826 The Pines. 



feet in height, but usually not more than two feet in diameter. In 

 Alaska it extends as far as the Yokun river, ond over large areas in- 

 to the Peace-river region. The wood is seldom used for timber, ow- 

 ing to its small size, but is white and fairly durable. The cambium 

 layer contains much sugar, is eaten by the Indians in the spring, 

 and in some instances large quantities of it are collected and dried 

 for winter use. 1 



1324. THE HARD-NUT PINE OR DIGGER-PINE (Pinus Sabiniana). 

 This pine so notable on account of the great size and solidity of its 

 cones, does not form dense forests, but is widely disseminated in 

 California and Oregon, being generally scattered sparsely over the 

 most rocky surfaces not occupied by other trees. The seeds afford 

 subsistence to the Indians in many places. 



1325. Dr. Douglas describes this tree as of Alpine habit, but 

 Prof. Newberry's observations disprove this. 2 The tree spreads out 

 more like an oak or a maple than a conifer as it usually grows ; its 

 foliage is a pale bluish-green, and thin, and the whole aspect of the 

 tree is light and airy. The author last quoted describes the cones as 

 solitary, ovid, sometimes as large as one's head, and very ponderous, 

 being covered with spurs or strong curved spires an inch or more 

 long, of which the broad bases cover all the exposed portion of the 

 scales. The seeds are as large as beans, and very palatable, having, 

 however, a slight terebinthine taste. The leaves are in threes, from 

 eight to ten inches long. The timber is of little value, on ac- 

 count of its irregular and spreading form. 



1326. The Pinus Coulteri much resembles the above, and has a 

 very thick, rough, blackish bark. The leaves are in threes, six to 

 ten inches long, stiff, erect, and crowded at the ends of the branches. 

 Its cones are as large, but the seeds are smaller. They are both 

 found on the Coast Range, where we also find two unimportant spe- 

 cies, the P. tuberculata and P. muricata. 



1327. THE MONTEREY PINE (Pinus insignis), grows upon a 

 very restricted area, to the height of 80 to 100 feet, in the vicinity 

 of Monterey. Its cones are one-sided and in clusters, of rather 

 large size; but it is too limited in amount to be of interest as a tim- 

 ber tree. 



1328. LOBLOLLY, OR OLD-FIELD PINE (Pinus tceda). This pine 



1 G. M. Dawson's "Trees of Brilish Columbia," p. 8. 

 ^Pacific Railway Lxplorations, Vol. VI., Part iii., p. 40. 



