88 Capt. S. E. Widdrington on European Pines. 



bitats, it must undoubtedly be placed in the zone below P. syl- 

 vestris. At the same time there is no question that it is suffi- 

 ciently hardy to resist any cold to which it is liable to be ex- 

 posed in these islands. The thermometer at Vienna fell last 

 winter to 19° of Reaumur, and in 1830 to 22°, or nearly 18° 

 below zero of Fahrenheit, a degree I believe seldom, if ever, 

 seen in Britain, at least in modern times. 



This species is very nearly connected with P. taurica or 

 Pallasiana ; the foliage is scarcely to be distinguished ; but on 

 comparing the cones of the two species, as grown in the Bota- 

 nical Garden at Vienna, I was struck with a difference in the 

 form of the scales, and had the satisfaction of being imme- 

 diately told that the same remark had been made by Mr. Brown, 

 who had examined them. As, however, experience has shown 

 me the mistakes which are made by judging of pines from spe- 

 cimens grown in gardens, and especially in nursery grounds, 

 where the treatment sometimes entirely alters the habit of the 

 tree, I made application for, and was promised by the en- 

 lightened director of the botanical department, Mr. End- 

 licher, cones of both species taken from the natural forests at 

 the proper season, which will probabl}'^ enable the question of 

 their identity or distinctness to be decided. 



From the quick growth of this tree, the great beauty of its 

 foliage, which is long, thick and tangled, and of the deepest 

 green, as well as the great value of the timber, which the 

 Austrian woodmen consider superior to that of P. sylvestris, 

 it cannot be too strongly recommended to the attention of 

 planters. It is equally fitted for the forest or the park, for use 

 or for ornament, and its deep tints would form an admirable 

 contrast with the light and transparent foliage of the elegant 

 Pinus hisjjanica. The country is very much indebted to Mr. 

 Lawson of Edinburgh, who first introduced this interesting 

 species, and it cannot be too generally used with the Laricio, 

 a congener, as a substitute for the Pinaster, w hicli has rather 

 unfortunately been tried in some pai'ts of the West of England, 

 the timber being comparatively valueless, and in every other 

 respect very inferior to the species we are now considering. 

 It cannot be too strongly urged on those who have the care 

 of making fir plantations for future utility, to plant the ever- 

 greens, which are to remain, at the requisite distances, and to 

 have the fillings-up entirely of larch. By adopting this method 

 several advantages accrue. The woodmen make no mistakes 

 in selecting, during the process of thinning, and no spaces 

 are left too open or too close. The evergreens, which require 

 more or less care when young, are more readily looked after, 

 and their places supplied where necessary, in case of failure. 

 The larch should be planted a year or two before the ever- 



