122 THE BOOK OP EVERGREENS. 



feet, and are from 3 to 12 feet in circumference, when 

 standing apart, clothed with branches down to the ground." 

 Other authors state that on the western Cordilleras of New 

 Albion, at a great elevation, they grow from 100 to 150 

 feet in height, and from 2 to 5 feet in diameter. But all 

 unite in praising its exceeding beauty as a specimen tree. 

 The wood is white, soft, even-grained, and, perhaps, not 

 very durable." This species yields a copious supply of 

 resin when punctured. 



29, P. Taeda, Linnaeus. LOBLOLLY PISTE. OLD-FIELD 

 PIXE. FRAXKIXCEXSE PIXE. Leaves, 6 to 10 inches long, 

 from elongated sheaths, rigid, slender, rather obtuse, and 

 light-green color. Cones, 3 to 5 inches long, oblong, 

 solitary, or in pairs, somewhat truncate at the base ; the 

 scales terminated with short, sharp, incurved prickles. 

 Seeds small. 



This is another of our native pines that is confined to 

 the Atlantic States, and found frequently growing in com- 

 pany with the P. australls, although mostly in damp soils, 

 not too heavy. According to London, " it was introduced 

 into England before 1713, by Bishop Compton." 



It forms quite a large tree under favorable circumstances, 

 ranging from 50 to 100 feet high, with very thick and 

 deeply furrowed bark. 



In the light barren soils of Virginia, it may be frequently 

 met with as a somewhat stunted large shrub. "All the 

 woods in the Southern States," says Pursh, " seem to be 

 seeded with it ; for, when any piece of clear land is neg- 

 lected for a length of time, it is speedily covered with 

 this species ; and hence its name among the inhabitants, 

 of Old-field Pine. It is difficult, and in some cases almost 

 impracticable, to recover the lands which have been over- 

 run with young pines of this species, as the ground appears 

 to have lost all fertile properties for any other vegetable 

 than these trees." 



Michaux says, " In the same parts of Virginia, this species 



