COMMERCIAL ASPECT OF CONIFERS. 173 



irom Juniperus oxycednis; while the common Savin {Juniper us 

 Sabina) is much appreciated in medicine. 



Remarkable properties are possessed by the secretions of 

 the Lebanon cedar. 



Articles of clothing, as also mats, sails, and ropes, are made 

 from the inner bark of the giant arborvitse {Thuya gigantea)^ 

 while in some parts of Italy the leaves of Pinus halepensis are 

 used instead of straw for bedding horses and cattle. 



It may not be generally known that the seeds or nuts of 

 certain coniferous trees, particularly the genus Pinus, not 

 only enter into the making of confectionery in this country, 

 but are the staple food of, and form an article of commerce 

 amongst, several of the American and Asiatic hill tribes. 

 Even on the Continent the large and deliciously-flavoured 

 seeds of the Swiss stone pine {Pinus Cernbra) are eaten by 

 the peasantry, while they are also largely employed as an 

 article of diet throughout Russia and Siberia. In Italy those 

 of the stone pine {P. Pined), two of which are contained be- 

 neath each scale of the large, shining brown cones, are much 

 valued by the peasantry, they being considered a great deli- 

 cacy, especially when roasted. The Italian cooks also use 

 them largely in their soups and ragouts, and in the Maritozii 

 buns of Rome. In the vast pine woods which lie along the 

 Portuguese seaboard, the filbert-like cone kernels of the same 

 species are also largely used as food. In passing, it may be 

 of interest to state that both the above species thrive well in 

 this country, and have produced seeds that are quite equal in 

 point of flavour and size to those sent from abroad. The 

 sweet and highly nutritious seeds of the nut or digger pine 

 {P. Sabiniand) are particular favourites of, and much relished 

 by, the North American Indians, forming, as they do, their 

 chief food resource for nearly half the year. Climbing the 

 trees, the men and boys beat off the cones with heavy sticks, 

 or, faiUng to reach them in that way, cut off wholesale the 

 branches on which they are most plentifully produced. 

 Owing to the hard, bone-like character of the cones, the seeds 

 can only be readily extracted by means of fire, and an in- 



