i/fejOLE FOBESTIEBE DES BAEBES. 113 



less considerable, while others consist only of some single trees ; their 

 ages range from that of ten or twelve years to that of thirty years 

 and upwards. This inconvenience is inevitable in a creation of a 

 plantation of this kind. To reduce as much as possible the dis- 

 advantages of this inequality, I shall take care to indicate in the 

 details given of each lot the differences which may have an influence 

 on the actual appreciation of their character." 



In regard to his practical classification of the varieties in l'Ecole, 

 he says : " The differences, be it between individuals or between 

 masses growing together, sufficiently marked to enable one to find 

 on them the distinctions of varieties are of two kinds : those which 

 relate to the appearance and conformation of the tree, and those which 

 relate to the botanic characters furnished by one or more of these 

 characteristics, or to the appearance and conformation of their organs, 

 cones, flowers, leaves, <fcc. 



" Botanists who have taken up this question have in general given 

 a preference to this last basis of classification. This, however, I 

 have not adopted, and that for the following reason : Varieties 

 founded on differences which are exclusively or principally botanical, 

 may not be such when viewed from the stand-point of forest economy. 

 Thus, for example, let a pin sylvestre have the summit of the scale 

 formed in the manner of that of the P. mugho, or have three 

 leaves in place of two in the sheathe of a cone more or less pro- 

 jecting, bent as in a hook ; let the greater diameter of the losenge 

 formed by the sides of the cones be horizontal or vertical ; let the 

 side of the anthers in the male flowers be more or less projecting — 

 that would be a curious variation, very interesting botanically in 

 being a departure from the general character of the species ; but if, 

 besides this, this tree and those reproduced from its seed did not 

 present in their vegetation and in their physical qualities marked 

 differences from those amongst which they were growing, the exis- 

 tence of this variety would remain outside of every useful practical 

 application ; it would be only an interesting fact of natural history. 



" It is altogether otherwise with distinctions founded on the bear- 

 ing and conformation or habit of the trees. In these, differences 

 represent qualities or defects, or rather they are, in reality, the one 

 or other. Between a pine of an elongated trunk perfectly straight, 

 with a regular head, and one with a crooked trunk, knotty, with head 

 diffuse and spreading, there is all the difference between a very good 

 tree and a bad one. 



P 



