112 THE BOOK OF EVERGREENS. 



as the wood advances towards decomposition, is greatly 

 increased. 



The old Linnoean name of P. palustris, which was alto- 

 gether inappropriate to the plant, was changed by Mich- 

 aux to that which it now bears ; and, however we may 

 deprecate the alteration and change of names, we have 

 to confess that, in the present instance, it is justifiable. 



Var. excelsa, London. Syn. P. palustris excelsa, 

 Sooth. Is unknown in this country, but, according to 

 English and German writers, it is more hardy, much larg- 

 er, and has longer leaves than the species. It is also re- 

 ported to have been found on the north-west coast of 

 America, which latter assertion is, however, very doubtful. 



21, P. Fremontiana, Endlicher. FREMONT'S PINE, 

 NUT PINE. Syn. P. monophyllus, Torrey. Leaves, from 

 1 to 3 inches long, with short sheaths, rigid, curved, 

 sharply mucronate, and of a pale bluish-green color. 

 Cones, 2 inches long, light brown color and glossy, with 

 thick, recurved scales, entirely destitute of spines. Seeds, 

 quite large, wingless, and edible. 



A very distinct species from California, where it was 

 discovered by Col. Fremont, and named in his honor by 

 Prof. Endlicher. It was first called P. monophyllus^ by 

 Dr. Torrey, who was under the impression that its leaves 

 were solitary. Subsequent investigation, however, decided 

 its true character and the present name was established. 



It was first found on the Sierra Nevada, extending 

 along the sides and summits of the mountains for a dis- 

 tance of 300 miles, and was afterwards detected by Jef- 

 frey on Mt. Jefferson, in the Cascade range, at an elevation 

 of 6,500 feet. Fremont mentions that the mercury fre- 

 quently sank two degrees below zero at night in the above 

 locality, and the snow was four feet in depth. We can- 

 not, at the present time, assert its hardiness, as our specimen 

 is yet quite small, but from the character of the climate 

 of which it is a native we may safely recommend it for trial. 



