among the lumbermen of the 
Wasatch Mountains as W; am, or Pumpkin-tree. Its nearest 
affinity is to A. balsamea o ern States. It reaches to great alti- 
tudes, being sometimes fourf®@hear the timber-line. It has often been 
collected, and generally referred to A. grandis, the incorrectness of which 
has been but lately pointed out by Dr. Engelmann, who has proposed 
for it the name given above.—( Ward.) 
No. 382. Abies grandis, Lind.— White Silver Fir.—California and Ore- 
gon. This name is here applied to the tree of the Pacific coast. ‘In 
Oregon,” Mr. Dufur says, “it grows on the low, moist land, along the 
small streams emptying into the Columbia River. Is seldom found at an 
elevation of more than 500 feet, and never on sandy or gravelly ridges. 
It attains a size of from 2 to 4 feet in diameter, and 200 feet in height. 
It has a light-colored, thin, smooth bark. It is a rapid grower, and the 
timber decays correspondingly fast when exposed to the wet. The wood 
‘is white, free, and soft, but too light and brittle for general building 
purposes. It is used extensively by the settlers for clapboards, boxes, 
and’ cooperage.” 
No. 383. Abies concolor, Eng.—White Silver Fir.—Rocky Mountains. 
In the Wasatch Mountains in Utah this tree is very valuable for lumber, 
and is called Black Balsam. It is there a large tree, sometimes 3 or 4 
feet in diameter and 40 to 50 feet high. The wood is tough and coarse- 
grained, adapting it for building purposes and all substantial uses. It 
ranges from 8,000 to 9,000 feet in altitude.—(Ward.) In Southern Utah, 
it is sometimes called Black Gum. 
No. 384. Abies amabilis, Dougl.—Red Silver Fir.—California and 
Oregon. Mr. Lemmon states, ‘* On the Sierra Nevada Mountains, it 
forms dense, scattered groves, at altitudes of 7,000 to 10,000 feet. 
The largest trees are 250 feet high and 6 to 10 feetin diameter. <A truly 
beautiful and magnificent tree, sometimes called the Queen of the For- 
est.”. Mr. Dufur says it is found extensively along the western slope of 
the Cascade Mountains, on sandy, gravelly, rocky, and dry elevations. 
Its usual size is from 150 to 200 feet in height, ana from 1 to 4 feet in 
diameter. The wood is rather coarse, but elastic, strong, and hard. It 
