HARDY CONIFEROUS TREES 123 



by the open habit, long snake-like branches, and 

 conspicuous light brown cones, which usually 

 stand erect and near to the tips of the branches. 



The tree is hardy, but of rather slow growth, 

 the annual increase in height of half a dozen 

 specimens I have examined, and which were 

 favourably situated, being rather more than 6 

 inches. The leaves, which number five in a sheath, 

 greatly resemble those of P. Cembra, are more or 

 less appressed to the branches, from ij to i| 

 inches long, dark green on the outer and distinctly 

 silver}^ on the inner surfaces. The cones are nearly 

 cylindrical, 3 inches long by fully i inch in diameter, 

 and consist of obliquely diamond - shaped Hght 

 brown scales, each terminating in a stiff, upward- 

 pointing, dull purple sharp point nearly a quarter 

 of an inch long. The cones are invariably pro- 

 duced singly, are very imiform in shape and size, 

 and give forth resin in great abundance. The 

 seeds are small, with a wing three-eighths of an 

 inch long. Pollen catkins are plentifully produced, 

 they being dull purple of colour, ovate, and fre- 

 quently i| inches long. 



P. Balfouriana aristata has the same arrange- 

 ment of the needles, but these are usually longer, 

 and to a great extent wanting in the silvery sheen 

 for which the inner sides of the leaves of the species 

 are so justly remarkable. The appearance of the 

 tree is more shaggy, less refined, if I may use the 

 expression, owing to the longer leaves and to their 

 not being so closely appressed to the stem. 



The species and its variety succeed in loamy 

 soils that are retentive if the subsoil is porous 

 and the exposure to the sun is good. The variety 



