470 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



durable in contact with the soil, liable to twist and warp in seasoning ; 

 bands of small summer cells broad, resinous, dark-coloured, con- 

 spicuous ; medullary rays numerous, thin ; colour light red, the sap- 

 wood somewhat darker; sfjecific gravity, 0'4701; ash, 0'30; largely 

 used for fuel, and occasionally manufactured into coarse lumber 

 (C. S. Sargent, Forest Trees of North America"). 

 It is hardy in Denmark. 



A. Mariesii, Mast, in Gard. Chron. 1879, 788 (cinn *c.) ; Linn. 

 Soc. xviii. 519 ; Veitch, Man. Conif. 100 ; H. Mayr, Monogr. d. 

 Abietineen des Jap. Reiches, 40. 



JTafeifal— Japan, at Awomori, and on Mount Nikko, 5,000 to 

 7,000 feet elevation, in company with A. Veitchii, growing in shallow 

 peat on volcanic debris. 



Introduced by Messrs. James Yeitch & Sons in 1879, through 

 their collector, Mr. Maries, after whom it has been named. 



Seems to be hardy in Denmark. 



A. nobilis, Lindl. in Penny Cyclop, i. n. 5. Finns nohilis, Dough 

 Mss. in Comp. Bot. Mag. ii. 147. Picea nobilic, Loud. Arb. Brit. iv. 

 2342, f. 2249-50. Pseudotsuga nohilis, Bertrand in Bull. Soc. Bot. 

 Franc, xviii. 86. 



Habitat. — Oregon, Cascade Mountains, from the Columbia River 

 south to the valley of the Upper Rogue River, and along the summits 

 of the coast ranges from the Columbia to the Nootucca River (Collier). 



A large tree, 200-300 feet in height, v/ith a trunk 8-10 feet in 

 diameter, forming, with A. amabilis, extensive forests along the 

 slopes of the Cascade Range, between 3,000 and 4,000 feet elevation ; 

 less multiplied in the coast ranges, here reaching its greatest in- 

 dividual development. 



Wood light, hard, strong, rather close-grained, compact ; bands of 

 small summer cells broad, resinous, dark- coloured, conspicuous ; me- 

 dullary rays thin, hardly distinguishable ; colour light brown streaked 

 with red, the sapwood a little darker ; specific gravity, 0'4561 ; ash, 

 0-34 (C. S. Sargent, " Forest Trees of North America"). 



Abies nohilis is also one of the discoveries of the late Mr. Douglas, 

 who found it in large forests in North California, where it forms a 

 majestic tree, producing timber of an excellent quality. Douglas says 

 he spent three weeks in a forest composed of this tree, and day by 

 day could not cease to admire it. 



This tree is one of the hardiest and handsomest of the group, 

 and is becoming tolerably common. Amongst the Silver Firs it 

 is the most conspicuous and beautiful, the deep glaucous foliage, 

 regularly disposed branches, and by no means stiff outline, being special 

 recommendations. Few trees are less particular about the quality of 

 soil in which they are planted. It is of rapid growth, the average 

 annual increase in height of several specimens of which I kept a record 

 being 20 inches, for a period of twenty-five years. The produc- 



