EVERGREEN ORNAMENTAL TREES, 223 



are so admirably calculated, by their elegant foliage and stu- 

 pendiious magnitude, to adorn. 



The European Pines next deserve our attention. The 

 most common species in the north of Europe is the Scotch 

 Pine, (P. sylvestrisj) a dark tall evergreen tree, of SO feet in 

 height, which furnishes most of the deal timber of Europe, 

 and when growing in its native sites harmonizes well with 

 the surrounding scenery, but is hardly worth extensive cul- 

 ture here. The Stone Pine, (P. pinea,) is a native of the 

 South of Europe, where it is decidedly the most picturesque 

 evergreen tree of tiiat continent. It belongs peculiarly to Italy, 

 and its "vast canopy, supported on a naked column of great 

 height, forms one of the chief and peculiar beauties in Italian 

 scenery, and in the living landscapes of Claude." We regret 

 that it is too tender to bear our winters, but its place may in 

 a great measure be supplied by the Pinaster or Cluster Pine, 

 (P. pinaster,) which is quite hardy, and succeeds well in the 

 United States. This has much of the same picturesque ex- 

 pression ; depressed or rounded head, and tall columnar stem, 

 which mark the Stone Pine ; while its thickly massed foliage, 

 clustering cones, and rough bark, render it distinct and strik- 

 ingly interesting. 



The Corsican Pine, (P. larico,) is a handsome, regular 

 shaped, pyramidal tree, with the branches disposed in tiers 

 like those of the White Pine. It grows to a larg-e size, and 

 is valued for its extremely dark green foliage, thickly spread 

 upon the branches. It is also one of the most rapid growers 

 among the foreign sorts, and has been found to grow remark- 

 ably well upon the barren chalk downs of England. Pimis 

 cembra is a very slow growing, though valuable kind, indi- 

 genous to Switzerland. 



These are the principal European species that deserve 

 notice here, for their ornamental qualities. Some splendid 

 additions have been made to this genus, by the discovery of 

 new species on the Himmalaya mountains of Asia; and from 

 the great elevation at which they are found growing wild, 



