142 USES OF PLANTS. 



plains. Pines abound especially in the north, where they form 

 forests of vast extent ; the stem is straight, and their height, fre- 

 quently colossal ; a great many species are known. 



128. The Jersey pine, pitch, or scrub pine, is of middle size, 

 straggling growth, and full of resin. Its branches are tougher 

 than those of any other pine, and might be used for many pur- 

 poses if its wood were not subject to so early a decay. The 

 pitch pine is generally known in its native country by the name 

 of Norway pine ; sometimes, particularly among the Canadian 

 French, red pine. It grows in close forests, is very tall, and its 

 bark remarkably smooth and red ; the limber is very heavy ; for 

 which reason it is rejected for masts, though its shape and size 

 appear to recommend it for that purpose. The yellow pine is 

 most in use for building houses as well as shipping. The loblolly 

 or old field pine is found in large tracts in the Southern States ; 

 all the woods seem to be filled with its seeds ; for when any piece 

 of clear land is neglected for any space of time, it will be covered 

 by these pines. It is difficult, and in some cases almost imprac- 

 ticable, to recover lands so run over, as the ground appears to 

 have lost all fertile properties for other vegetation. The long- 

 leaved, yellow, pitch, or brown pine, is a beautiful, as well as a 

 very useful tree. The white or Weymouth pine grows in the 

 State of Vermont, to an enormous size ; it is the best timber in 

 America for masts. 



Turpentine, resin, tar, and pitch, are the products of several 

 species of pines, and are exported in large quantities from the 

 United States. 



The common fir is found in the same countries as the wild 

 pine. Larch and cedar are very analogous to the fir tree. 



OF THE USES OF PLANTS. 



From the short sketch we have just given of the vegetable 

 kingdom, we see how many important and varied services are 

 rendered to us by plants. Either directly or indirectly, all ani- 

 mals are nourished by plants; indeed, there is an immense num- 

 ber of animated beings that eat nothing but vegetable substances, 

 and those that feed upon meat would not find sufficient food, unless 

 they devoured each other, without destroying those that are main- 

 tained on vegetable food exclusively. There is scarcely a plant 

 that does not nourish some animal ; almost all insects, for exam- 

 ple, live either in the perfect or in the larva state, at the expense 

 of the plant upon which they are habitually found ; and even in 

 the highest classes of the animal kingdom, the number of 



128. What species of pine are most prevalent in the United States ? 

 What is tar procured from ? What plants yield turpentine ? 



