The Pines 21 



The bark is reddish-brown in colour and coarse-scaled. On old trees it is thick 

 and deeply furrowed with broad ridges which separate into loose scales. 



The twigs, which are stout, remain rough for some time after the leaves drop. 

 They are frequently found sprouting in clusters directly from the bark of the trunk. 

 The roots penetrate deeply into the soil where it is not too heavy. 



The leaves are needle-like and in clusters of three. They are 2 to 5 in. long, 

 stiff, and somewhat triangular in cross-section. This is the only pine in Eastern 

 Canada with three leaves in a bundle. 



The cones are 3^ to 3 in. long, spherical in shape when open, and without a 

 stalk. The scales are thickened at the tip and have a stiff, curved prickle. The 

 cones are very persistent and dead ones often remain sticking to the branch for 

 five or six years. 



The pitch pine has a very limited range in Canada. It barely extends from 

 the Northeastern States across the Canada-United States boundary into New 

 Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. It enters the latter province at the Thousand 

 Islands, where it is found growing with the red pine among the rocks. 



The only use of this pine in Canada is for firewood, and it has no commercial 

 value. 



PINUS PONDEROSA, Dougl. WESTERN YELLOW PINE 



Common names : Western yellow pine, bull pine (British Columbia) 



yellow pine, British Columbia soft pine, jack pine*. 

 French name: Pin a bois lourd. 



Under particularly favourable conditions the western yellow pine reaches the 

 majestic height of 160 to 170 ft., or more, and a diameter of 5 to 6 ft. Ordinarily 

 it attains a height^f 75 to 80 ft. and a diameter of 2 to 2J^ ft. Grown in a dense 

 stand the trunk is straight, clear of branches, and has very little taper. 



The bark on old trees is very thick, 3 to 4 in., and is broken into plates 3 ft. 

 long. The surface of each plate is flat and scaly and of a reddish tinge, while the 

 furrows are deep and dark grey in colour. The bark of young trees is dark and 

 fissured into firm, scaly ridges. On account of its thick bark this tree, except when 

 very young, is rarely damaged by ground fires. 



The branches are short, stiff, much branched, and turned up towards the end, 

 giving the tree a very characteristic appearance. Young twigs when broken 

 have a smell similar to that of orange peel. 



This pine is peculiar in having leaves in clusters of both three and two leaves. 

 Three is the more common number to find. The leaves are very stout and stiff, 

 and vary in length from 5 to 1 1 in. They are dark green in colour and grow in 

 heavy, brush-like clusters at the ends of the branches. This is the only pine native 

 to western Canada with three leaves in a bundle. 



The cones are 2J^ to 5^ in. long, and 1)^ to 2 in. in diameter. Their colour, 

 when ripe, is extremely variable and runs from grass-green to dark purple. The 

 scales are tipped with a prickle. When the cone drops a few of the scales at its 

 base are often left sticking to the branch. 



