122 CONIFEROUS TREES 



must be considered as comparatively rare through- 

 out Britain. It is quite hardy, but of slow growth, 

 about mid-way in habit between upright and 

 spreading ; and owing to the thickly arranged 

 short tufts of leaves being closely appressed to 

 the branches and only towards the tips, these 

 present a curious cylindrical or bottle-brush appear- 

 ance. The short, falcate leaves, five in a sheath, 

 are each not much over i inch in length, and of a 

 soft shade of green, the inner face alone having a 

 silvery tone. The cones vary in length, but are 

 usually in the home specimens fully 2 J inches, 

 with protuberant, slightly hooked scales, and when 

 quite ripe are of a dark cinnamon brown ; this also 

 being the colour of the bark on the older portions 

 of the tree. In this country the tree is of neat 

 growth, and though the annual increase in height 

 is quite slow, yet the leading shoot is preserved, 

 and the branches are regularly arranged for the 

 full length of the bole. 



P. Balfouriana aristata, Engelmann, 1863, 

 growing alongside the former tree, is somewhat 

 distinct, especially in the uniform light green of 

 the leaves and in the spiny cones, these being for 

 the greater part longer than those of the species. 

 The same arrangement of foliage is common to 

 both. There is a well-developed specimen growing 

 at one of the entrances to Welbeck Abbey, which 

 has produced cones freely. 



In no other Pine of my acquaintance are the 

 needles so thickly produced, so persistent, and so 

 closely appressed to the stem and branches as in 

 P. Balfouriana. It is thus rendered very distinct 

 from every other, which is still further enhanced 



