COMPARATIVE VALUE OF EXOTIC CONIFEK.E IN BRITAIN. 277 



to every tree lover. We do not wish it, however, to be inferred 

 that it can in point of ornament compare with several other species, 

 although it will be admitted it is worthy of at least second rank. 



From our own experience of home-grown wood of the Corsican 

 Pine, it is, so far as lasting qualities are concerned, second to none 

 of those we have tried. It is strong, tough, elastic, very resinous, 

 and easily worked, and this is speaking of trees of fully fifty 

 years' growth. We have used home-grown Laricio wood for many 

 purposes, and always with the most satisfactory results, some of 

 the largest })lanks being fully 27 inches wide, and cut from trees 

 that gii'thed nearly 9 feet at a yard from the ground. To-day 

 we examined several planks which were sawn up seven years ago, 

 and find that they are little the worse of the wear and tear to 

 which they have been subjected. In France extensive plantations 

 of this pine have been formed, while the Prussian Government 

 has introduced it into the State forests. A native of Southern 

 Europe, parts of Asia, and several islands of the Mediterranean 

 Sea. Introduced 1759. 



78. P. monticola. — That such a beautiful and free-growing tree 

 has now, after a fair trial, been found to be well suited for planting 

 in our British woodlands is a matter of the greatest importance, 

 for certainly few members of the pine family combine the useful 

 with the ornamental in so high a degree. P. monticola is a 

 veiy handsome tree, about midway in appearance between P. 

 Cembra and P. Strohus; indeed, by some authorities it is ranked 

 as a vai'iety of the latter. The contour of a fair-sized sjiecimen 

 may be called pyramidal, not so much, however, as in P. Cembra, 

 with an abundance of rather short branches, well clothed with 

 dark rich green foliage. More, perhaps, as an ornamental tree 

 than a valuable timber-producer is this pine known to us ; yet 

 in this latter respect it is certainly far from valueless, as the 

 fine samples of its timber exhibited at the Colonial Exhibition, 

 as well as the various uses to which it is applied, clearly pointed 

 out. The timber, of which a plank 18 feet long, 46 inches wide, 

 and 3 inches thick, was exhibited, is well packed and firm, not 

 of too deep a colour, and well adapted for using where sti^ength 

 and lasting qualities are of first importance. The value of the 

 wood, as grown in this countiy, has not yet been fairly tested. 

 As an ornamental tree it, however, occupies the front rank. 

 Habitat, California, Oregon, and Washington Territory. Intro- 

 duced into this country in 1831. 



