120 PINACEiE. 



variety, particularly when acted upon hy art-culture, should he a 

 reason for elevating even a quasi-species, much less a variety, to the 

 rank of a true species, I cannot for the life of me understand. Be this 

 as it may, time and experience will prove that Massoniana is at hest 

 hut a quasi, or perchance hut a variety of Pinaster.^ and of no economic 

 value in this country, hut only as a variety, which it undouhtedly is. 

 PiNUS MeRKUSII : Merkus's Pine. 



This kind is found in Borneo, Cochin China, Sumatra, and the other 

 Islands of the Indian Archipelago ; hut every hatch of seedlings we 

 have yet raised were invariably killed hy the first night's hard frost. 

 We find, therefore, on referring to our Register : — " The Sumatra Pine 

 is a very delicate and thoroughly tender Indian heauty, killed hy the 

 first frosts of 1859, '60, and '62, and at present not in stock-hook." 

 — Anno Domini 1865. 



PiNUS MONTEZUM^E : Montezuma Pine. 

 Discovered early in the present century in Mexico, hut more recently 

 introduced and distributed in this country. Its leaves are from three 

 to six inches long, generally five in a sheath ; the sheaths are per- 

 sistent, long, rough, scaly, lacerated, and sharp-pointed. The leaves 

 when young are of a rich light green above, and somewhat glaucous 

 helow ; when matured and old they become of a rich dark green on 

 both faces. The cones are from three to six inches long, and from one 

 to two inches broad at the swell; tapering to base and apex, and some- 

 what oblong, though slightly incurved at point. Attaining heights of 

 from twenty-five to fifty feet; forming a spreading-headed , sparse- 

 branched, rough-barked, little Pine. Tolerably hardy, but fastidious as 

 to soil and situation ; and, unless in a good loam, or sweet, sandy soil, 

 warm locality, and sheltered situation, it will be of little use as an 

 ornamental Pine, for it is of no economical value as a timber in this 

 country. 



PiNUS MONTICOLA : The Strohus Mountain Pine. 

 Introduced from California in 1831, but it has since been found in 

 other habitats. It is an intermediate Cembra-Strohus, tolerably hardy 

 and good-looking, and in a moist, sweet, peaty, or cool and porous 

 soil, in this country, it would form a handsome, dense-headed, short 

 and glaucous-leaved Strohus ; or when starved and depapurated an 

 altera Gemhra. It deserves a place in every pinetum. 

 PiNUS MUGHO : The European Mountain Pine. 

 Introduced into this country from Austria about the beginning of 

 the present century, but it extends from th^ Pyrenees eastwards to the 



