THE SCOTCH PINE (Pinus sylvestris) IN CANADA. 



By W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, Experimental 

 Farm, Ottawa. 



At the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, there are four 

 European trees which are more prominent than any other exotic 

 trees in hardiness and vigor, and which appear to thrive equally 

 as well as native species. These are the Norway Maple (Acer 

 platanoides), the European Larch {Larix EuropcBa), the Norway 

 Spruce (Picea excelsa), and the Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris). 

 Every spring the bare ground, and even the lawns, are covered 

 with seedlings of the Norway Maple springing up where the seed 

 has fallen during the previous autumn, showing how rapidly this 

 tree would estabhsh itself were it permitted to do so. The 

 European Larch succeeds almost equally as well on the high 

 land as in low places ; in sandy soil as in clay soil, and is one of 

 the most rapid growing trees on the Experimental Farm. The 

 Norway Spruce is the most rapid growing evergreen which has 

 been tested and also succeeds well in a great variety of soils. 



The Scotch Pine, or Northern Pine (Pinus sylvestris), to 

 which we wish to draw especial attention in this article, also 

 succeeds well in soils var3nng from heavy clay loam to sandy loam. 

 It is a rapid grower and very hardy and may prove a useful 

 species for more extensive planting in Canada. 



The Scotch Pine is a native of northern Europe and northern 

 and western Asia, and for timber purposes is to European 

 countries what the White Pine is to Canada. The timber is 

 largely exported from Europe to England and is known in com- 

 merce under a variety of names, among the principal being 

 Northern Pine, Red Fir, Yellow Fir, Dantzic Fir, Riga Fir, 

 Swedish Fir and Norway Fir, many of these names originating 

 from the ports of shipment. This species of pine is, however, 

 verv variable, both in general appearance and in the character 

 of the wood, and marked differences are found in the timber 

 from different parts of northern Europe. 



The Scotch Pine is more nearly related to our native Red 

 Pine (Pinus resinosa) than to the White Pine (Pimis Strobus), 

 although it bears httle resemblance to either. The leaves of the 

 tree are bluish green, from two to three inches in length and are 

 more or less twisted. They grow in pairs. The cones, which 

 are about two inches long, are borne either singly or in clusters 

 of two or three on short stalks. The timber is yellowish or 



