ON THE PINUS PINASTER OR CLUSTER PINE, 271 



heen what may be called general. At Bourne Park, Canterbury, 

 some fine examples are extant, and quite recently, to the grief of 

 its enthusiastic owner — a true lover of the picturesque in 

 arboriculture (Mr M. Bell), — one of the finest specimens died 

 gradually — presumably from luitural decay. This fine tree 

 measured at the butt 10 feet 6 inches in circumference, and had 

 a clear stem of 55 feet in height ironi the ground to the first fork, 

 and a beautiful " nmshrooni" head — like old trees of the same 

 species in the south of Italy. The rays of annual growth were 

 tolerably distinct, and from these its age was estimated at 150 

 years. The wood was soft, but probably more so from decay 

 "than from natural character. In this instance, the situation is 

 about 12 miles from the sea, in a valley. The soil is a deep 

 loam, on a chalk subsoil. Near Norwich, and along the Yarmouth 

 coast it has been extensively and most successfully introduced 

 for many years. 



In Ireland, it has been planted more freely than in Scotland, 

 and it seems to succeed in that climate (beloved by pines gene- 

 rally) very well. It should be stated that the Pinus Pinaster 

 is particularly liable to the attack of insects, — the Hylurgus 

 'pini'pcrda and other pine beetles being specially attached to it, 

 and frequently cause it much damage. 



The season of the year best adapted for planting the P. 

 Pinaster in situations of a sandy nature, and near the influence 

 of sea breezes, is in the spring, probably in the end of the month 

 of March. If planted then, the tap-roots, before referred to, have 

 a fair chance of striking down into, and acquiring a firm hold of 

 the substrata, and of establishing themselves securely, without 

 risk of being displaced by the wind in their new situations, 

 before the approach of the winter's blasts and storms. 



Having thus cursorily noticed the peculiarities of the Pinus 

 Pinaster, and its general characteristic features, and the condi- 

 tion essential for its most successful culture, it appears that it 

 is one of the best adapted trees for sea-side cultivation, as well 

 as being also an object of admiration in position as a single tree, 

 and there can, doubtless, be but one opinion regarding its value, 

 which ought to be stated ere this treatise is closed. 



Unless upon soils and in situations thoroughly suited in every 

 respect to its peculiarities, or unless as a specimen tree for 

 variety, in will be found far more advantageous and profitable 

 to substitute some of the other many species of a similar type 

 in respect of foliage, stature, and massive outline for effect — 

 such, for example, as the Pinus Laricio (Corsican Pine), Pinus 

 austriaca, Pinus iiyrenaica, or P. Ponderosa, — which, while 

 thoroughly hardy, possess the additional recommendation of 

 yielding timber, at all ages of thinning, of a greatly superior 

 quality to that of the P. Pinaster, especially the first-named — 



