BRISTLECONE FIR (_Abies venusta_) is pronounced by George B. Sudworth to be “the most curious fir tree in the world.” It is found almost exclusively in Monterey county, California, but a few trees grow outside of that circumscribed area. It has been called Santa Lucia fir, because it was once supposed to exist only in canyons of Santa Lucia mountains, but its range is now known to be more extensive. Monterey county, California, is of peculiar interest to dendrologists. Three species of trees are either confined to that area, or have their best development there. They are Monterey cypress (_Cupressus macrocarpa_), Monterey pine (_Pinus radiata_), and bristlecone fir. All are peculiar trees: the cypress because of its ragged form and extremely limited range, the pine because of its exceedingly rapid growth when given a chance, and the fir, because of its peculiar form of crown, odd appearance of cone, and extraordinary weight of wood. No reason is apparent why that particular point on the California coast should have brought into existence--or at least should have gathered to itself--three peculiar tree species. Bristlecone fir is well named from the bristles an inch long covering the cone. The leaves, too, are peculiar, bearing much resemblance to small willow leaves. Their upper sides are deep yellow-green and the under sides silvery. The largest leaves are two inches long, cones three inches. They ripen in August, and soon afterwards scatter their seeds. The tree is not a prolific seeder, and it is believed that its range is becoming smaller. Bristlecone’s form of crown has been compared to an Indian club, the large end on the ground and the handle pointing upward. Trees from sixty to eighty feet high have such “handles” twenty or thirty feet long. That peculiarity of shape makes the tree recognizable among associated species at a distance of several miles. The recorded weight of the wood is 42.27 pounds per cubic foot, which is nearly twice the weight of some other firs. The wood is moderately soft, but very firm. Few uses for it have been reported. Trunks are very knotty, and are too few in number to be of importance as a source of lumber. The tree has been planted successfully for ornament in the south of Europe.