12 PINES 



help to distinguish them from those belonging to 

 other groups of Pines. 



They are all longer than they are broad. They 

 are all cylindric, or sub-cylindric in shape. They are 

 all erect when growing, and pendulous eventually. 

 Their scales all have thin margins, and finish off with 

 umbos. They are very variable in size on all four, 

 but as a rule P. Excelsa has the longest cone, and 

 P. Strobus, which represents the eastern side of 

 America, the shortest ; P. Monticola, which represents 

 the West Pacific slopes and Rocky Mountain regions, 

 is the half-way house between the two in the matter 

 of size of cone, while P. Peuke represents the biggest 

 girth measurement of the clique. Further, the scales 

 of P. Peuke are striated (marked with channelled 

 stripes and streaks), and exude resin freely, so also 

 does the P. Strobus, but not so profusely. Paren- 

 thetically we might add that this is a little untidy 

 habit they all four have a propensity to indulge in. 

 The description of the P. Strobus cone, as having 

 a pointed apex and tapering in shape, we have alluded 

 to, and as cones are to be found in plenty under 

 both, this ought to be a help in distinguishing it from 

 the P. Excelsa cone. 



Cloud-piercing Pine Trees nod their troubled heads. 



Wordsworth. 



Ayacahuite, Lambertiana. — ^As the P. Lamber- 

 tiana, the Sugar Pine of California, is the mightiest 

 in height among Pine trees, it claims to deserve the 

 Homeric epithet of cloud-piercing above all others 

 that we have made mention of. 



If cones would always put in an appearance when 

 wanted, it would considerably add to the convenience 

 of the identifier. These two members of the Strobi 

 Group carry giants in the shape of cones. The 

 Lambertiana has only one rival in the championship, 



