378 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



The Canary Island pine is quite unsuitable for the climate of 

 the British Isles, although it may succeed in a few places such 

 as the Scilly Islands and Falmouth. It is a sub -tropical tree, and 

 adapted for countries where considerable dry periods are experi- 

 enced. In certain parts of S. Africa it is giving very good results 

 as a forest tree, whilst it might also succeed in N. Nigeria, Egypt, 

 Algeria, Morocco, S. Europe, Australia, etc. A small business 

 might be encouraged in the British Isles by cultivating small 

 plants in pots for table and house decoration. 



Hutchinson, Kew Bulletin, No. 1, 1918, p. 1. 



Pinus caribaea, Morelet. 

 The Cuban Pine. 



Pinus bahamensis, Grisebach ; P. cubensis, Sargent (not Grisebach) ; P. 

 EUiottii, Engelmann ; P. heterophylla, Sudworth ; P. recurvata, Rowley ; 

 P. Tseda, var. heterophylla, Elliott. Bastard Pine ; Meadow Pine ; Pitch 

 Pine ; She Pine ; She Pitch Pine ; Slash Pine ; Spruce Pine ; Swamp Pine. 



A tree 90-100 ft. or rarely 120-150 ft. high, with a shapely 

 trunk 7-9 ft. in girth, often free from branches for 50-70 ft. 

 Branches usually large and spreading. Bark thick, reddish, 

 deeply fissured and shed in thin, wide scales. Young shoots 

 glaucous. Winter buds smooth, cylindrical, narrowed to the apex. 

 Leaves in twos or threes or more, densely crowded on the branches, 

 falling during the second year, dark green, glossy, 8-12 in. long, 

 margins finely toothed, apex a short, horny point, stomatic lines 

 on each surface ; resin canals internal ; basal sheath ^-f in. long. 

 Cones sub-terminal, reflexed, ovate or conical, 4-5 in. long and 

 2-2| in, wide, on short stalks, rather Uke the cones of P. Pinaster, 

 often leaving a few basal scales on the tree when they fall ; scales 

 about 2 in. long and | in. wide, the exposed part shining, reddish 

 brown, swollen, ending in a minute prickle. Seeds triangular, 

 black, scarcely I in. long, with well-developed brown wings 1 in. 

 or more long. 



Distinguished from P. Tceda by the varying number of leaves 

 in the bundle, and by the glaucous young shoots, and from P. 

 palustris by the thinner, terminal buds and the shape of the cone- 

 scales. 



The Cuban pine is found in the sub-tropical parts of the S.E. 

 United States, S. Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, also in Cuba 

 and Honduras, etc. 



Wood strong and of good quaHty, though rather coarse- 

 grained, very resinous, with prominent resin ducts. It resembles 

 the wood of P. palustris and equals it in strength and usefulness. 

 For general purposes there is little to choose between the wood 

 of the two species, and it appears to be mixed when marketed. 

 The Cuban pine furnishes very good resin, which is stated to be 



