HARDY CONIFEROUS TREES 133 



North-Eastem United States. — In this country, at 

 least, the present species cannot be ranked as an 

 ornamental tree, the stout and twisted branches, 

 and generally unfurnished and straggling appear- 

 ance being the reverse of beautiful. The leaves are 

 greyish green, produced plentifully, and two in a 

 sheath. The glaucous shoots are very character- 

 istic. A rather pecuhar appearance is given to the 

 tree by the prickly and thickly produced cones, 

 which are often found in whorls far back on 

 the branches, where they persist for many years. 

 One of the largest specimens I have seen is grow- 

 ing on broken slaty rock with decayed vegetable 

 matter, near the Penrhyn Slate Quarries in Wales. 

 P. INSIGNIS, Douglas. Remarkable Pine. (Syn- 

 onyms : P. radiata, Don ; P. tuberculata, Don.) 

 Cahfomia. 1833. — A handsome, fast-growing 

 conifer, but unfortunately one that in point of 

 hardihood cannot ever3^where be depended upon. 

 The ornamental character of this species is uni- 

 versally admitted ; indeed, it might well be 

 described as the greenest and most dainty of all 

 pines, while it is probably the most rapid in growth. 

 The leaves, three in a sheath, are slender and 

 thread-like, of a bright, clear green, and 5 inches 

 long ; while the cones are the same length, 2\ 

 inches in diameter, and of a shining chocolate 

 colour. It is certainly unfortunate that so noble 

 and beautiful a tree has not been found generally 

 hardy in these islands, and that it is, in consequence, 

 but seldom planted except in the south and west. 

 It also suffers from wind -waving, the head of 

 foliage being heavy and the root-spread narrow\ 

 Too much coddling should be dispensed with in 



