2184- ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 



wooded Scotch pine, when come to some age, is, in wet gronnd, attacked by 

 the rot ; which commences in the collar, and spreads to the adjacent roots 

 and up the stem, in a manner very similar to tlie rot in the larch. The red wood 

 approaches nearer to the outside ot" the trunk, in trees where the rot exists, 

 than in others, and is nearest that side of the tree where the rot is the greatest. 

 This disease is found in trees growing in poor wet tills, and in flat, sandy, 

 moorish soils, with a retentive subsoil. " The fact that the red pine in Scot- 

 land has fewer sap wood layers than the red pine of Memel or of North 

 America, and also the fact that, in most situations in Scotland, the red pine 

 soon decays, and soonest in the places where the trees have fewest sap wood 

 layers, and where the timber has been planted, that is, where the cones have 

 been kilndried, are worthy of notice. Scotch red pine has generally from 

 14- to 4-0 layers; Memel, from 40 to 50; Canadian, often 100. We consider 

 the long, moist, open winter, and cold ungenial spring in Scotland, and the 

 till bottoms soaking with water, perhaps aided by the transplanting, and the 

 kilndrying of the cones, to be the causes of this early loss of vitality or change 

 of sap w ood into matured wood. In Poland and Prussia, the earth does 

 not remain so long cold and moist as in Scotland, but is either frozen, or 

 sufficiently warm and dry : this occurs even to a greater degree in Canada ; 

 and neither the Memel nor Canadian trees have any chance of being planted, or 

 the seeds kilndried." {On Naval Timber, p. 75.) In mountainous countries, 

 and in countries subject to heavy falls of snow, the Scotch pine is liable to 

 the accidents which we have mentioned (p. 2136.) as common to the order 

 generally ; and not only forests take fire, but also single trees. A remarkable 

 instance of this last kind of accident is noticed by Dr. Howison, who visited 

 the nortli of Russia in 1818 ; and who, having observed many large trees of the 

 i^inus sylvestris standing erect in the forest, in a withered, and frequently in 

 u dead state, was led to examine into the reason. He was not a little sur- 

 prised to find that, in many cases, although the bark was entire, the interior 

 part or wood of the tree was in a great measure charred. On enquiry, he 

 found that this was occasioned by the travelling boors, in the sultry dry wea- 

 ther of sunniier, seeking the shade of large trees, and making fires for dressing 

 their victuals about the roots of the trees. Many of these roots lie near the 

 surface; and, as they abound very much with resinous matter, they readily 

 catch fire. The fire seems to be propagated slowly, as in match paper ; a 

 gradual and stifled combustion creeps onwards, encouraged by the drought, 

 and constantly fed by the empyreumatic oil of turpentine (or tar), which is 

 produced by the heat, until the interior of the trunk itself be destroyed. 

 {Jameson^ s Journal, iv. p. 207.) — We have given these ample details on the 

 subject of the Scotch pine, considering it by far the most valuable timber 

 tree of tiie genus in Britain, and even in Europe. 



statistics. Recorded Trees. Gilpin mentions Basilslcigli, in Berkshire, as containing some of 

 the most picturesque s\)ecies of the Scotch jiinc in England in his time. He also mentions some 

 fine trees at 'I'hirklehy, near 'J'hirsk, in York.shire, a tew of which still exist. In Scotland, at In- 

 verary, a tree nKiitioiied in the Arnyllshhe lieporl has a trunk 10 ft. in circumference at 4 ft. from 

 the ground ; one at Castle Huntley, in Perthshire, measured in 17i)f>, was 13 rt. ti in. in circumfe. 

 rence at 3 ft. trom the ground ; and, close by the ground, 19 ft. in circumference. This tree 

 was considered at the time the largest in the county. At Cameron, in Dumbartonshire, on 

 the shores of Loch I.omond, a tree, in 1784, measured 7 ft. 2 in in circumrcreuce at 4 ft. from the 

 ground ; one at liargally, in 1780, measured <J ft. 3 in. in circumference, and 90 ft. high, with 22 ft. 

 of clear stem. It was planted in W.fl, and, consequently, was nearly 100 years old. According to 

 L)r. Walker, in the year 1740, the late Sir J. Nasmyth, formed at New Posso, in Tweeddalc, a very 

 extensive Scotch pine plantation on the north side of a barren hill of considerable height. In the 

 year 17'Jl, many of the trees in the plantation measured 4 ft. in girt, and contained from 4 in. to 6 in. 

 of red wood. In Ireland, in 1794, Hayos mentions some Scotch pines, at Hailybeg an<l at Hillbrook, 

 which measured 7 ft. in girt at ,0 ft. Irom the ground, and 5 ft. at 50 ft. high. One lelied in its 70th 

 year was 77i ft. in length of clear timber, and measured (1^ ft. in girt at .'iO ft. from the ground. 

 (Priict. Treat., Ikv., i>. UH.) At Tiny Park, Sir S. Smyth, Bart., was one 10 ft. roui <1, containing 

 nearly the same bulk for 2.'j ft. At Luttrelstown, Karl of Carhampton, one of 85 years' growth from 

 the seed was 11 ft. in girt; and another, of very great height, was 11 ft. 10 in., or nearly 4ft. in 

 diameter, which Hayes believed to exceed the dimensions of the largest foreign deal ever imported. 

 These trees stood among oaks and other trees, on very high ground, though Hat at top for a con- 

 siderable extent, and much exposed. At Kmo Park, Karl of Portarlington, were several Scotch 

 pines, with trunks from S ft. to 9 ft. in girt, clear to the height of iJO ft. or 30 ft., and large wild 

 branching heads, richly clothed with leaves. (Ilud.) 



ExisliriK Trees. In the Knvirons of London. At Muswell Hill, it is fiO ft. high ; at Ham House, 

 near Kichniond, it is 70 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 4ft., and of the head 80 ft. ; at V^hitton 

 there are many specimens, IdOycars jilantcd, from 70 ft. to 80 ft. high, with trunk? from 2 ft. to 3ft. in 



