302 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK I. 7. The domestic Pine grows very well with us, both in mountains and 

 -^"-^-r^"^ plains. But the Pinaster, or wilder, of which there are four sorts, is best 

 for walks, pulcherrima in hortis, as already we have said, because it grows 

 piKASTER. tall and proud, maintaining its branches at the sides, which the other 

 Pine does less frequently. There is in New England a very broad Pine, 

 which increases to a wonderful bulk and magnitude, insomuch that large 

 canoes have been excavated out of the body of it, without any addition. 

 But besides these large and gigantic Pines, there is the Spinet, with sharp 

 thick bristles, yielding a resin or liquor odorous, and useful in carpentry 

 work. 



8. The Fir grows tallest, being planted reasonably close together, but 

 suffers nothing to thrive under it. The Pine not so inhospitable ; for, 

 by Pliny's good leave, it may be sown with any tree, all things growing 

 well under its shade, and excellent in woods : Hence Claudian, 



Et comitevn quercum Pinus arnica trahit 

 The friendly Pine the mighty Oak invites. 



9. They both affect the cold, high, and rocky grounds, Ahles in montibus 

 altis. Those yet which grow on the more southern and less exposed 

 quarters, a little visited with the beams of the sun, are found to thrive 

 beyond the other, and to afford better timber ; and this was observed 

 long since by Vitruvius of the Infernates, as he calls them, in comparison 



; with the Supernates ; which, growing on the northern and shady side of 

 the Apennines, were nothing so good, which he imputes to the want of 

 due digestion. They thrive, as we said, in the most sterile places, yet 

 will grow in better, but not in over-rich and pinguid. The worst land 

 in Wales bears, as I am told, large Pine ; and the Fir, according to its 

 aspiring nature, loves also the mountain more than the valley ; but it 

 cannot endure the shade, as Theophrastus observes, de PI. lib. iv. cap. i. 

 But this is not rigidly true, for they will grow in consort, till they even 

 shade and darken one another ; and will also descend from the hills, and 

 succeed very well, being desirous of plentiful waterings till they arrive 

 to some competent stature ; and therefore they do not prosper so well in 

 an over-sandy and hungry soil or gravel, as in the very entrails of the 

 rocks, which afford more drink to the roots that penetrate into their 

 meanders and winding recesses. But though they require this refreshing 



