PINUS EXCELSA 13 



and if the Coulteri carries off the welter-weight prize, 

 the Lambertiana outpaces its rival in the long-dis- 

 tance stakes, while the Ayacahuite is a close runner 

 up. The cone of the P. Lambertiana in shape takes 

 after the shell case of a 6-inch gun, and that of the 

 P. Coulteri and P. A3^acahuite follow more after the 

 family figure of the pumpkin. 



When we come to a comparison of leaf appearance, 

 as between the Excelsa and Ayacahuite, we are 

 approaching another of those Tweedle-dum and 

 Tweedle-dee differences that seem to be created to 

 perplex. But as eventually it was generally admitted 

 by posterity that in reality a great gulf, in a matter 

 of prowess, separated the two rivals, Handel and 

 Bononcini, who inspired Dr. Byrom's rhyme. 



Strange all this difference should be, 

 'Twixt Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee, 



so does one ver}' marked difference, luckily for us, 

 in quest of simple clues, divide in character unmis- 

 takably these two trees. While the Excelsa twigs 

 are smooth as marble, those of the Ayacahuite — and 

 it can be easily seen — are densely covered with tufts 

 and reddish-brown down or pubescence. 



While the P. Excelsa hails from the Himalayas, 

 the Ayacahuite and its name come from that Paradise 

 of Pines the Mexican territory. To the question, 

 who gave it this name, the answer is the aboriginals 

 of that country, and the natives of a country who 

 perhaps, brought up on the slopes of Popocatepetl, 

 had learnt to love the music of high-sounding names. 

 To the question as to what this name means, our 

 only reply must be that as our liege lords of tree lore 

 have failed to inform us, no answer can be forthcoming 

 here ; and if still further pressed upon the subject of 

 its phonetic pronunciation, our answer would be the 

 same. We note that Sargent in his manual of 



