64 THE PIXUS INSIGNIS, AND ITS VALUE 



givea to show further proof of the occasional uncertainty of the 

 success of the P. insignis, under favourable auspices of climata, 

 altitude, &c. ; at Curraghmore, Portlaw, co. Waterford, this 

 pine was planted some years ago in considerable numbers. 

 Having doubts about its thorough reliableness as to hardiness, a 

 piece of land was selected, which it was thought would suit 

 it admirably. The ground was thoroughly drained, as was 

 supposed, some years previously, and was well sheltered. The 

 situation, in fact, was all that the most paiastaking and thought- 

 ful planter would have desired. Sufficient shelter without too 

 much shade being provided, and with exposure sufficient for 

 Coniferae to ripen their young shoots before v/inter. The soil 

 was a clayey loam, with porous subsoil, and the trees were from 

 ten to twelve years old, and from 10 to 23 feet in height, last 

 season, when the severity of the winter 1879-80, which was 

 unusually keen for the south of Ireland, came, and killed them 

 outright. Two trees, which had barely survived, endeavoured 

 this spring to put forth buds, but ineffectually, and they also 

 soon succumbed. In this instance, we probably learn the 

 risk of too carefully sheltering the doubtfully hardy species of 

 newer Coniferee, for they being prone by nature to bud early in 

 spring, as is especially the case with P. insignis, the frost over- 

 head of the spring months during night settling within the 

 sheltered area where they grow, and the bright sunshine by day, 

 during that season upon their tender young buds, soon effects 

 their destruction. Had these trees been more exposed to an 

 open sweep of the wind in that site, probably a different result 

 would have been experienced, always supposing the subsoil to 

 have been as well-drained as it appears to have been in this 

 case. The altitude of this site is 80 feet above sea-level. 



From the foreo'oinoj remarks it will be seen that hitherto in 

 this country there have been few opportunities for estimating 

 the prospective value of P. insignis as a timber-producing tree 

 of intrinsic merit, — from any examples we have been able to 

 cite wherein it has been cut down and manufactured into 

 timber. Dow, however, states, on the authority of Coulter, that 

 in its native habitats it yields excellent timber, exceedingly 

 tough, and well suited for boat building ; for which purpose 

 it is much used. In San Francisco, it is largely used for street 

 planking and paving, for, owing to its large amount of resin, the 

 wood, cut into blocks, stands better, and resists the tear and 

 wear of heavy traffic better than any other variety of timljer. 

 Another authority, the late Mr Eogers of Penrose (M.P. for 

 Helstone), states that if the timber of P. insignis can be judged 

 of in this country, at so early an age, he has found it light and 

 tough, rather knotty, but the knots are easily worked and soft, 

 yet firm, having the softness of the lime-wood, rather than the 



