332 NATURAL HISTORY. 



but not loftiest tree of the American forest, the trunk 

 often measures from forty to fifty feet in circumference, 

 or more than thirteen feet in diameter. Leaves five-cor- 

 nered, very large ; flowers in globular aments or balls, 

 which hang upon the tree on long pedicels for the greater 

 part of the winter. The bark is detached yearly from 

 the trunk in great scales. 



SIXTY-SECOND FAMILY. ABIETIXE^;. Pixus. This 

 genus is distinguished by their leaves which are acerose 

 (needle-shaped), in fascicles (little bunches or bundles) 

 of two or five, and evergreen. The tree itself contains 

 a great deal of turpentine ; flowers both staminate and 

 pistillate. Grows in all the northern countries through- 

 out the world; delights in dry soils, therefore mostly 

 found on barren hills, mountains, or sandy bottoms. 

 Staminate aments scattered or clustered near the ends of 

 of the branchlets. Fertile aments lateral or terminal 

 somewhat clustered or solitary. Most of them are tall 

 and slender trees, others low and scrubby. 



The Pine or Scotch Fir (Pinus sylvestris) has pointed 

 oval, overhanging cones, with obtuse scales ; leaves stand 

 in pairs, are rigid, prickly, and bluish-green. Is a beau- 

 tiful tree, forming whole pine forests in the north and 

 middle of Europe. Bark reddish-brown, peals off in 

 large pieces from the trunk. The wood is used for 

 building and burning, in the last respect of little im- 

 portance ; the wood of the root, being very resinous, is 

 known and employed as torch-wood. On an incision 

 being made into the trunk, a thick, yellowish, gummy 

 substance flows from the opening, which is the Common 

 Turpentine ; this resin afterwards is distilled, and well 

 known as Spirits of Turpentine. The residuum of this 

 distillation is Rosin. Tar and pitch are both made by 



