190 PLANT-LIFE 



scales of older trees are reduced leaves. The Scotch 

 Pine bears its evergreen leaves in tufts of two, and 

 about twenty species of Pinus are alike in this respect. 

 Other species are P. Pinea, the Stone Pine, P. montana, 

 the Mountain Pine (a dwarf species), P. Larico, the 

 Corsican Pine, and the Aleppo Pine, P. hale^pensis. 

 Other species of the genus bear tufts of three and of 

 five leaves; among the former, embracing sixteen 

 Oriental and North American kinds, are P. longifolia, 

 with needles half a yard long, found in the Himalayas, 

 and P. Coulteri, a Californian species which produces 

 very large cones. There are about thirty-five species 

 bearing tufts of five leaves; the North American Wey- 

 mouth Pine, P. strobus, is an example. 



The commercial value of the Conifers is enormous. 

 Among them we have timber trees of the greatest impor- 

 tance, and in addition to their value as timber we have 

 to bear in mind other products secured from them 

 which are exceedingly useful to man. Thus Oil of Tur- 

 pentine and Resin are got from Pinus sylvestris, Bur- 

 gundy Pitch from Picea excelsa, Oil of Juniper from 

 Juniperus communis, and Canada Balsam from Abies 

 balsamea. The Yew has a decided archaeological interest 

 in that at one time it furnished wood for bow-staves. 

 When archery was a mode of warfare the Yew was of 

 great importance; consequently it was planted exten- 

 sively, particularly in churchyards, where, in safe en- 

 closure, its poisonous foliage was out of reach of cattle. 



