277 



growth and its tenderness in the severe win- 

 ters that recur from time to time. Even in its 

 own country it is not secure from frost, for in 

 the terrible winter of 1879 the great woods 

 near Ravenna were seriously injured and in 

 part destroyed by the severe cold. But neg- 

 lect, for trees of more rapid growth, has, per- 

 haps, more to do than actual tenderness with 

 its lack of effect, for where fine trees have 

 reached maturity unharmed by frost, they are 

 too often spoiled by the near presence of other 

 and unsuitable neighbours. In its own haunts 

 this tree is rarely found with others save Pines 

 of a like nature, growing in groups apart, 

 perched upon sandy banks, or clustered upon 

 the seashore amid conditions unfavourable to 

 other trees, save such as the Cork Oak and 

 Arbutus. If, therefore, one would secure its 

 true beauty these conditions should be borne 

 in mind. There are sun-bathed and sheltered 

 nooks abounding upon our southern and wes- 

 tern shores where, with light soil and genial 

 conditions, we might eventually enjoy some- 

 thing of the fine effect of this Pine of Pines. 

 A deep sandy or gravel soil, shelter while 

 young, and initial years of patience, are the 

 main conditions ; the young trees should be 

 raised from seed and wintered under glass un- 

 til several years of age and of a size to stand in 

 the open. 



That the Stone Pine is not 

 Existing Trees. .1 r • , ■ r 1 



unworthy or trial in favoured 



spots of our country is shown by the size of 

 trees kindly measured for us within the past 

 few days, and which would appear to be the 

 finest in the country. Two of these are grow- 

 ing at Margam Park, South Wales, the larger 

 reaching 46 feet in height with a spread of 

 over 60 feet and a trunk measuring just upon 

 8 feet at 4 feet from the soil, and rising clear 

 for 1 5 feet before branching. Though it has 

 gained in stretch of limb, this tree has lost 

 slightly in height oflateyears through sinking 

 to one side under the weight of its spreading 

 head; itisin good health and bears many cones. 

 The second tree is nearly as large, being 40 feet 

 high, with a span of 50 feet and equal to its 

 companion in girth. These — with others long 

 since disappeared — are said to have grown 

 from cones brought from Italy nearly acentury 

 ago. There is also a large tree in the grounds 

 of Penrhyn Castle in North Wales, growing in 



light gravel soil overlying hard rock, 41 feet 

 high, and girthing 5 feet at 3 feet from the 

 ground. This was once a shapely tree with 

 well-formed head, but of late years has been so 

 crowded by other trees as to lose its fine appear- 

 ance. There are also finely-grown specimens 

 at Glenthorne, North Devon, and in Dublin 

 Botanic Gardens, while Loudon mentions 

 others at Ballyleady in County Down, at Read- 

 ing, and many other parts of Britain, but of 

 these present details are wanting. 



The few so-called varieties are 



Varieties and f little moment beside the real 

 Names. . 



tree, the most notable being 



the "Tarentina Pine" (Pinea fragi/is), grown 

 in various parts of the south of Europe for 

 its thin-shelled nuts, which are more readily 

 broken than thehardseedsof the commonkind 

 — well called the Stone Pine. Other forms vary 

 in size of cone, that with the largest coming 

 from Crete [Pinea Cretica), where the tree is 

 said to reach its greatest size. A second insular 

 variety comes from Madeira, differing some- 

 what in habit, in its much longer leaves, and 

 in minor points of mere botanical interest. 

 The fruiting Pine of the East, known as the 

 " Round-coned Chinese Pine," is identical with 

 this of Europe ; other local names are the 

 cultivated Pine, the parasol Pine, and the nut- 

 bearing Pine. B. 

 Groups of Yew Trees. — Looking out at 

 Broughton Castle, Banbury, on the old group 

 of Yew near the house, with the rising or the 

 setting sun giving an added grace to its natur- 

 ally fine colour, I was led to think of how sel- 

 dom this finest native evergreen tree is planted 

 so that its natural beauty may be seen on lawn 

 or pleasure ground,while so manyare busy plac- 

 ing Yew hedges in positions where they are 

 useless or harmful. No tree ever introduced has 

 such soft and fine colour, often taking a bronzy 

 hue inwinter, and good all theyearround. The 

 stem of an old Yew, too, is one of the finest in 

 colour of the family to which it belongs. It is 

 in the fate of the Yew to be ill-treated by plan- 

 ters and gardeners, who plant it in shrubberies 

 and hedges and seldom deliberately with a view 

 to its final effects, although nothing is worthier 

 of more care and thought in planting. Apart 

 from the ornament, the shade of old Yews is 

 very grateful, especially when grouped not too 

 far from the house. 



