136 



PINACE^. 



to equal it for general planting and general utility, and to excel it in 

 the rate of growth, and quality of timber, if we once had it 

 thoroughly inured and naturalized, is Corsica — ^the Queen of Pine nurses, 

 and the chief of utilitarians in the genus Pinus for Albion's Isles. 



Of the many varieties of Sylvestris, the only ones deserving notice 

 here are : — Alha and Rubra, already disposed of, and Argentea, (the 

 silvery- green leaved,) Fastigiata, (the compact or pyramidal-branched,) 

 LatifoUa, (large-leaved,) Monophglla, (single-leaved,) Nana, (the very 

 dwarf,) Pendula, (the pendent-branched,) and Variegata, (the varie- 

 gated-leaved,) all of them interesting and useful for ornamental 

 planting in this country. 



PiNUS T^DA: The Torch- Wood Pine. 



Its leaves are generally three in a sheath from three to six inches 

 long, slender, rigid, somewhat two-sided, channelled on the inner face 

 and rounded on the outer surface ; with many single scale-like leaves 

 without a footstalk, and broad at base, tapering to a sharp point, 

 solitary on the stem shoots, and generally one close to and below, the 

 base of the sheath-leaves ; similar to those of Insignis and this class 

 of the Pines ; and like its congeners light green in colour. 



The Cones are from two to four inches long, and from one to two 

 inches broad j having very short footstalks ; generally in pairs, ovate- 

 oblong in form, and tapering though blunt-pointed : with long, some- 

 what recurved, and prickly-pointed scales : the seeds are small and 

 furnished with a long winged appendage. 



It was introduced into this country about the beginning of the 

 eighteenth century from America, w^here in Carolina, Florida, and 

 Virginia it forms large forests ; attaining heights of from sixty to 

 eighty feet, a clear stemmed, spreading headed tree ; hardy enough for 

 our climate ; and grows freely in a variety of soils, either moist or dry. 

 It may at times be usefully employed as an ornamental pine, but never 

 as a timber tree ; inasmuch as its wood is of the very coarsest descrip- 

 tion, and fit for nothing but fuel : hence its name — Torch Pine." 



PiNUS TeNUIFOLIA: The Slender-Leaved Pine. 



Leaves, generally five in a sheath, from eight to ten inches long, 

 angular, wavy, sharp -pointed, and shining green in colour. 



Cones, oval in form, from one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half inches 

 long, and about half as broad as long ; the scales numerous ; seeds 

 small j and all of a dark brown colour when ripe. 



It is found about Guatemala, attaining heights of from sixty to 

 eighty feet ; and is one of the quasi- species of the long and slender- 



