OF FOREST-TREES. 



281 



CHAP. XXH. 



the FIR\ PINE, PINASTER, PITCH-TREE, 



and LARC H, 



1. Abies, PICEA, PINUS, pinaster, and larch, are all of 

 them easily raised of the kernels and nuts, which may be gotten out of 

 their polysperm and turbinate cones, clogs, and squams, by exposing 

 them to the sun, or a little before the fire, or in warm water, till they 

 begin to gape, and are ready to deliver themselves of their numerous 

 burdens. 



^ Of this GENUS there are various species : 



1, PINUS (SYLVESTRis) foliis geminis; primordialibus solitariis glabris. Lin. Sp. PI. 

 1418. Pine-tree with two leaves in each sheath, but the Jirst leaves smooth and single. Pinus 

 Sylvestris. C. B. P. 49 1. The wild pine, or scotch fir. 



This is called the Scotch Fir, because it grows naturally on the Highlands of Scotland, where 

 the seeds, falling from their cones, come up, and propagate themselves without any care. 

 But it is nat in Scotland only that these trees thrive naturally; for they grow spontaneously 

 in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. And though, from the above instances, it would seem 

 that they delighted principally in these northern parts; yet wheji^the plants are properly 

 raised and planted out, no climate comes amiss to them, for t.'?.^ ■ ^t\\ thrive and grow to be 

 good timber-trees in almost any part of the temperate globe. The timber of this tree is what 

 we call Deal, which is sometimes red, sometimes yellow, but chiefly white. The Pinaster 

 is a variety of this species, and is titled Pinaster Latifolius, julis virescentibus sive pallescenti- 

 bus. This tree tlirows out large arms, and its leaves are larger and longer, and of a paler 

 green than those of the Scotch Fir. It is a native of Italj"^, though it abounds in the south 

 of France ; and in Switzerland, where there are great plenty of these trees, the inhabitants 

 cut them into shingles for the covering of their houses, wiiich soon become so compact anil 

 close, by the sun's melting the resinous substance, as to be proof against all weather. There 

 are two other varieties ; Pinus maritima altera ; and Pinaster tenuifolius, julo purpurascente. 

 Bauh. Pin. The white inner rind of this tree, when dried and ground in a mill, is used by 

 the inhabitants of some northern countries as a substitute for flour, which, after undergoing 

 a particular operation, is converted into bread. 



2. PINUS fsTROBVSj foliis quinis margine scabris, cortice Ijevi. Lin. Sp. PI. J419. 

 Pinus Canadensis quinquefblia, floribus albis, conis oblongis pendulis, squamis abieti fere 

 similibus. Duham. Arb. 2. p. 127. Pinus Virginlana, conis longis non ut in vulgari 

 echinatis. Pluk. Aim. 297. The Weymouth pine. 



Volume I. U u 



