214 TREES IN WINTER 



JACK PINE 

 Northern Scrub Pine, Gray Pine, Spruce Pine. 



Pinus Banksiana Lamb. 



P. cUvaricata auth. 



HABIT — Usually a low tree, 15-30 ft. in heig-ht with a trunk diameter 

 of 6-8 inches, under favorable conditions becoming- 50-60 ft. hig-h with 

 a trunk diameter of 10-15 inches; with large spreading branches forming 

 an open symmetrical head resembling somewhat the Spruce in regular- 

 ity of outline or on exposed windy situations and in poor soil becoming 

 stunted with gnarled stem and irregular scraggly distorted head. 



BARK — Dark reddish-brown with irregular rounded edges roughened 

 with close scales. 



TWIGS — Rather slender, reddish to purplish brown, not downy, rough- 

 ened by scales subtending leaf-clusters. 



IiEAVES — In clusters of 2 with short persistent sheaths, dark 

 yellowish-green. %-li/^ inches long, stout, stiff, generally curved and 

 twisted, flatened or concave on one side, rounded on the other, tip 

 pointed. MISCROSCOPIC SECTION — showing 2 widely separated 

 fibro-vascular bundles, resin-ducts located intermediate between bundles 

 and periphery, a single layer of strengthening- cells around the resin- 

 ducts and one or more layers beneath the epidermis. 



BUDS — Ovate, short-pointed, coated more or less thickly with resin. 



FRUIT — Cones 1-2 inches long, without stalks, conic-oblong usually 

 curved and pointed forward, appearing between or sometimes at the 

 whorls of lateral branches, more or less distorted, remaining- closed 

 for several years, persisting on the tree often for a dozen years. 

 SCALES — in young cones with an incurved prickle, when mature 

 thickened at the apex without spines or prickles. 



COMPARISONS — The short yellowish-green needles of the Jack Pine 

 will distinguish this species from other Pines. The longest needles some- 

 times approach in size short needles of the Scotch Pine ,but those of 

 the Scotch Pine are of a bluish-green color and moreover their cones 

 point backward instead of forward as in the Jack Pine. 



DISTRIBUTION — Sterile, sandy soil; lowlands, boggy plains, rocky 

 slopes. Nova Scotia, northwesterly to the Athabasca river, and north- 

 erly down the Mackenzie to the Arctic circle; west through northern 

 New York, northern Illinois and Michigan to Minnesota. 



IN NEW ENGLAND — Maine — Traveller Mountain " and Grand Lake; 

 Beal's Island on Washington county coast, Harrington, Orland and 

 Cape Rosier; Schoodic peninsula in Gouldsboro, a forest 30 ft. high; 

 Flag-staff; east branch of Penobscot; the Forks; Lake Umbagog; New 

 Hampshire — around the shores of Lake Umbagog, on points extending 

 into the lake rare: Welch mountains; Vermont — rare, but few trees 

 at each station; Monkton in Addison county; Fairfax, Franklin county; 

 Starkesboro. 



WOOD — Light, soft, not strong, close-grained, clear pale brown or 

 rarely orange color with a thick nearly white sapwood; used for fuel 

 and occasionally for railroad ties and posts; occasionally manufactured 

 into lumber. 



