NOTES ON FOREST TREES. 187 



common. As to size, they are seldom over 8 feet high 

 though one was found in Altona 15 feet high and 8 inches 

 in diameter, but this tree was partially decayed on one 

 side of the trunk. In appearance, at a short distance, 

 this tree resembles the black spruce more than it does a 

 pine. The bark on the trunk is exactly like a spruce ; the 

 foliage is 1£ inches long and from | to | of an inch wide ; 

 the cones grow in pairs and close to the limb ; and they are 

 different in shape from all other pines. This tree is 

 known as the "unlucky tree" by the people in this part of 

 the country. The more observant ones call it a cross be- 

 tween the pine and spruce. 



I met several men of good general education, who were 

 convinced of the danger arising from this tree, and who 

 cited cases of its malignant influences (similar to the sto- 

 ries told of the Upas tree of Java). It is considered 

 dangerous to pass within ten feet of its limbs and more so 

 to women than to men. It is equally dangerous to cattle ; 

 so that whatever ill befalls a man, his family or his cattle, 

 if there is one of these trees on his land it must be de- 

 stroyed, — burned down by wood being piled around it, 

 for no one would venture to cut it down. 



Pinus strobus ( While Pine) is the next tree in order. 

 Trees of large size of this species are very scarce. There is 

 one in Morrisonville 15 feet in circumference and 4 feet 

 above the ground, tapering but little for fifty feet. A spec- 

 imen could not be obtained from this tree for the owner 

 had some special use for the entire log. Near Peru village 

 there are three grand old trees ; one 12 feet, and the other 

 two 9 feet in circumference. 



In Clinton county, twenty years ago, there were prob- 

 ably hundreds of these large pines, for we came across 

 the massive stumps in many places on Lyon Mountain and 



