De I. VNER VEW D Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope

24 FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
of mature trees is very straight, and tapers but little until the few large, very
long, horizontal limbs of its wide, flat crown are reached. These huge branches
stand out so prominently at right angles from the upper trunk as to distinguish
it from associated pines. Its long, cylindrical cones, suspended from the tips
of the branciies, also serve to distinguish the tree at a long distance. Trees
from1 pole size to a foot in diameter bear distinct whorls of branches at long
intervals down to the ground. Later in life the lower whorls are shaded
out and two or more of the le)l)Cr limbs develop enormously in the full light.
This usually takes place as the tree attains its al ils height growth. Old bark
Fi'm. . Pin US 1ai11byrtiana.
is deeply furrowed longitudinally, the ridges being broken into long, irregular
plates. It is from 12 to 21 inches or more in thickness and grayish brown in
color. In exposed situations the force of high winds tears off the weathered
flakes of bark, leaving the exposed surface a deep red-brown color. The
smooth, thin bark of the young trunks and branches of old trees is a dull, dark
gray. The foliage is a deep blue-green, with a whitish tinge. The leaves (fig.
3), in bundles of 5, are from 24 to about 4 inches long. Those of each year's
growth persist two or three years. The cones (fig. 4), which are unique among