PIR— FIRE-TREE 175 



Fir, Red {A. noUlis Lindl.). Western United States. '* Larch- 

 fir." "Noble Fir." Germ, " Edel Weisstanne. Height 100— 

 200 ft. or more ; diam. 4 — 5 ft. or 9 ft. Light-brown, streaked 

 with red, light, hard, strong, durable when seasoned. Used for 

 internal work. The name is also applied to A. magnifica Murray, 

 Germ, '' Prachtige Weisstanne," a loftier species of the same region, 

 with inferior timber, used for rough work or fuel. 



Fir, Scots. See Pine, Northern. 



Fir, Silver [A, pectindta DC. = A. alba Miller), Mountains of 

 Central and Southern Europe. " Swiss Pine." French " Sapin 

 des Vosges, Sapin de Lorraine." Germ, '' Tanne, Edeltanne, 

 Weisstanne, Silbertanne." Height 100 — 180 ft. ; diam. 6 — 8 ft. 

 Yellowish or pinkish-white without distinct heart, and with few or 

 no resin-canals, with regular circular, well-defined rings, owing to 

 the darker autumn wood, hght, soft, porous, silky in lustre, strong, 

 elastic, easily worked, not durable, taking glue well. Used by the 

 ancient Romans for masts and ship-building. (Virgil, Oeorgics ii., 

 68, Pliny, Nat. Hist, xvi.), and still so employed. Much used in 

 toy-making, for carving, and for packing-cases, which are largely 

 exported from Switzerland and the Tyrol. Used also, where it 

 grows, for fence-posts, internal work, sluices, joists, planks, general 

 carpentry, paper-pulp, and charcoal ; but inferior to Spruce. 



Fir, Colorado Silver (A. concolor Lindl. and G-ordon). Western 

 United States. " White Fir, Balsam Fir, Black Balsam." Germ. 

 " Californische " or " Gleichfarbige Weisstanne." Height 100 — 

 250 ft. ; diam. 4 ft. or more. Very light, soft, coarse-grained, neither 

 strong nor durable. Used locally for butter-tubs, etc. 



Fir, Great or Tall Silver [A, grdndis Lindl.). North- Western 

 United States and British Columbia. " White Fir of Oregon " or 

 " Western Wliite Fir." Germ. " Grosse Kiistentanne." Height 

 250 — 300 ft. ; diam. 3—5 ft. or more. W 22 — 29. Light, soft, 

 easily worked, not strong or durable. Used for indoor carpentry, 

 packing-cases, cooperage, etc., and forming, with Oregon Pine, the 

 chief lumber exported from the Pacific ports. 



Fir, Indian Silver {A. WebUdna Lindl.). Himalayas. Height 

 120 — 150 ft. ; diam. 3 — 5 ft. Whitish, scentless, non-resinous, 

 open-grained, soft, easily worked, but not durable, if exposed. 

 Used locally for shingles and building. 



Fir, Western or Lovely Silver {A. amdbUis Forbes). North- 

 western United States and British Columbia. ''White Fir." 

 Height 150 — 200 ft. ; diam. 3 — 4 ft. Light, hard, but not 

 strong. 



Fire-tree {Stenocdrpus sinudtus Endl. : Order Protedcece), North- 

 Eastern Australia. " Tulip-tree." Aborig. " Yiel-yiel." Height 



