2 
PINETUM BRITANNICUM. 
Hijlory. —It was one of the firft good new trees found by Mr Jeffrey, who was fent out by the 
Oregon Botanical Affociation, to collehf in North-weft America; and Jeffrey requefted that, if it proved 
undefcribed, it ftiould be named after Mr George Patton of the Cairnies. 
Mr Patton of the Cairnies (formerly Solicitor-General for Scotland under Lord Derby’s Government 
of 1859), is we ^ known in Scotland for his enthufiafm for Coniferse. He poffeffes an eftate in Perthfhire, at 
an altitude of about 600 feet above the level of the fea, embracing great variety of foil and expofure, where 
he has conducted a feries of experiments on the hardinefs and fitnefs for this climate of almoft every fpecies 
of Conifer which has been introduced into this country, many of the refults of which we hope to be able to 
embody in thefe pages. He was one of the originators of the Oregon Botanical Affociation and Jeffrey’s 
expedition ; hence was well entitled to be remembered out of its firft-fruits. Since Jeffrey’s difcovery and 
introduction of the tree, it does not appear to have been again met with, unlefs it has been confounded 
with A. Hookeriana in fome of the conftgnments which have been made of late years. 
Mr Gordon has defcribed this fpecies as fynonymous with A. Hookeriana; we have, however, already 
fhown, under A. Hookeriana , the grounds for believing it to be diftinct from the prefent fpecies (as, for 
inftance, that the leaf is dentate on the margin and without ftomata on the upper fide in the one, and not 
dentate and with ftomata on both hides in the other). The fame author makes it fynonymous with Raf- 
finefque’s fpecies, A. trigona ./ but there is no point of identity with it which is not fhared by many others 
of the genus, and feveral which feem to forbid the idea of its belonging either to A. Hookeriana or the 
prefent fpecies. It is from 200 to 300 feet high, or twice the height of A. Pattoniana, and nearly four 
times that of A. Hookeriana. The leaf is faid to be trigonal, one-tenth of an inch in breadth, and three- 
fourths of an inch in length ; a term which does not apply either to A. Pattoniana or A. Hookeidana, 
the fedtion of whofe leaves is not trigonal but lenticular. Their leaves, alfo, are fcarcely three-fourths of 
an inch in length. In fadt, in the only points where comparifon is pofftble, we find diffimilarity inftead of 
refemblance. 
Another fynonym offered by Mr Gordon is Picea Californica, a name given by Carriere to a fpecies 
of which little is known. We have not feen either the cones, leaves, or young plants of Picea Californica 
(Carriere’s ufe of the word Picea is the converfe of that which Englifh Botanifts generally adopt); but 
Carriere’s defcription contains fome points which render it poffible that it may be this fpecies. In parti¬ 
cular, the fize of the cone feems to be about the fame, and he defcribes its fcales as “epaiffies au centre, 
amincies fur les bords qui font entiers, parfois ldgerement finuees,”—a defcription which may pafs for thofe 
of A. Pattoniana. On the other hand, the defcription of the wings of the feeds does not quite correfpond 
with thofe of A. Pattoniana, nor that of the young plants, which are faid to be very like thofe of A. balsamea. 
The leaves, alfo, are faid to be alternate, which is certainly not the cafe either with A. Pattoniana or 
A. Hookeriana. In the abfence of more information on the fubjedl, we have therefore refrained from 
placing P. Californica (Carriere) as a fynonym to this fpecies. 
Introduced in 1851. 
Properties and Ufes. —From Jeffrey’s defcription of the timber, there is no doubt that it will prove a 
ufeful tree for purpofes fimilar to thofe for which Larch is employed. 
Ctdture. —The foil on which Jeffrey found this tree growing moft luxuriantly was red loam, very 
ftony and moift. Very few of Jeffrey’s feeds grew, and even thofe that germinated have moftly damped off 
The number of plants in this country we believe to be veiy limited. No particular treatment feems to 
have been tried or thought neceffary. 
Commercial Statflics .—In 1855 one-year feedlings fold for 7s. 6d. each, and plants 2 to 4 inches for 
25s. In 1858 the price of three-year feedlings was 5s. In i860, plants 8 to 9 inches high realifed from 
5s. to 7s. 6d.; and in 1863, plants from 12 to 18 inches were fold at the fame price. 
