THE PINE. 257 



one's feelings would be sure to indicate an immeasur- 

 able change. 



The fact remains, however, that the winter climate 

 of the "pines" in New Jersey is very similar to that 

 of Florida. One is not so much surprised at this 

 after a walk through the pine forest, for all below is 

 mild and quiet, while above, the sighing, singing 

 winds relentlessly toss the rugged branches to and 

 fro. In the White Mountains I have also noticed 

 that, however bitterly cold it was on the open road, 

 the sheltered depths of the forest permitted me to 

 use my pencil with unprotected fingers for quite a 

 length of time. One must experience the tonic of 

 the winter air laden with balsamic odors in order to 

 properly appreciate it. There is as much scientific 

 truth as there is poetry in what Whittier had writ- 

 ten long before the Northern winter sanitarium 

 became popular : 



There's iron in our Northern winds ; 

 Our pines are trees of healing. 



But there are few of us who see much of the 

 pines in winter, and in summer their beauty is 

 eclipsed by the prodigal luxuriance of the deciduous 

 trees. However, the pine grove is not unappreciated 

 even in August, and if we will bend our steps thither 

 we will enter a region far more accessible and inter- 



