450 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



considered less valuable than Yellow Fir (C. S. Sargent, Forest Trees 

 of North America"). The bark is found valuable in tanning leather. 



This species was first found by Menzies in Nootka Sound, when 

 Vancouver stopped there on his celebrated voyage round the world 

 (1790-95), in which Menzies accompanied him as naturalist and 

 surgeon. It was figured and imperfectly described by Lambert, under 

 the name Abies taxifolia, from specimens of the foliage brought by 

 Menzies ; and these specimens are still preserved in the British 

 Museum, the museum having acquired Lambert's collection after his 

 death. No seeds were, however, brought by Menzies. Others, 

 probably, had also found it, f or ISTuttall had specimens before Douglas. 

 Specimens from him also are in the British Museum, and his manu- 

 script name for it was the characteristic one of Abies appendiculaia. 



It was re-discovered by Douglas in 1827, when collecting for the 

 Royal Horticultural Society, and anew described and figured with the 

 cone by Sir William Hooker, under the name by which it has since 

 been generally known (Abies Douglasii). A plentiful supply of seed 

 was then sent by him to the Society, and distributed among its 

 Fellows ; and a number of trees, the oldest in Britain, scattered 

 here and there throughout the country, are the produce of that first 

 consignment. 



Perhaps more has been written about this Fir than any other of 

 recent introduction. Although of a spreading habit where it has room 

 to grow, it is among the fastest timber-producing trees of the Fir 

 tribe ; but when grown too fast the wood ,is of a rough and second-rate 

 quality. Possibly, with the exception of the Larch, this Fir is the 

 most valuable, commercially, of all the exotic Conifers. Hitherto it 

 has been grown in too limited numbers, and under exceptional treat- 

 ment, to enable us to put a proper value upon its timber. If treated 

 like our common forest-trees, my belief is that it will not supersede 

 some other species of Fir. Abies Menziesii grows at as high altitudes 

 in its native habitat, and in some places in Scotland it is producing 

 as much, if not more, timber than the Douglas Fir ; and before we place 

 the latter higher, we must see its value better tested as a common forest- 

 tree. As yet the Larch is the tree j^^r excellence for forest-jDlanting : 

 and I question very much, if the Douglas Fir were once tested as 

 thoroughly as the Larch has been, whether its supposed superiorities 

 Avould not vanish. This dark-green tree, grown as a single specimen, 

 is of an open habit of growth, and rather ornamental. 



In certain situations it is one of the most valuable timber-trees that 

 have yet found their way into the British Islands. As regards the actual 

 produce of timber in a given time, it is far ahead of any other tree 

 grown in this country, not excepting the Wellingtonia or Sequoia. We 

 state this from measurements recorded by ourselves for a number of 

 years of trees grown under similar conditions as regards soil, altitude, 

 and situation. The greatest amount of timber produced by the 



