80 



PINACE^. 



more closely and regularly imbricated, and of various shades of light 

 and dark green, or yellowish and rusty-brown colour, according to their 

 youth, maturity, or old age. 



Cones, these are from one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half inches 

 long, by one to one-and-a-half inches broad ; woody, single or in oppo- 

 site pairs, rarely in gregarious clusters, and generally at the tips of the 

 previous season's growth ; ovate in form, tapering to apex and base, 

 with the scales in series at right angles, wedge-shaped, and persistent 

 at first, but somewhat deciduous when old. The seeds are generally 

 in fives under each scale, particularly in perfectly matured cones ; they 

 are, however, sometimes found in threes and fours ; the seed-leaves are 

 generally in fours, but in some individual seedlings there are from 

 three to six. 



Branches, these are numerous, regularly disposed ; much di- 

 vided, and abundantly furnished with laterals ; the branchlets more 

 cylindrical in form, and somewhat pendent, having the smallest, 

 lightest green, and most glaucous foliage, while the cone-bearing 

 branchlets are more thickened and thickly covered with the scale- 

 formed leaves, which are very closely and regularly imbricated. The 

 bark on the branchlets for the first season is entirely covered with the 

 foliage, and in the second year is only partially visible, and in the third 

 and succeeding seasons it becomes more and more visible, until the 

 branches are five or six years old, when the leaves gradually disappear, 

 leaving the bark somewhat rough surfaced ; and on the leading or stem 

 shoot of young trees, the leaves, before disappearing, become much 

 elongated, frequently from one to two inches, more like scales than 

 leaves ; only free from the bark at their apex. On adult branches the 

 bark is prone to peel off in thin, scaly flakes, particularly on the stem 

 or trunk, showing in the rends or fissures the smooth polished surface 

 of the inner rind. When matured and aged, the bark becomes very 

 thick, varying according to age from nine to eighteen inches in 

 diameter, and externally rough and rustic. 



Young trees of it form the most beautiful, symmetrical, and conical 

 pyramids the eye can look upon ; while the pleasure is much enhanced 

 by the ample spray and foliage, so harmonious in all the shades and 

 tints of pale blue, yellow, and bright green colour. 



The existence of this tree was recorded thirty years ago; but the sensa- 

 tional epoch of its modern history must be dated more recently; and to 

 Mr. G. L. Trask, who exhibited specimens of it, particularly " The 

 Bark " of the Mammoth Tree," both in America and England, are 



