56 TREES 



The conifers are a large group, the 

 members of which can only be discriminated 

 by an inspection of their spines and cones. 

 I shall mention two of the most important. 

 The Scots Fir or Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Plate 

 II., Fig. 5, is one of the distinctive features 

 of Northern scenery. Its dark foliage gives 

 it a gloomy appearance, but when the setting 

 sun illuminates the recesses of a fir wood, 

 it draws forth a glow of rosy colour, such 

 as is not to be seen in any other forest. 

 In favourable situations the tree reaches an 

 altitude of a hundred feet. Its cone is two or 

 three inches long. The pollen of this tree is 

 very light, and yellow in colour, and when in 

 spring it accumulates on the edges of puddles, 

 we hear rumours of a ' sulphurous shower ' 

 having fallen. 



The only other conifer I shall name is the 

 Larch (Larix europsea), Plate II., Fig. 6. It 

 is a more graceful tree, and has the peculiarity 

 of shedding its needles in autumn. In early 

 spring ' when rosy plumelets tuft the larch,' 

 and it dresses itself in delicate green, it is 

 exceedingly beautiful. 



The Willows are another large and intricate 



