THE PINE. 417 



selection of proper seed, has, we believe, mainly contri- 

 buted to the introduction of that spurious kind or bad 

 variety of Pine which has been so generally complained 

 of, and which has tended to bring additional odium and 

 disrepute upon the tree ; for a large proportion of the 

 plants that have been raised in the lowlands of Scotland 

 and in England, are from seed gathered from an inferior 

 variety, deteriorated still more by being planted in an 

 ungenial soil and climate, as it is well known that such 

 trees are in the habit of producing a more abundant crop 

 of cones than the free-growing healthy variety of the 

 forest. The necessity of procuring seed or plants imme- 

 diately from the native tree is, we think, evidently shown, 

 from what is now taking place in regard to the Common 

 Pine in some parts of England, and more particularly 

 in Norfolk. When first introduced into that country, it 

 is supposed that the trees, or at least the seed from which 

 they were raised, was procured from Scotland ; these trees, 

 in consequence, we believe, of their immediate descent 

 from the wild original, in many instances have attained 

 large dimensions and become fine timber ; but such seems 

 to be the effect of soil and climate different to the 

 one in which the Pine grows naturally, that the plants 

 raised from the seed of these Norfolk trees are so dete- 

 riorated in constitution, that few of them when planted 

 live for more than twenty-five years. 



The cones of the Pine should be gathered in December 

 or January, as the scales soon after the latter month begin 

 to open and shed the seed in consequence of the increasing- 

 heat and influence of the sun. When gathered and laid 

 by in a dry cool place they will, if required, keep good 

 for a couple of years, but if the seed be wanted forthwith 

 they ought to be exposed to the rays of the sun till the 



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