THE FIR AND CYPRESS FAMILY. 193 



distributed over the earth ; the greatest portion being found 

 in temperate regions, extending to the utmost limit of tree 

 life in the north polar regions ; they are also found in warm 

 climates. 



Pine forests form a grand feature in the northern hemi- 

 sphere, while Araucarias and Dammars take their place in 

 the southern. In the Andean region of Mexico a number of 

 species of Pinus^ along with oaks, form extensive forests ex- 

 tending north through California and North-west America, 

 where very large trees are met with. They are all of a 

 highly resinous nature ; their timber and other products 

 form great articles of commerce. It would occupy too much 

 space to give details of the whole, but the following are the 

 most important. 



Scotch Fir (Pinus sylvestris). This well known tree has 

 an extensive range throughout Europe and Northern Asia, 

 where it forms large forests, such as may be seen in the north 

 of Scotland, some trees attaining the height of 100 feet, and 

 affording excellent timber, which is imported from the ports 

 in the Baltic under the name of Riga and Norway timber. 

 The smaller trees are used for scaffold poles. It also yields 

 tar. 



The word fir is frequently named with cedar and other 

 trees, which Solomon obtained from Lebanon for the building 

 of the Temple. One of these was doubtless Pinus hcdepensis, 

 which takes the place in Lebanon and other mountains of 

 Palestine of the Scotch fir, and may be admitted to be the 

 fir-tree, instead of cedar used for ship-masts, as stated in 

 Ezekiel, chap, xxvii. ver. 5. 



Pitch Pine (Pinus palustris, or P. australis). A na- 

 tive of the Southern United States, where it covers exten- 

 sive tracts, making its appearance in all waste places and 

 quickly occupying worn out cotton fields. This and the 

 Scotch fir afford the largest quantity of tar and turpentine 

 of commerce. The former is obtained in the following 

 manner by what is termed distillation; the boles, roots, 

 branches, and waste timber are cut up into billets ; a conical 



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