112 NATURAL HISTORY OP SCOTCH FIR. 



then from this that the author must have taken this specific name. 

 Apparently it was for him only a translation and introduction into 

 botanical language of the name of the pine or red fir (red deal), 

 under which it is generally known in the trade, and in the ports of 

 England, and the Baltic, the wood of the P. sylvestris coming from 

 Russia and Lithuania. The result of this description is that the P. 

 rubra cannot be admitted as distinct and separate from the sylvestris." 



There follow details of the varieties of trees composing VEcole des 

 Pins sylvestre, with the observations made. Of these details the 

 following is a free translation in which I have deemed it expedient to 

 alter in some places the order in which some of the trees are 

 described, and to abbreviate or abridge in some cases the details 

 given : 



" This collection is composed of all the specimens of the pinus 

 sylvestris of different districts and countries I could procure. I sought 

 especially that it should comprise those in regard to which doubts 

 and discussions have arisen, and still more especially those which 

 having received the names of varieties are more generally regarded as 

 distinct. The Pin de mdture, or red pine of the north, and those of 

 Hagenau, of Scotland, and of Geneva, have supplied in this respect 

 the first foundation of the plantation; and the first of these (le pin de 

 mdture), mast pines, the red pine of the north, those of Hagenau, 

 of Scotland, and of Geneva, the basis of the plantation. The first of 

 these (le pin de mdture) being the most important, is that in regard 

 to which I have exerted myself to multiply as much as possible the 

 means of studying. Through the assistance of my connections, and 

 the obliging co-operation of many French and Russian amateurs, 

 I have obtained from different provinces of Russia, and of Lithuania, 

 celebrated for the production of these pines, seeds, the products of 

 which are to be seen in the plantation. To these lots obtained thus 

 direct from the localities have been added many others produced from 

 plantations made in France, at previous times, the Russian origin of 

 which was well established ; and further, with a view to multiplying 

 as much as possible the means of comparison, I have added specimens 

 of the pin sylvestre from different parts of France. 



"The whole presents a collection of some thirty lots, but to prevent 

 the formation of an exaggerated idea of these, it may be stated that 

 they are not all equal in strength, age, or extent, nor are they in 

 some other respects susceptible of exact comparison; they are on 

 the contrary, unequal in the extreme. Some form masses more or 



