io6 TREES AND SHRUBS 



Pine, P. excelsa, and P. Pinaster. Most of the Pines, 

 too, are happy on gravelly or stony ground. 



None of the Silver Firs {Abies) or Spruces {Picea) 

 are good trees for planting at the seaside, unless 

 there is sufficient shelter to break the force of the 

 wind, and even then there are very few that will 

 succeed. The species most suitable for planting 

 where there is a thick outer belt are Abies nobilis, 

 A. lasiocarpa, A. nordmanniana, and A. pectinata, the 

 Common Silver Fir. Of the Spruces, Picea nigra and 

 P- alba, the North American Spruces, succeed better 

 than the Norway Spruce, P. excelsa, but these, like 

 the Silver Firs, must have the shelter of a good wind 

 break ; Picea parryana, P. pungens, and P. Engelmanni 

 will not succeed in exposed places, even in inland 

 localities, and fail entirely by the sea. The Conifers 

 that will thrive by the sea are very few, and probably 

 not more than half-a-dozen kinds can be trusted. 

 The finest of all is undoubtedly Pinus Pinaster, which 

 is essentially a sea-coast Pine, revelling in storms and 

 sprays. P. maritima, closely allied, is equally suitable. 

 Then, for warmer parts, is the Aleppo Pine {P. 

 halepensis), but is only for southern and warm 

 coasts. P. insignis is somewhat hardier, and stands 

 the sea gales fairly well, and P. austriaca, and its 

 relative, P, Laricio, are both excellent, specially for 

 making the first barrier against the winds. The 

 hardy Scotch Pine (P- sylvestris), if planted in large 

 masses grows well, but does not luxuriate close to 

 the sea, and is especially liable to be browned in 

 foliage by the salt spray. 



