286 CLIMATAL 



of the tribe, there is not a true pine found native 

 to the southward of the equator. 



Even in the north, where they are found in all 

 the three quarters that abut on the Arctic Sea, 

 there are peculiarities in those pines. Toward the 

 east of Asia they are of small dimensions, but the 

 timber is heavy and very hard and durable. As 

 one advances westward, they increase in size ; 

 and the tallest that are met with on the old con- 

 tinent are in Norway. In America they are very 

 tall ; and toward the shores of the Pacific they are 

 giants of from 300 to 400 feet in height, and 18 

 or 20 in diameter. 



Another peculiarity is, that though some species 

 grow in the peat-swamps, the majority follow the 

 directions of the rocky mountains, those especially 

 which are composed of granite, while the debris 

 and secondary strata are covered with trees which 

 shed their leaves. 



Few plants, except fungi and mosses, thrive 

 under the shade of pines, though in all the pine 

 districts there are numerous species of wild berries 

 and other sub -shrubby plants in the vacant spaces. 

 In those forests there is, accordingly, but little to 

 attract notice, except the gloomy grandeur of the 

 pines themselves. There are no climbing and 

 twining plants ; and flowers are few, and by no 

 means interesting ; while of native fruits there 

 may be said to be none. 



Those pine forests, though the species are not 

 the same, follow the lines of the mountains to 

 nearly the southern boundary of the temperate 

 zone ; and there are some lofty situations where 

 pines are met with within the tropics. But 



