h8 scotch fir (PINE). 



loses its gloss. The Yew has one side polished, the Scots Pine a 

 dull leaf, while the Silver Fir owes its name to a shimmer on the 

 underside ot" the leaves. The margins are usually smooth, but in the 

 case of the Austrian Pine thev are rouo;h. Nearly all the leaves are 

 strongly scented. Nor does the arrangement on the twig show less 

 diversity than the forefjoine- The Pines have their " needles " bound 

 together in bundles of two, three, or five,* by a sheath at the base, 

 and the bundles are arranged spirally around the twig. The Firs 

 bear their leaves singly, and arranged either in rows down the stem 

 (Silver Fir two or three rows, Yew two rows, Douglas Fir three 

 or four rows), or in spiral order round it (Spruce). The Larch bears 

 its leaves in tufts. 



Flowers. The flowers of conifers are very simple, but the 

 profusion ot the pollen and its bright colouring make them con- 

 spicuous, though petal and sepals alike are missing. 



RAMIFICATION OF THE BRANCHES. 



Some explanations have already been given to account for the 

 marked difference in form that exists between youno; and old trees 

 of the same species. In one class the variations may be due to the 

 increased promience in maturity of features which already characterised 

 the young tree ; in another, to the modification of those features by 

 unequal growth, or repeated failure to bring all parts to perfection. 



In an old Fir hardly any ot the special characteristics of the 

 young tree are to be traced. The young Fir consists of an upright 

 stem terminating in a long shoot of vigorous growth. From points 

 round the stem straight branches radiate, which each in turn 



• Scots, Austrian and Stone Pines two. 



