THE STONE-PINE OB EDIBLE-PINE 



Pinus Pinea Lin. CONIFERAE. (PINACEAE). 



Maltese =.Prinjoli tal ichtl or Znuber talichel. Italian =Pino da Pinocchi. 

 French =Pin pi%non. 



The Stone- Pine is native of Southern Europe, and 

 is one of the very few species of Pinus which agree very 

 well with our soil and climate. It is a tall tree, at first 

 with a pyramidal habit, afterwards acquires a rather 

 globose shape, and later takes definitely an umbrella- 

 shaped form which gives it a picturesque appearance. 

 The stone-pine agrees with all soils and thrives well in 

 all situations, preferring deep and moist soils and shel- 

 tered situations where it makes quick growth and soon 

 becomes a tree of fine size, but shows a remarkable 

 power of endurance in dry and poor . soils and in exposed 

 situations. 



The tree is propagated exclusively by seed. The 

 seeds or stones are sown in March or April, in beds well 

 prepared with leaf-mould and old manure. Germination 

 takes place in about three weeks, and the young seedlings 

 should be kept rather dry to protect them from rot to 

 which they are very liable. When the seedlings are one 

 or two years old they are taken up in March or April, 

 if possible with a small ball of earth, and planted out in 

 the nursery about i metre apart, where they soon 

 establish themselves and develop into fine young trees in 

 four or five years. However, unlike its congener the 

 Aleppo-pine, the stone-pine when more than four years 

 old bears transplanting very badly, and in any case 

 should be transplanted always with a good ball of earth, 

 and not before April or later than June. On this account 

 the stone-pine is often grown in pots, as then it can be 

 transplanted at any time with little risk of failure; but 

 plants grown in pots soon get pot-bound and when 



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