164 



16. — White Fir. Balsam Fir. Black Balsam. {Abies concolor, 



Lindl. and GoidoD.) 



Found in 'New Mexico and southern Colorado (westward in central 

 Utab, northern Arizona, southern California to Oregon). It is most 

 abundant along the Pacific coast, occnpying moist slopes and canyons, 

 between 3,000 and 9,000 feet elevation. It commonly grows to a height 

 of 100 feet, with a diameter of 4 feet and over. The w^ood is soft, very 

 light, and little used for lumber, except in temporary constructions, and 

 for domestic purposes. 



Description. — Leaves i to 2, sometimes 3 iuclies loug, tliick to tliin, flat, blunt to 

 awl-poiuted, or slightly notched at the tip; in two ranks, chiefly on the upper side 

 of the hranchlets; pale green, whitish beueath. Cones uearly sessile, 2f to 5 

 inches long, and 1^ to 2i inches in diameter; ovate, cylindrical, pale green, dull pur- 

 ple, or light reddish brown ; scales f to 1^ inches broad. Bark light gray. Branches 

 quite regularly in whorls. 



17. — Western Hemlock. {Tsiiga Mertensiana, Carriere.) 



A Western representative of the Eastern Hemlock {Tsuga Cana- 

 densis Carr.), but much larger and with finer-grained wood. It ranges 

 from western Montana westward to the Pacific coast, and north of the 

 United States boundary j southward on coast through northern Cali- 

 fornia, forming large forests at elevations between 1,000 and 4,000 feet. 

 It is quite adaptive in point of soil conditions, thriving on poor dry ridges, 

 but prefers a moist soil. Probabl}' reaches its greatest development in 

 Oregon and Washington Territory ; 180 feet high, and G to 8 feet in 

 diameter. The wood is rather heavy, hard, and quite free from resin, but 

 somewhat lacking in strength ; employed to some extent for coarse 

 lumber, while the bark supplies an important deinand for tanning. 



Description. — Leaves flat, very narrow, 'j to f of an inch long, blunt at the top, 

 tapering suddenly to a slender stem (petiole). Cones ovate-cylindrical, ^ to | of an 

 inch long, light brown, with delicate pubescence; sscalc few (and much longer than 

 those of Tsuga Canadensis). Crown roundish to somewhat conical ; branchlets numer- 

 ous, slender, drooping. 



18. — Tsuga Pattoniana, Engelm. 



An alpine species having about the same range as the Western Hem- 

 lock {Tsuga Mertensiana, Carr.). It occupies dry slopes and ridges be- 

 tween 2,700 and 10,000 feet, but is reduced to a shrub as it approaches 

 the timber-line. The wood is light and soft. 



Descrix)tion. — Leaves ^ to | of an inch long, about four-angled, rather sharp-pointed, 

 or blunt tp^pering to a stem at base. Cones 2 to 3 inches long, cylindrical-ovate. 

 Bark thick, much cracked, reddish-gray ; branchlets pubescent. 



19. — Douglas Spruce. "Red Spruce." Yellow Fir. Eed Fir. 



Oregon Pine. {Pscudotsiiga Doiiglasii, Carriere.) 



A remarkably large and one of the most important timber trees, 

 quite generally distributed throughout the Kock}^ Mountain region 



