88 PINE. 
is In greatest perfection from the middle of August to 
the end of September. The ripening of pines is dis- 
coverable by the fragrant odour which they emit, and 
by their protuberances yielding to pressure with the 
hand; and their flavour speedily dissipates if left uncut 
longer than three or four days after they are fully 
ripe. When brought to table, their leafy crowns should 
be reserved for planting. These, if placed in pots, 
and plunged in the bark-bed, or in a hot-bed, and 
covered, for some time, with glass, will in two years bear 
fruit. 
There are several varieties of pine, of which the fol- 
lowing are among the principal. 
(a) White Pine. This has a whitish and fibrous 
flesh, and the rind as yellow as that of an orange. Its 
smell is highly fragrant, and it excels most other kinds 
in size and beauty, although its flavour is inferior to that 
of many. Its juice edges the teeth, and sometimes 
makes the lips smart. 
(b) The yellow pine edges the teeth less; but both this 
and the preceding variety are exceeded by 
(c) The sugar-loaf pine ; which is distinguished by 
the purple stripes on the outside of the leaves, and by 
its straw-coloured fruit. 
(d) The Montserrat pine is now rare in Europe, 
though in America it is esteemed in preference to most 
others. It is principally known by the protuberances of 
the fruit being longer and flatter than those of the com- 
mon sort. 
In the West Indies an excellent liquid sweetmeat or 
confection is made from pines. This fruit also is 
sometimes preserved whole, and, when taken out of the 
syrup, is iced over with sugar. Sweetmeats of this kind 
were formerly sent into Europe, in great quantity, from 
the Antilles. Wine made from pines is almost equal to 
Malmsey : at the end of about three weeks it becomes 
somewhat acid, but it recovers by longer keeping. Pines, 
in the W'est Indies, are frequently put into rum to com- 
municate to that liquor their peculiar aromatic flavour. 
