324 DIVERSIONS OF A NATURALIST 



inches in diameter. The cones do not mature until 

 the third year. The scales are very large and solid, 

 which renders it difficult to extract the nut-like' seeds, 

 which are roasted and eaten. Hence the name stone- 

 pine. The spreading, parasol-like shape of the stone- 

 pine is characteristic. A few specimens are to be seen 

 in cultivation in this country. In order to distinguish 

 Pinus sylvestris from P. halepensis, laricio, pinaster, and 

 pinea, the deep blue-green colour of the foliage of the 

 first is sufficient, together with the shortness of its 

 needles. To distinguish the others among themselves 

 (except in the case of well-grown typical examples) it is 

 necessary to examine the cones closely, and often when 

 one comes upon these trees they are, on account of the 

 season, devoid of these distinguishing products. 



Wide tracts of sandy moorland in the south oi 

 England have been in the last century extensively 

 planted with various species of Pinus, and afford the 

 naturalist an interesting opportunity for comparing one 

 with another. At Bournemouth the plantations are 

 chiefly of the Austrian variety of Pinus Laricio, 1 the Scots 

 P. syivestris, and the Mediterranean Pinaster. The latter 

 is especially luxuriant there. Here and there I have 

 found other species at Bournemouth. A remarkable one 

 with three needles in a group is the Californian Pinus 

 insignis (Fig. 40), known as the Monterey pine. It has 

 a very large cone which is curiously one-sided in growth, 

 the seed-scales on the side facing away from the 

 supporting branch being larger than those on the 

 opposite face. Another interesting species to be met 

 with there is the Pinus muricata, also a Californian sea- 

 coast species. The cones of this species are about 3 



1 A fine specimen is growing near the main entrance of Kew 

 Gardens. 



