iU A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



the exposed portion rhomboidal and transversely keeled with a 

 thickened apex. Seed ^ in. or more long, with a wing 1-1 1 in. 

 in length. 



The following varieties have been described, but it is doubtful 

 whether they are obtainable. 



Var. Aberdoniae, Loudon. 



Var Hamiltoni, Gordon. 



Leaves pale green, cones shorter and more ovoid than in the 

 type. 



Var. Lemoniana. 



p. Lemoniana, Bentham. 



Cones solitary and erect at the end of the branchlet, the 

 terminal bud undeveloped. 



Var. minor, Loiseleur. 



P. minor, Loudon. 



Cones smaller than in the typical form. 



The maritime pine is distinguished from other species by 

 its thick, deeply fissured, reddish bark ; by its long, stout leaves, 

 persistent cones, and long, stout winter buds with reflexed scales. 



Native of the Mediterranean region, extending as far east- 

 ward as Greece, and reaching the shores of the Atlantic in France 

 and Portugal, but its area has been much extended by cultivation. 

 Its most southerly habitat is Algeria. 



Wood moderately heavy, 33-48 lb. per cubic ft., fairly hard, 

 coarse-grained and resinous, with numerous large resin-ducts. 

 The heartwood varies in colour from light red to reddish brown, 

 the sapwood from pale yellow to almost white. It is not very 

 durable in contact with the soil, except when treated with creosote 

 or some other preservative. Amongst other pine timbers it may 

 be classed as grade three. It has many uses, and is employed 

 in coarse carpentry, inferior classes of building work, box-boards, 

 laths, pit-props, and, when preserved, for telegraph and telephone 

 poles, railway sleepers and paving blocks. The most important 

 product of the maritime pine, however, is resin, and large quanti- 

 ties are extracted annually. The chief centre of the European 

 resin industry is Western France, whence large quantities of tur- 

 pentine and rosin are distributed. In the Landes there are 

 immense forests of this pine and resin extraction and distillation 

 gives employment to large numbers of people. The resinous 

 products are obtained in two ways, by tapping and by destructive 

 distillation. In tapping operations a section of bark and a thin 

 sHver of wood are removed from the lower part of the tree, 

 and a narrow strip of zinc is placed at the base of the wound. 

 Resin exudes from the face of the cut surface, and is guided by 



