CONIFEE^j OE COJSTE-BBAEING TREES. 375 



plants could be purchased in the nurseries of Europe and in this 

 country for a few dollars per thousand. The Austrian Pine 

 grows to a Tery large size, often more than a hundred feet. 

 "Wood rather coarse-grained, but strong and moderately durable. 

 The general habit of the tree is broad and massive, and it is of 

 a very rapid and sturdy growth. Native of Lower Austria, 

 Styria aud adjacent regions. 



P. Ayacalinite, Ehrenberg. — Mexican White Pine. — Leaves in 

 fives, long, very slender and drooping. One of the few Mexi- 

 can Pines that have proved moderately hardy in the latitude of 

 New York. It is a large tree in its native country, growing a 

 hundred feet high, resembling both in growth, foliage, and 

 wood, our common White Pine, although the leaves are longer 

 and more pendulous. 



P. Cembra, Linn. — Swiss Stone Pine. — Leaves in fives, two to 

 three inches long, very slender, triangular, straight, very nu- 

 merous and crowded on the branches, and of a dark green color. 

 Cones three inches or more in length, ovate, erect, with short 

 but slightly hooked scales. Seeds large and nut-like, kernel edi- 

 ble. A very compact-growing, handsome tree, in its native 

 country reaching a hight of a himdred and twenty feet. Na- 

 tive of the Alps, at elevations of four to six thousand feet, also 

 from the Tyrol to Mount Cenis, in Austria, forming large for- 

 ests. Wood resembling the White Pine of this country, and 

 quite valuable. This species was early introduced into the 

 United States, and has long been a favorite ornamental tree, 

 but I regret to say that many of the oldest and finest specimens 

 in the country have been kUled by some disease, the origin of 

 which is as yet unknown. Sometimes all the large trees in a 

 neighborhood will die out very suddenly, the cause of this death 

 being involved in mystery. A specimen in my grounds twenty 

 years old, is perfectly healthy, but I have no great confidence 

 in Its longevity, for the reasons given. 



Var. Mandshuria, Eegel., is found in Japan, and of a more 

 dwarf and compact habit than the species, otherwise scarcely 

 distinguishable. 



P. densiflora, Siebold. — Japan Pine. — Leaves in twos, about 

 four inches long, rather large and rigid, convex above and con- 

 cave beneath, very smooth, and dark, shiiung green ; sharp- 

 pointed and crowded on the smaller branchlets, dropping from 

 below when one or two years old, giving to the older branches 

 a rather naked appearance. A common tree throughout Japan, 



