186 .GENUS PI'NUS. 



formerly very generally planted in churchyards in 

 this country, and were employed by the parishioners 

 for making their long bows, in the use of which 

 our ancestors were very skilful. 



The Yew, though of slow growth, sometimes 

 attains a great size. Pennant mentions one in Fon- 

 tingal churchyard, in the Highlands of Scotland, 

 the ruined trunk of which measured fifty-six feet 

 and a half in circumference ; and I have myself 

 seen one at Crowhurst in Sussex, the stem of which 

 was more than thirty-six feet round. 



The genus Pi'nus*, or Pine, includes several 

 species ; but the only native one is the Sylves'tris, 

 or Scotch Fir, which grows plentifully through- 

 out the Highlands of Scotland. When this tree 

 is planted in a grove, the trunk becomes tall and 

 naked ; but in open sunny places it sends off nu- 

 merous branches. It is said to live sometimes to 

 the age of four hundred years. The wood, which 

 is called red deal, is very smooth and light. The 

 bark will tan leather, and in years of scarcity it is 

 dried, ground to powder, and made into bread, by 

 the people of the north of Europe. The inhabi- 

 tants of the Scottish Highlands dig up the roots, 

 and divide them into small splinters, to burn in- 

 stead of candles ; for they contain a great quan- 

 tity of resin, and easily take fire. 



* Class Monoecia, order Monadelphia, of Linnaeus. 



