BRITISH-GROWN TIMBERS 251 



weU preserved, and in the case of that used indoors 

 it has certainly hardened \\ith age. Unhke the 

 wood of several other species of pine, which get 

 hollowed between the annual growths, owing to 

 the loss of resin and shrinkage, that of the Corsican 

 Pine remains perfectly smooth, the beautiful longi- 

 tudinal dark yellow resin-containing portions being 

 quite intact after eleven years' wear. The timber 

 does not splinter readily, but wears uniformly and 

 well when subjected to the almost constant bump- 

 ing and rough usage consequent on railway travel- 

 ling, as a large box which has been through many 

 parts of England and Scotland since the Edinburgh 

 Forestr}^ Exhibition bears ample testimony. I 

 consider the timber next to that of the Larch for 

 lasting qualities, at least amongst such conifers as 

 have been found of sufficientl}^ rapid growth to 

 warrant their recommendation for forest planting 

 in this country. 



P. Laricio nigricans. — Ages ranging from 40 

 years to 63 years ; cubic contents of largest, 61 

 feet ; soil, gravell3^ Timber ver^^ resinous, rough, 

 o\ving to the branching stem, remarkably strong 

 and tough, and coarse of grain. Fully ten years 

 have now elapsed since the timber was cut up and 

 used for fencing, for supporting the bank of a 

 rapid-flowing river, and for indoor carpentry. In 

 every case the results have been satisfactory, and 

 prove that when compared with the Spruce and 

 Scotch Pine the wood is equal in lasting properties. 

 The timber becomes lighter with age, but owing 

 to its generally rough, knotty nature, will never 

 rank very high for constructive work. 



P. Pinaster. — Age of several trees cut up. 



