PINUS JEFFREYI. 165 



shoots are frequently killed. To secure fine specimens of P. insignia 

 the young plants must have a sheltered situation or be "nursed" by the 

 more hardy Pines and Firs. As the lower branches of the largest and 

 finest specimens in this country have attained a length of upwards of 

 30 feet, it is evident that a space having a radius greater than this 

 should be provided to allow the tree to develope its fine proportions. 

 Being found on the Californian coast close to the beach, P. insignis 

 is one of the few Coniferous trees that will grow under the influence 

 of the sea breeze, but never under exposure to cold winds. This Pine 

 frequently suffers much, especially in its young state, from the attacks 

 of the Pine Beetle ( Hylurgus piniperda), which seems to prefer it to 

 all others. See page 34. 



The specific name insignis, "remarkable," was selected by Douglas 

 to designate this noble Pine. 



Pinus Jeffrey! — A tall tree, attaining a height of upwards of 150 

 feet. In its young state in this country, it is a moderately fast- 

 growing Pine, with leaves about 9 inches long, rigid, spreading, and 

 glaucous green. In its maturity in the Shasta valley, it is said to be 

 irregular in outline and bare in appearance, owing to the foliage being 

 tufted or clustered at the extremities of the branches. The cones are 

 large and handsome, 8 or 9 inches long, tapering, more developed 

 above than beneath : yellowish -brown in colour, and with closely 

 adherent scales, which have a projecting spine or umbo. 



Habitat. — The Shasta Valley and Scott Mountain in California. 



Introduced in 1852 by the Scotch Oregon Association, through their 

 collector, John Jeffrey, by whom it was discovered, and after whom 

 it is named. 



The above description of the cones is taken from those sent to us many 

 years ago from California, by William Lobb, and preserved in the 

 Museum attached to the Nursery at Chelsea. We have also examined 

 cones produced by some of the oldest specimens of Pinus Jeffreyi 

 growing in "England, and find that they vary much both in size and 

 shape. We also find variations in the size and shape of the cones of 

 P. ponderosa grown in England; forms of the latter closely approach- 

 ing forms of the former. In their general aspect P. Jeffreyi and P. 

 ponderosa are scarcely distinguishable, and the leaves of the two are 

 identical in all their essential characters. It has long been suspected 

 that P. Jeffreyi is nothing more than a local variety of the widely 

 distributed P. ponderosa, and experience of the two in this country 

 tends to point to their specific identity, so that we believe P. Jeffreyi 

 must ultimately sink to a synonym of P. ponderosa. An examination 



