PINTTS MASSONIANA. 149 



twisted, and deep green, the edges slightly scabrous. The cones are 

 among the smallest in the true Pines, and are not distinguishable 

 in structure from those' of P. densiflora. 



Habitat. — Japan, throughout the whole extent. 



Introduced into Europe by Siebold & Co., of Leyden, in 1854. 



The following extract from Siebold's Flora Japonica gives a highly 

 interesting description of a practice peculiar to Japanese horticulture, 

 which appears to have been in vogue for many years, probably for 

 centimes past. 



" The art of the Japanese gardener has exhausted itself in the 

 cultivation of this Pine and Pinus densiflora. They clip and cut them 

 in all manner of ways ; they stretch out the branches like a fan, 

 upon horizontal espaliers, or give to the branches the form of a flat 

 plate. In that artificial culture extremes meet — surprise is equally 

 sought to be gained by specimens of immense extent as by others 

 reduced to the most minute dimensions." During Siebold's sojourn at 

 Osaka, he went to see the celebrated Pine before the Naniwaja Tea- 

 house, of which the branches, artificially extended, have a circuit of 

 135 paces. Another remarkable instance of this artificial cultivation 

 was seen by Mr. Maries at Lake Bi-wa, near Kieoto, in Nippon. 

 The main trunk of the tree is 28 feet in circumference. At about 

 10 feet from the ground, this divides into three primary branches, 

 which have been made to spread out horizontally, and the circular space 

 covered by them and their appendages is fully 60 yards in diameter. 

 On the other hand, they showed him, in Jeddo, a dwarf • tree in a 

 lacquered box of which the branches did not occupy more than 2 

 square inches. 



" The wood of Pinus Massoniana is resinous, tenacious, and durable ; 

 it is chiefly used in the construction of buildings. The Japanese also 

 make charcoal of it. The soot which they procure from it by framing 

 its resinous roots with the oil of the Turnip (Brassica orientalis), is 

 said to be employed in making, the famous Chinese ink, which is 

 manufactured principally in the convent of Nara, in the province of 

 Janato." 



Siebold and Zuccarini have described and figured Pinus densiflora 

 and P. Massoniana in their Flora Japonica as two distinct species, in 

 which they are followed by Murray (Pines and Firs of Japan) and 

 Parlatore (D. G. Prod., xvi., p. 388), except that the latter author has 

 named the second of the two P. Thuribergii, and applied the name 

 Massoniana to the P. sinensis of Lambert Mr. Murray remarks that 

 " it is not without great hesitation that he has recorded the two as 

 distinct," and points out the characters by which they may be dis» 

 tinguished, but Which appear to have been derived chiefly from an 

 examination of dried specimens, or from Siebold's figures; Our collector; 



