THE PINE. 3.91 



tains of Nepaul, afford appropriate zones for the growth 

 of forests of firs and cedars, and from these remote dis- 

 tricts we are almost annually receiving the seeds of new 

 and important species, many of which, there is reason 

 to suppose, may he acclimated in this country, and be- 

 come important additions to our list of Conifer a. 



The soil upon which most of the Abietinee prevail, is 

 usually of a dry and cool quality ; thus, the debris of 

 granitic and other primitive rocks, and barren sandy dis- 

 tricts, are very commonly occupied by Pine and fir forests, 

 sometimes of enormous extent ; the thick and close manner 

 in which they grow, and the dense shade they produce, ef- 

 fectually preventing the vegetation of other species. Mat- 

 thew, however, in his able treatise on naval timber seems 

 to think that its indigenous location in such districts arises 

 not so much from preference of soils of the nature above- 

 mentioned, as from its having more power of occupancy 

 in such soils than any other plant of the country ; and 

 this opinion he endeavours to support by stating that the 

 Pinus sylvestris, planted in a good or rich soil, attains 

 larger dimensions and its best timber properties, and that 

 it is only driven from this superior soil by the greater 

 power of occupancy possessed by the oak and other de- 

 ciduous trees, an opinion in which we cannot altogether 

 acquiesce, as we see no reason why the fir, if it grows 

 with such additional vigour in a richer soil, as Mr. Mat- 

 thew asserts, should, at the same time, be unable to main- 

 tain a contest with the oak or other trees. 



Of late years, the cultivation of the AbietiiKe has been 

 a favourite pursuit with arboriculturists, and many new 

 species have been introduced from the south-east of Eu- 

 rope, from Asia, and North America, particularly from 

 the north-west part of that Continent. Several of these, 



