204 MONCECIA. 



and Abies, (Firs.) All the species bear cones, which are of 

 various shapes and sizes. These are composed of hard 

 woody scales lying over each other, which disposition ap- 

 pears to be designed to protect the stamens and pistils con- 

 tained within, or under them. 



The different species are distinguished by the disposition 

 of the leaves, and the shape of the cones. In most of the 

 species which are called Firs, the leaves are solitary, or dis- 

 tinct at the base, while in the Pines, they are in pairs, or 

 twins, and are surrounded at the base by a sheath common 

 to both. Some of the Pines, however, have their leaves in 

 threes, and one or two species in fives, and in two or three 

 of the Firs, they are in fours. 



The most common species of the Pine genus in this coun- 

 try are the following. 



Yellow or Red Pine, (Pinus resinosa.) Leaves in pairs ; 

 cones ovate-conical, rounded at the base, solitary, half as long 

 as the leaves, scales unarmed ; sixty feet high. 



Scrub Pine, (Pinus Banksiana.) Leaves in- pairs, divari- 

 cating and oblique ; cones recurved, twisted ; scales un- 

 armed ; twelve feet high. 



Three leaved Yellow Pine, (Pinus variabilis.) Leaves 

 twin, or ternate ; cones ovate-conical, nearly solitary ; arms 

 of the scales incurved ; forty feet high. 



Pitch Pine, (Pinus rigida.) Leaves in threes ; cones 

 ovate and clustered ; sheath of the leaves short ; spines of 

 the scales reflected ; eighty feet high. 



White Pine, Weymouth Pine, (Pinus strobus.) Leaves 

 in fives, and very slender ; sheathes short ; cones cylindri- 

 cal, pendant, and longer than the leaves ; scales loose ; sixty 

 feet high. 



Balsam tree. Fir tree, (Pinus balsamea.) Leaves soli- 

 tary, or distinct at the base, glaucous or grayish beneath, flat, 

 and sub-erect above ; cones cylindrical, erect ; bracts short ; 

 sixty feet high. 



Black Spruce, (Pinus nigra.) Leaves solitary, four cor- 

 nered, erect, and straight ; cones ovate ; scales elliptical, erect 

 and wavy at the edge ; fifty feet high. 



Hemlock-spruce, (Pinus Canadensis.) Leaves solitary, 

 flat, denticulate, and nearly in two rows ; cones ovate, 



How are the several species of this family distiguished from each 

 other ' What are the species of pine most common in this country ? 



