[91] 



Pine of Riga, of Russia. The observations and experiments of Duhamel, Miller 

 [Translator's note: possibly Philip Miller (1691-1771 ), British gardener], Fougeroux de 

 Blaveau. and Pallas [Translator's note: Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811), German 

 botanist, geographer, and naturalist] agree that all of these pines should be thought of as 

 one and the same species even though they display distinct differences in the quality of 

 their wood. The leaves originate in pairs and emerge from the same sheath. They're 

 narrow, curved along the central vein, and pointed. The new growth is greenish in one 

 variety and red in another. The flowers are monoecious; the male ones form terminal 

 catkins consisting of imbricate scales that cover two anthers in a single compartment. The 

 female flowers are in a cone composed of oblong club-shaped scales trimmed at their tips 

 to a diamond-shaped point. At their base are two osseous monospermous seeds. In almost 

 all of the varieties the cones hang downward. There is one, pointed out by Toumefort, in 

 which they are upright. 



FLOWERS: in February and March. 



RANGE: the mountainous regions of France and Europe. 



NOMENCLATURE. German, /defer, kyfer. Dutch, pynboom. Danish, furr, fyrre. 

 English, wild-pine. Russian, sosna. Polish and Bohemian, sosna. Tartar, karagai. 



USES. This tree finds its greatest use in the north of Europe. The outer bark 

 substitutes for cork on fish nets. The inhabitants use the pulverized inner bark mixed with 

 rye flour for food. The wood is used to make torches for light at night and for 

 constructing homes, ship masts, sledges, etc. The wood of the variety from Riga 

 apparently is lighter, more supple, and preferred by the navy. M. Desfontaines says that it 

 would be most useful to promote its cultivation. If it were planted in suitable soil, it might 

 preserve its exceptional qualities. 



