390 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



years, slender, soft, twisted, dull green, 2-4| in. long, margins 

 finely toothed, apex a sharp point, stomata on each surface but 

 not very clear, resin canals marginal, basal sheath about | in. 

 long on the younger leaves, shorter later, ending in two long 

 slender points. Cones sub-terminal, sohtary, or in clusters of 

 2-3, grey or brownish, rather larger than those of Scots pine ; 

 scales 1 in. long, | in. wide, oblong, thin, opening about end of 

 second winter. Seed \ in. long ; wing well developed, |-| in. long. 



Var. argenteo-variegata, Hort. 

 Patches of silvery leaves amongst those of normal colour. 



Var. aureo-variegata, Hort. 

 Patches of golden leaves amongst those of normal colour. 



P. densiflora is distinguished from P. sylvestris by its longer 

 and more slender, dull green leaves, glaucous branchlets, and 

 larger cones. 



The species is widely distributed in Japan from the southern 

 part of Kyushu to the south of Hokkaido, avoiding marshy 

 ground. 



Wood comparable with Scots pine in quality, moderately 

 hard, strong and resinous, with numerous, well marked resin 

 ducts. The heartwood is reddish, the sapwood pale yellow. It 

 works well with a good finish, and is widely utilized for general 

 constructive work, the indoor finish of houses, and for practi- 

 cally any purpose for which the wood of Scots pine can be used. 

 If placed in contact with the ground it should be creosoted or 

 treated with some other preservative. The resinous roots are 

 often split into sections and used for torches. In forests of this 

 pine it is usual to cultivate " Matsutake," one of the most popular 

 edible fungi of Japan. A considerable revenue is derived from 

 this mushroom-like fungus ^ grown in the forests belonging to 

 Osaka Major Forest Office, Hiroshima Major Forest Office, etc.^ 



P. densiflora thrives in Japan, in clay or heavy loam, and 

 attains its largest dimensions in Honshu at elevations of 6,000- 

 7,000 ft. Seeds are produced freely, and cut or burnt-over land, 

 even when very poor, is quickly covered by seedlings. It is also 

 widely planted in pure and mixed forests. In the latter, however, 

 it can only be grown with shade-enduring species, for it must be the 

 dominating tree if good results are to be obtained. It is regarded as 

 the commonest forest tree in Japan, and occupies there a similar 

 position to P. sylvestris in N. Europe. It is rare in cultivation 

 and neither of the varieties has any horticultural value here ; in 

 Japan they are used in gardens and, with the type, are included 

 amongst the trees utilized for dwarfing purposes. 



1 Armillaria edodes, Berkeley. 

 ^Forestry of Japan, p. 72 (1910). 



