SOILS FOR THE PINE. 105 



pine plants which have stood but one year in a seed- 

 bed, and one year again in nursery lines, are the 

 best adapted for this particular end in view, for 

 though rarely used, they are the most tenacious of 

 life. 



There is no other tree which grows so quickly and 

 produces such valuable timber on poor soils as the 

 Scotch pine. It succeeds on dry and gravelly heath- 

 covered moors, while even amongst fissures and debris 

 of rocks, its roots will penetrate recesses, and find food 

 to sustain it in health and vigour. It cannot however 

 put up with stagnant water, though it will do very 

 well on top soils which have water beneath at a fair 

 depth, as its roots generally spread near the surface 

 of the ground. Of all waste lands, pine bog is the 

 most uncongenial to its growth, for, although it may 

 sometimes be found tenacious of its life even under 

 the most adverse circumstances, and is seen to live in 

 soil composed almost exclusively of this vegetable 

 amalgam, it will not grow to be a timber tree. In 

 obtaining the seed, care should be taken that only the 

 very best is used, that of the true Pinus sylvestris, 

 which has been collected from the finest trees. 



The Corsican Pine (P. laricio). This tree in the 

 island of Corsica is often met with 140 feet high, but 

 does not affect poor soils. It was introduced into 

 England about the middle of the eighteenth century, 

 but has never been largely cultivated except for 

 ornamental purposes. It is a native of various 

 countries of the south of Europe, and also the west 

 and north of Asia. There are many varieties of the 

 species, eight or ten being classed by nurserymen 

 who rear the different kinds, which is chiefly appre- 



