FOR PLANTING IN SCOTLAND. 55 



This beautifully-foliaged pine is a native of California, where it 

 is found in its usual habitat attaining to a height of from 80 to 

 100 feet, with a girth of from 8 to 12 feet in many instances, 

 and feathered to the ground with gracefully drooping branches. 

 It appears to be one and the same with Pinus radiata. Dr 

 Coulter found it attaining a height of 100 feet when growing 

 singly in its native home, with a peculiarly straight clean stem, 

 feathered to the very ground with branches. Gordon states 

 that it attains to a height of from 80 to 100 feet, and with 

 a stem from 2 to 4 feet in diameter, while Dr Torry in his Eeport 

 in the United States Railroad Explorations Commission (vol. iv. 

 1854) says that the ordinary height of the tree is only from 30 

 to 40 feet, which is probably under exceptional circumstances 

 of site and soil, for it promises to attain in this country a con- 

 siderably higher altitude and growth. 



Finics insignis was originally found by Dr Coulter in Upper 

 California, near sea-level, and growing very luxuriantly down 

 almost to the beach. It was also noticed about the same time 

 (1832) by Hartweg, growing in splendid luxuriance on the de- 

 scent towards the sea, on the mountains of San Antonio near 

 Monterey, and also along the Coast Mountains of California, and 

 to these districts its native habitat seems to be confined. 



It was first introduced into Britain by Douglas and Coulter 

 in 1833, both having sent seeds simultaneously. Their en- 

 comiums of the beauty and extreme gracefulness and luxuriance 

 of the peculiar green foliage of the tree at once drew public 

 attention to the new acquisition, and it was eagerly planted by 

 pine-fanciers throughout the country in all sorts of soils and 

 situations of altitude and exposure. The beauty of the tree was 

 reputed to be its lovely green foliage of rare abundance, as 

 well as its striking and imposing habit of retaining its foliage to 

 the ground, and its rapid growth. How far these anticipations 

 will be realised the future statistics of the progress of P. insignis 

 in this country will show ; but it is to be feared, from the 

 experience already recorded of its growtli, and from a general 

 consensus of opinion amongst pine growers, that, like many 

 others of the Pinus or true jnne genus, this species will in many 

 soils and situations ])rove unsuitable to our climate. 



It is a fact worthy of notice — for we fail to observe it re- 

 corded elsewhere — that of the more recentlv introduced Coni- 

 ferae, the Abies and J^icea families succeed much better than the 

 Pinus or true pine family. We have only to refer to the Abies 

 donglasii, mcnziesii, albertiana, and others, or to Picea nard- 

 manniana, nobilis, graiidi.-^, and others of that family, to show 

 their thorough liardihood, and the success attendant on their 

 introduction, as prospectively valuable timber trees; while in 

 the Pinus family, we almost look in vain for any successful 



