228 



CONIFERJE. 



Pinus. 



Light sandy soils, sometimes in wet places : abundant in many parts of the State, as on 

 Long Island, where it covers extensive tracts of land ; between Albany and Schenectady ; 

 and the Pine plains of Rome. Fl. May. Fr. September. In dry situations the wood abounds 

 in turpentine. It is not much valued for lumber, on account of its numerous knots. Its chief 

 use is for fuel ; a large part of the pine wood sold in our cities, being of this species. 



3. Pinus Strobus, Linn. White Pine. Weymouth Pine. 



Leaves in fives, very slender, glaucous, scarcely sheathed at the base ; cones much longer 

 than the leaves, cylindrical-oblong, pendulous ; scales loose, flattish, without spines. — Linn, 

 sp. 2. p. 1001 ; Miclix.fi. 2. p. 205 ; Michx. f. sylv. 2. t. 145 ; Lamb. Pin. t. 32 ; Bigel.fi. 

 Bost. p. 359 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 638 ; Beck, hot. p. 339 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 549 ; Hook. fl. 

 Bor.-Am. 2. p. 161. 



A noble tree, often attaining the height of 130 feet. The trunk is from 1-3 feet in 

 diameter,* straight and unbranched for two-thirds of its height, and usually with short and 

 somewhat verticillate branches. In good soil it spreads more at the summit, but does not 

 grow so tall. The bark, in trees of only moderate size, is smooth, but on old trunks it is 

 cracked and furrowed. The leaves are sharply triangular, 3-5 inches long, and more slender 

 than in any other North American pine. Sterile aments 5 or 6 together, ovoid, about one- 

 third of an inch long. The cones are 4-6 inches long and about an inch in diameter before 

 the scales are unloosed, nearly cylindrical, and a little curved : scales broadly obovate, thinnish, 

 rather loosely imbricated, slightly thickened at the summit. Seed (including the wing) about 

 three fourths of an inch long. 



In almost all soils, but preferring cool damp mountainous places. Fl. May. Fr. September. 

 The White Pine is found in most parts of the State, but our chief extensive forests of this 

 noble and most valuable tree are in four places : First, on the head waters of the Hudson, 

 and on the rivers which empty into the St. Lawrence ; secondly, on the Salmon and Black 

 rivers, which empty into Lake Ontario ; thirdly, on the head waters of the Delaware and 

 Susquehannah ; fourthly, on the head waters of the Allegany and Genesee. These forests 

 are rapidly disappearing under the axe, and it is thought will be nearly destroyed in about 

 twenty or thirty years. A late writer states that 650,000,000 of feet of pine lumber are 

 annually obtained from the State of New- York, exclusive of a large quantity that is sent 

 down the St. Lawrence. To supply this large demand, the timber of no less than 65,000 

 acres must be taken away every year. 



* Michaux f. states that he measured two trunks that were felled ; one of which was 154 feet long, and 54 inches in 

 diameter ; the other 142 feet long and 44 inches in diameter. He also saw a stump in Maine, that was more than G feet 

 in diameter. Belknap, in his History of New-Hampshire, notices a White Pine that was 7 feet in diameter. 



