12 PINES 
help to distinguish them from those belonging to 
other groups of Pines. 
They are all longer than they are broad. They 
are all cylindric, or sub-cylindric in shape. They are 
all erect when growing, and pendulous eventually. 
Their scales all have thin margins, and finish off with 
umbos. They are very variable in size on all four, 
but as a rule P. Excelsa has the longest cone, and 
P. Strobus, which represents the eastern side of 
America, the shortest; P. Monticola, which represents 
the West Pacific slopes and Rocky Mountain regions, 
is the half-way house between the two in the matter 
of size of cone, while P. Peuke represents the biggest 
girth measurement of the clique. Further, the scales 
of P. Peuke are striated (marked with channelled 
stripes and streaks), and exude resin freely, so also 
does the P. Strobus, but not so profusely. Paren- 
thetically we might add that this is a little untidy 
habit they all four have a propensity to indulge in. 
The description of the P. Strobus cone, as having 
a pointed apex and tapering in shape, we have alluded 
to, and as cones are to be found in plenty under 
both, this ought to be a help in distinguishing it from 
the P. Excelsa cone. 
Cloud-piercing Pine Trees nod- their troubled heads, 
WorpswortTu. 
AyacaHuItTE, LAMBERTIANA.—As the P. Lamber- 
tiana, the Sugar Pine of California, is the mightiest 
in height among Pine trees, it claims to deserve the 
Homeric epithet of cloud-piercing above all others 
that we have made mention of. 
If cones would always put in an appearance when 
wanted, it would considerably add to the convenience 
of the identifier. These two members of the Strobi 
Group carry giants in the shape of cones. The 
-Lambertiana has only one rival in the championship, 
