The Pine 



FIG. 87. Section from a 52-year-old short-leaf pine. The tree grew in a 

 forest near Glenville, Arkansas, and was of average size. 



as much as 18 inches long and grow in clusters of three ; 

 those of the white pine are very slender, but shorter, 

 and grow in fives ; those of the Scotch pine are still 

 shorter and are in twos, as are those of many of the 

 native species. 



Examine the leaves of a young pine seedling. Are 

 they needle leaves or ordinary leaves, and are they on 

 the ends of dwarf branches or attached to the sides of 

 the stem ? What inference can you draw as to the leaves 

 of the ancestor of the pine ? 



Pollen of the pine. In spring the yellow pollen from 

 the pine trees falls in such quantity that it is sometimes 

 spoken of as a shower of sulfur. For seed production 

 some of this pollen must fall on the young cones. You 

 can see an advantage to these trees from growing in 

 pure stands. Will a cornstalk growing by itself produce 

 much grain? 



