The Pines 



after being pounded into meal. The time of nut harvest is the 

 merriest time of the year. An industrious squirreUsh family can 

 gather fifty or sixty bushels in a single month before the snow 

 comes, and then their bread for the winter is sure."/ Muir. 



THE PITCH PINES 



Leaf bundles in persistent sheaths. Cone scales thick, usually 

 armed. Wood heavy, resinous, coarse grained, usually dark 

 coloured. 



KEY TO SPECIES 



A. Leaves 5 in a bundle, stout, dark green. 



B. Cones 4 to 6 inches long; leaves 9 to 13 inches 

 long. {P. Torreyana) torrey's pine 



BB. Cones 2 to 2^ inches long; leaves 5 to 7 inches 



long. {P. Ariionica) Arizona yellow pine 



AA. Leaves 3 in a bundle. 



B. Length of leaf, more than 6 inches. 

 C. Colour of foliage pale green. 



D. Cones 6 to 14 inches long; leaves 8 to 12 

 inches long, bluish, stout, flexible. 



{P. Sabiniana) digger pine 

 DD. Cones 3 to 5 inches long; leaves 6 to 9 

 inches long, slender, stiff, twisted. 



{P. T(Xda) LOBLOLLY PINE 



CC. Colour of foliage dark green. 



D. Cones 2 to 3 inches long; leaves 6 to 8 

 inches long, yellowish, slender, flexible. 



(P. serotina) pond pine 

 DD. Cones 6 to 10 inches long; leaves 8 to 18 

 inches long, slender, flexible. 



{P. palustris) longleaf pine 

 DDD. Cones 10 to 14 inches long ; leaves 6 to 12 

 inches long, bluish, stout, stiff. 



{P. Coulteri) big-cone pine 

 BB. Length of leaf less than 6 inches. 



C. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long, stiff, yellow green; 

 cones I to 3 inches long, opening when ripe. 



{P. rigida) pitch pinE''^ 

 C. Leaves 4 to 5 inches long, slender, stiff; cones 

 3 to 6 inches long, unsymmetrical, not 

 opening when ripe. 



(P. attenuata) knob-cone pine 

 AAA. Leaves 2 or 3 in a bundle. 



32 



