130 
COX1FER.E. THE PINUS, OR PINE TREE. 
Pinus muricata, Don (smaller prickly, 
coned Pine). — Leaves not seen by the writer, 
hut supposed by Don to be in threes. Cones 
in clusters, unequally sided, three inches long, 
ovate. Scales flattened at the top, wedge- 
shaped, mucronate or sharp-pointed. 
Represented to be a middle-sized tree, a 
native of San Luis in California, growing 
about 3000 feet above the level of the sea, 
and very likely to prove hardy in the climate 
of Britain. A cone is figured in Loudon's 
Arboretum Britannicum, p. 2269 ; but no 
plants are as yet known to be in England. 
A straight stunted tree not exceeding 40 feet 
in height. 
Pinus tuberculata, Don, (tuberculated 
Pine). — This species is described by Don as 
reaching to the height of 100 feet. Cones 
three in a cluster, of a tawny grey, 4 inches 
long, 2\ inches broad, the scales being wedge- 
shaped, dilated at the apex, quadrangular, 
truncate, with a depressed umbilicus ; larger 
at the external base, conical, with an elevated 
apex. Found by Dr. Coulter along with the 
next species here described, (P. radiata.) 
which it resembles in size and habit, but is 
essentially distinguished by the form of its 
eones. See Linnean Transactions, vol. xvii. 
p. 442. The specimen leaves of this tree 
were not to be found when the cones arrived 
in this country, Dr. Coulter having had " no 
convenient opportunity to arrange his vast 
collections." 
Pinus radiata, Don (radiated scaled Pine). 
— Leaves thought to be in threes. Cones 
ovate, with unequal sides. Scales radiately 
cleft, truncate, with a depressed umbilicus ; 
gibbous, somewhat recurved, and three times 
as large at their external base. 
" Found by Dr. Coulter, about Monte-Rey, 
in latitude 36°, near the level of the sea, and 
growing almost close to the beach. The trees 
grow singly, and reach the height of 100 feet, 
with a straight trunk, feathered with branches 
almost to the ground. This species affords 
excellent timber, which is very tough, and 
admirably adapted for building boats, for 
which purpose it is much used." — D. Don, in 
Linnean Society s Transactions, vol. xvii. 
p. 442. 
The preceding section contains several new 
and untried species of pines. Those from 
California are particularly interesting ; and 
there is no doubt that the botanist now (1847) 
exploring that country, under the auspices of 
the London Horticultural Society, will be able 
to make further additions to this magnificent 
genus. The lamented Douglas laboured suc- 
cessfully in this field ; yet it appears that Dr. 
Coulter, who succeeded him, was equally if not 
more fortunate, in introducing several of the 
same family. " The soil and climate of those 
regions, especially the western flanks of the 
northern Andes, and the extensive parallel 
ranges of mountains which extend from south 
to north through California, appear to be pe- 
culiarly favourable to the development and 
growth of the fir tribe," and it may therefore 
be expected that Mr. Hartweg's labours will 
not be in vain. 
Some of the species are remarkable for their 
rapid growth, and are well fitted to take the 
place of our fast growing deciduous plants, 
such as poplars and willows. The chief of 
these appears to be P. ponderosa, which, when 
favourably situated, proceeds at the rate of 
three feet per annum. 
In this section are several individuals valu- 
able on account of the timber which they pro- 
duce, and no less so as a contribution to our 
parks and pleasure-grounds simply as orna- 
ments. The voice of the past has not indeed 
directed us to those objects, for they appear to 
have grown up in their vast habitations almost 
unnoticed and unhonoured ; but, judging from 
the character they have already exhibited in 
this country, the future will be more eloquent 
in their praise. 
The writer has had abundant evidence of the 
fact, with regard to our recently introduced 
Coniferas, that the deep trenching of the soil 
in which they are planted, is a powerful in- 
ducement to reconcile themselves to the cli- 
mate of Britain. As already observed, one of 
the best models of planting was executed by 
the late Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, who had 
upwards of one hundred acres of poor land 
trenched and filled with fine pines, &c, in the 
parishes of Runton and Trimingham, Norfolk. 
There our scarcest and most expensive species 
are thriving almost as well as those which have 
been long inured to the climate ; and there is 
little doubt but that this has been accom- 
plished chiefly by the thorough loosening of the 
sub-soil. The poorness of the soil is of very 
little consequence to pines, so long as their 
spongioles can descend freely in search of 
support. In fact, there is no race of trees so 
well suited as the present family, to cover 
tracts of sandy soil, which are intuitively re- 
garded as being of a barren nature. In such 
situations, however, the breaking up and 
loosening of the subsoil is of much importance 
to their success. Where iron exists in any 
quantity in soils of this kind, which have for 
many years been suffered to lie w T aste, a cake 
or " pan " is formed by the uniting of vegetable 
acids with the particles of iron, and the pan of 
iron conglomerate thus formed, not only pre- 
vents the roots from obtaining firm hold of the 
soil, but also prevents the downward passage 
of water ; it is, therefore, of great importance 
that where it exists within three feet of the 
surface, it should be broken up. 
