l'^cole forestibre des barres, 109 



published in 1760, by a great Scottish proprietor, the Earl of 

 Haddington. 



" Here is what he says on the subject : 



*' ' Although I have been assured that there is only one species of 

 Scotch fir, and that the differences which are to be found in the wood 

 of these trees are due only to their age, and the soil in which they 

 have grown, I am nevertheless convinced that it is otherwise, and 

 here is the reason. When I ordered the pines planted by my father 

 to be cut down because they were too near the house, several men 

 still lived who remembered to have seen them reared. The seed 

 had been sown in the same bed, removed to the nursery, and after- 

 wards planted on the same day. Then I saw that when I cut the 

 trees, I found that some had white and spongy wood, and others red 

 hard wood, and they were examined within a few days of each other. 

 This observation has had such an effect on me that I have ordered 

 the cones to be only gathered fi'om the reddest trees.' 



" It is a very remarkable thing that the first observation which was 

 made on this question has pointed out the solution, the truest, in my 

 opinion at least, first as to the principle that natural varieties exist 

 independant of the soil and climate, and then as to the practice, that 

 in choosing between two varieties, the one good and the other bad, only 

 the first should be chosen for reproduction. 



" One might say that these two ideas of the Earl of Haddington 

 contain a complete theory and practice in connection with this great 

 question of the spontaneous variation of species applied to the wants 

 of man, and to the advancement of rural economy. 



In France, where the question was opened rather later than in 

 England, it has been much more discussed : the botanists have 

 interfered, and each has settled it in his own way. Bosc, in studying 

 the piims sylvestris, thought he had discovered four very distinct 

 types, which he has described as so many species : first, the x>i^^'^s 

 sylvestris, properly so called ; second, the Scotch fir ; third, the 

 Eiga pine, or pine suitable for masts; fourth, that of Geneva or 

 Tartary. This opinion not having been adopted by any one, except 

 in regard to the Scotch fir, I will not discuss it. But another 

 opinion, which it is more necessary to combat, is that which places 

 the piims sylvestr^is on the one side, and the pinus rubra of Miller on 

 the other. It has been supported principally by M. Deslongchamps, 

 and by M. de Candolle. With the authority which these two names 

 give to it, especially that of M. de Candolle, or rather because of this, 

 I feel that I must combat it, being convinced that it is an error. 



