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Cones on short stout stalks, cylindrical, slightly narrowed at both ends, obtuse at the apex, about 6 inches long, 2 inches in diameter, greenish when growing, dull brown when mature, with the points of the bracts exserted and reflexed. Scales tomentose externally, fan-shaped, about 1 inch broad and long; upper margin slightly uneven; lateral margins denticulate, each usually with a sinus, below the slight wings on the outer side of the scale; claw clavate. Bract with an oblong claw, extending up three-quarters the height of the scale, and expanding above into a lozenge-shaped denticulate lamina, which ends in a sharp long triangular mucro. Seed with wing about an inch long; wing about twice as long as the body of the seed.

Seed sown in spring germinates in three or four weeks. The cotyledons, usually five in number, are at first enveloped, as with a cap, by the albumen of the seed ; but speedily casting this off, they spread radially in a whorl at the summit of the short caulicle, and remain green on the plant for several years; about an inch in length, linear, obtuse at. the apex, flat beneath, and slightly ridged on the upper surface, which shows two whitish bands of stomata. In the first year only a single whorl of true leaves, arising immediately above the cotyledons and alternating with them, is produced. Primary leaves short, acute, or obtuse, but not emarginate at the apex, and with the stomatic bands on the lower surface. A terminal bud closes the first season’s growth, the plant scarcely attaining two inches high. Inthe second year ordinary leaves, arranged spirally on the stem, are produced. The growth of the plant in the first two or three years is mainly concentrated in the root, which descends deep into the soil, the increase in height of the stem above ground being trifling. The stem branches in the third or fourth year, and produces annually for some years one or two lateral branches, making no great growth in height, reaching in the ninth year an average of two feet. About the tenth year normal verticillate branching begins; and from this onwards the plant makes rapid growth.

Dr. Klein gives in Vegetationsbilder illustrations of some remarkable forms? which the silver fir assumes at high elevations in Central Europe, and which he calls “Wettertanne” or ‘“Schirmtanne.” These trees have lost their main leader through lightning, wind, or otherwise, and have developed immense side branches which spread and then ascend, sometimes forming a candelabra-like shape. The finest of this type known to him is at St. Cerques in Switzerland, and measures at breast height no less than 7.40 metres in girth, about the same as the largest of the Roseneath ® trees.

Other varieties, distinguished by their peculiar habit, occur in the wild state.

1 These forms are also described by Dr. Christ in Garden and Forest, ix. 273 (1896).

2 One of the trees at Roseneath, Dumbartonshire, has a similar growth of erect branches, like leaders from some of the horizontal limbs. This is figured, from a photograph by Vernon Heath, in Gard. Chron. xxii. 8, fig. 1 (1884). At Powers- court there is also a large tree, 13 feet 3 inches in girth, with branches prostrate on the ground and sending up several upright stems.