THE CORSICAN PINE. 181 
XI. The Corsican Pine (Pinus laricio). By Ancus D. WEBSTER, 
Forester, Penrhyn Castle, Bangor, Wales. 
This noble tree was first discovered in dense masses in Corsica, 
whence it was introduced into this country in 1759 under the name 
of Pinus sylvestris maritima. Since that time, however, it has 
been found somewhat plentiful in Calabria on the Apennines in Italy, 
and on Mount Etna in Sicily, at elevations ranging from 4000 to 6000 
feet. In these, its native habitats, it attains an average height of 
fully 100 feet, although from a trustworthy source we have learnt 
that in Corsica specimens 180 feet in height have been found ; but 
these are certainly few in number, and may be considered as the 
giants of their tribe. 
The Corsican pine is a tree of bold, erect habit, and more inclined 
to throw the vigour of its growth into the stem than in the formation 
of many or weighty side branches. The branches are rather short 
in proportion to the height of the tree, and grow almost horizontal, 
or are, more correctly speaking, slightly drooping, with up-turned 
points ; but this is most noticeable in old specimens of the true 
type, and less so in those of younger growth. |The Calabrian form 
is far more pyramidal in contour than the Corsican variety. The 
leaves are in pairs, slightly twisted or undulate, and from 4 to 6 
inches in length ; cones usually solitary, but sometimes in twos and 
threes, sessile, and varying in size from 2 to 3 inches in length, and 
a little more than an inch in diameter. This tree is not unfre- 
quently confounded with the Austrian pine, but this is not to be 
wondered at, when we consider how nearly, in some cases, these 
trees approach each other; indeed, on this estate, intermediate 
forms linking the two trees together are by no means uncommon. 
The typical forms of each are, however, perfectly distinct, being 
quite dissimilar in habit, foliage, rate of growth, quality of timber, 
and general appearance. 
The following differences taken from genuine specimens of these 
two trees, standing side by side, and nearly 60 feet in height, are 
always observable, and may be relied upon as correct :—The Cor- 
sican pine presents a far more light and airy appearance than the 
Austrian, which is due in a great measure to the foliage being of a 
much lighter green, and the branches fewer and less thickly covered 
with leaves. The leaves are shorter and less stiff than those of 
Austriaca, and usually, though not always, undulate or twisted—this 
latter being an unerring point of difference between the two trees. 
