JANUARY, 



31 



be associated with the most agreeable sensations, and with 

 some of our most dehghtful woodland' excursions. 



But this dark imperfect verdure may be observed in the 

 foliage of all evergreens, and is as conspicuous in the mag- 

 nolias, the hollies and evergreen oaks, as in the generality 

 of the coniferous trees. This arises from the coriaceous 

 structure of their leaves, that renders them opake, while the 

 thinness of a deciduous leaf allows the light of the sun to 

 ihuminate it with a half-deceptive brilliancy. It may be fur- 

 ther remarked that in the early summer, when the blackness 

 of the evergreens is most apparent, they are dressed in the 

 ripened foliage of the preceding year ; and this is viewed in 

 contrast with the light vivid greens of the young foliage of 

 the deciduous trees. This ditference becomes less and less 

 as the summer advances, until August, when the pines and 

 firs, having assumed their new dress, are nearly as bright as 

 the other woods. 



All pine woods, whether the trees of one species or another 

 of this tribe happen to predominate, exhibit very nearly the 

 same general appearances. They differ in degrees of sobriety, 

 in the beauty of their forms and foliage, in the qualities of 

 their terebinthine odors, and in the tones they yield to the 

 passing winds. But all alike produce in the mind of the 

 visitor a sentiment of cheerful melancholy, comfort him by 

 their benevolent protection from heat and cold, and, at all 

 times and seasons, regale his senses with their odors, and 

 gladden his eyes with their deep perennial verdure. 



In the pine-wood, nature presents her votaries with one of 

 lier most charming features ; and with all its advantages of 

 shade and shelter, there is so much that is agreeable and 

 healthful in its emanations, and in the atmosphere that is 

 diffused around it, that she has not denied its benefits to any 

 climate that suffers the extremes of heat and cold. Indeed 

 the pines are found in every latitude, except the equatorial 

 regions, where the broad-leaved palms supply the same en- 

 during shade. Even here the pines are distributed over the 

 cold mountain elevations, that correspond with the higher 

 latitudes. These, like her indispensable blessings, has nature 



