Home Nature-Study Course. 379 



The Austrian pine. — The very long, stiff leaves form its chief 

 characteristic. It is a handsome tree, and much resembles our native 

 red pine, except that its leaves are more pointed and much less 

 flexible, and also larger in diameter. It is hardy in this climate, and 

 since it is so generally planted in parks and grounds it affords a fine 

 opportunity for the study of the flowers and the pollination which 

 occurs the last of May or early June. It is a native of the mountains 

 of eastern Europe, and there often reaches the height of 120 feet. 



The Scotch pine. — This pine so commonly planted has such flat, 

 short leaves that it has been miscalled Scotch fir, and many people 

 know it under that name. Its leaves scarcely ever exceed two 

 inches in length and many of them are not more than an inch long, 

 and are broad, flat and flexible. It is one of the most important 

 of the timber trees of Europe and Asia. However, here in America 

 it is not so successful, and rarely lives a half century. 



Lesson on any Pine in Your Locality. 



21. What is the general shape of the tree, and where^does it grow? 



22. What is the shape of the cone? 



23. What is the character of its bark? 



24. How long are the needles, and how do they compare in length and thickness 

 with any other species of pine in your locaUty? 



25. How many needles grow together in a bvmdle? 



26. Is this bundle enclosed in a little sheath at the base? (In the white pine 

 the sheath drops off very soon.) 



27. Are these bimdles grouped in distinct tassels; if so, how many constitute 

 a tassel? 



28. What shade of green is the general color of the foUage? 



29. Cut a pine needle in two and look at the end with a lens, and note its shape. 

 The white pine differs decidedly from the others in this particular. 



30. How can you tell this year's from last year's and from next year's cones? 



31. How old is the cone when it opens and scatters its seed? 



32. How many seeds are there under a single cone scale? 



33. How many kinds of flowers does the pine tree have and where are they 

 borne? 



34. How is the pollen carried? 



35. What is the most important, commercially, of our pine trees? 



36. What is the pine wood used for? 



37. What is resin? Of what use is it to the tree? To the cone? 



38. What is the difference between resin and rosin? 



THE CEDARS. 



We have two cedars common in New York State, the red and the 

 white. 



Arbor vitce often called white cedar. — This is a common hedge tree, 

 and its flat foliage is very beautiful when examined carefully through 



