THE CORSICAN PINE 23 



somewhat cylindrical, thin habit of growth, its 

 branches being few' and slender ; and especially by 

 its needles, which are from four to six inches long, 

 slender, and waved. It reaches greater dimensions 

 than any other form : it is said to attain to an age of 

 nearly six hundred years, and its wood is described 

 as better than that of the other varieties. This 

 wood is creamy-white when freshly cut, but becomes 

 brownish-yellow when seasoned : it is tough, elastic, 

 long but rather coarse in grain, very resinous, easily 

 worked, susceptible of a fair polish, and very durable. 

 It may be doubted whether this tree can stand sea- 

 breezes as well as the Cluster Pine, but it will sfrow 

 on calcareous soils. Some of the finest plantations of 

 the species in England are at Wortley Hall, Yorkshire, 

 and Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire. 



The Austrian or Black Pine (P. Laricio, var. 

 austriaca Endl. ; P. Laricio nigricans Pari. ; or 

 P. austriaca Hoss.) is distinguished by its denser 

 habit, with more, longer, and stouter branches than 

 the Corsican Pine, and shorter, thicker, and more 

 rigid leaves. These are seldom much over four inches 

 in length, quite straight, and of a very dark brownish 

 shade of green, and have a hard, yellowish tip. In 

 Austrian forests the tree attains a height equal to the 

 Corsican Pine ; but in the British Isles it is smaller. 

 It is a fast-growing form, and most accommodat- 

 ing as to soil. AVhere it grows wild it shows a 

 preference for calcareous soils, and especially for mag- 

 nesian limestone ; but, coming from countries with 

 warm summers, a warm, southern exposure suits it 

 best. It is coarser grained than the Corsican Pine, 



