70 BRITISH FOREST TREES. 



be examined and compared with that of trees of 

 equal size of the common Scots fir growing near, 

 and making a pubHc report of the number and size 

 of annual growths, the number of these of matured 

 and of sap wood, the comparative strength, densityj 

 quantity of resinous deposit, hardness, &c. 



I^he Pinaster is a valuable kind of red- wood 

 pine, with strong resinous timber, and from not hav- 

 ing one-half the number of sap-wood layers of the 

 common Scots fir, we should consider it deserving 

 attention as a naval timber ; but perhaps the small 

 number of sap-layers is from want of climate : owing 

 to the branches being larger, and, in proportion to 

 their size, being joined to the stem with a larger 

 swell than those of P. sylvestris, the timber is 

 rougher with larger knots. In the very barren sand 

 and gravel district near Christchurch, scarcely af- 

 fording sustenance to lichens, and where even heaths 

 will not grow, we have observed this tree make con- 

 siderable progress, and outstrip the Scots fir in 

 growth. 



The Canadian Red Pine has been employed to a 

 considerable extent in this country, both as plank- 

 ing and spars. It is inferior in strength and dura- 

 bility to the Baltic red pine, and would seldom 

 make its appearance on this side the Atlantic while 

 the Baltic was open to us, did not a very ill advised 



