220 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



ever, that tea made of the cones boiled in 

 water is good for colds. 



" The next is the white pine ; one of the 

 most common, and also most valuable of 

 them all. It is found in great plenty in the 

 Eastern and Middle States ; but the largest 



' O 



trees are found in Maine and New-Hampshire, 

 and the northern parts of New-York : they 

 have been seen as many as a hundred and 

 eighty feet high, and seven feet thick ; but in 

 general the height is from ninety to a hundred 

 and thirty feet." 



"And is it straight and slender, like most 

 of the pines, Uncle Philip ? If it is, it must 

 be a very fine tree." 



" Yes, both straight and slender ; and this 

 is one of the best things about it; for being 

 very light, the white pines are capital for the 

 masts and yards of ships, which, you know, 

 must be very straight. The leaves are of a 

 lighter green than most of the others, about 

 four inches loner, and they almost always 

 grow five together from one root or spot ; a 

 few of these little bundles of five are scattered 

 along the sides of the branches, but at the 

 ends they are gathered together in large 

 bunches, all seeming to grow from one spot. 



