

IX EXTRA. TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 247 



Pinus Lambertiana, Douglas.* 



Shake-, Giant- or Sugar-Pine. North-west coast of America, 

 mostly in great altitudes. A lofty tree, of rapid growth, upwards of 

 300 feet high, with a straight naked stem of from 20 to 60 feet in 

 circumference. It holds, in most places, pre-eminence in beauty 

 and size over accompanying pines. It thrives best in sandy soil, 

 and produces a soft, white, straight-grained wood, which for inside 

 work is esteemed above any other Pine in California, and furnished 

 in large quantities ; it is especially used for shingles, flooring, and 

 for finishing purposes by joiners and carpenters. The tree yields 

 an abundance of remarkably clear and pure resin, of sweet taste, 

 used instead of sugar by the natives. The cones are 18 inches 

 long ; the seeds are edible and used as food by the natives. 

 Would come best to perfection in the humid regions of our higher 

 mountains. 



Pinus Laricio, Poiret.* 



Corsican Pine. South Europe. It attains a height of 120 feet, 

 A splendid shelter tree in the coldest regions. It will succeed on 

 stiff clay as well as on sandy soil, even on sea-sand. The wood is 

 white, towards the centre dark, very resinous, coarse-grained, 

 elastic, and durable, and much esteemed for building, especially for 

 water- works ; valuable for its permanency underground. There are 

 three main varieties of this Pine, viz. : P. L. Poiretiana, in Italy ; 

 P. L. Austriaca, in Austria ; P. L. Pallasiana, on the borders of 

 the Black Sea. The tree grows best in calcareous soil, but also in 

 poor sandy soil, where however the timber is not so large nor so 

 good. It yields all the products of P. silvestris, but in greater 

 quantities, being perhaps the most resinous of all Pines. 



Pinus Larix, Linne. 



Common Larch ; deciduous. On the European Alps, up to 7,000 

 feet. Of quick growth in cool localities; adapted for poor soil. 

 It attains a height of 100 feet, sometimes rising even up to 160 

 feet, and produces a valuable timber of great durability, which is 

 used for land and water buildings, and much prized for ship-building; 

 for staves of wine casks almost indestructible, not allowing the 

 evaporation of the spirituous contents (Simmonds.) The Briangon 

 Manna exudes from the stem. Larch-timber lasts three times 

 longer than that of Norway-spruces, and although so buoyant and 

 elastic it is tougher and more compact ; it is proof against water, 

 not readily igniting, and heavier and harder than any deal 

 (Stauffer). The Venetian houses, constructed of Larchwood, showed, 

 for almost indefinite periods, no symptoms of decay. This wood is 

 also selected for the most lasting panels of paintings. The bark 

 is used for tanning and dyeing. The tree is also of great import- 

 ance for its yield of Venetian turpentine, which is obtained by 



