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GRAY PINE. 
Pinus kttpestris. P. arbor humilis ; foliis binis , rigidis, uncialibus ; strobilis 
cinereis, recurvis, insigniter incur vato-tortis ; squamis inermibus, ramulo ad - 
pres sis. 
Pinus Banksiana. Lambert. 
This species is found farther northward than any other American Pine. 
In Nova Scotia and the District of Maine, where it is rare, it is called 
Scrub Pine , and in Canada, Gtray Pine. I cannot impart a juster idea of 
its nature than by an extract from my father’s notes upon Canada. u In 
the environs of Hudson’s Bay and of the Great Mistassin lakes, the trees 
which compose the forests a few degrees further south disappear almost 
entirely, in consequence of the severity of the winter and the sterility of 
the soil. The face of the country is almost everywhere broken by innum- 
erable lakes, and ^covered with large rocks piled upon each other and 
usually overgrown with large black lichens, which deepen the gloomy 
aspect of these desolate and almost uninhabited regions. Here and there, 
in the intervals of the rocks, are seen a few individuals of this species of 
Pine, which fructify and even exhibit the appearances of decrepitude at the 
height of 3 feet. One hundred and fifty miles farther south its vegetation 
is more vigorous, but it is still not more than 8 or 10 feet high, and in Nova 
Scotia, where it is confined to the summit of the rocks, it rarely exceeds 
this stature.” 
The leaves of the Gray Pine are united in pairs in the same sheath, but 
they are disseminated over the branches instead of being collected at the 
extremity, and are about an inch long, flat on the interior, and rounded on 
the exterior face. The cones are commonly in pairs, and are of a gray or 
ashy color, which has probably lent its name to the tree ; they are about 
2 inches long, and have the peculiarity of always < pointing in the same 
direction with the branches : they are, besides, remarkable for naturally 
assuming an arching shape, which gives them the appearance of small 
horns. They are extremely hard, and do not open to release the seeds 
before the second or third year. The Canadians find a speedy cure for 
obstinate colds in a diet-drink made by boiling these cones in water. If 
this property, which is said to belong also to the fruit of the Black Spruce, 
