4 
PINETUM BRITANNICUM. 
branches—and, even if undifturbed, its main ftems would frequently put forth, from the old wood , branches and fecondary ftems. The Greek 
botanifts infilled that no other Fir difplayed this ftriking peculiarity to fuch an extent, and that the Fir was an altogether new fpecies. This an 
anonymous writer in Germany, who had never feen the plant, was inclined to call into queftion, chiefly becaufe he thought that Greece had been 
fo well explored botanically, that it was impoffible that a foreft of fuch extent, compofed of a Conifer fo ftriking in habit, could exift, without having 
been noticed by the number of travellers who have vifited the country. As the wife men of Greece, who had every reafon to be proud of their 
difcovery, were not inclined to allow their achievements to be doubted, a fpirited polemic took place between Athens and Munich, the refult of 
which was, that the opinion prevalent amongft Greek bqtanifts was thought to be correfil; and, as the materials for framing good fpecific characters 
for this new Fir were infufficient, the Greek Government defpatched two expeditions to Arcadia, the laft of which returned in June i860, 
bringing numerous fpecimens and feveral photographs of the tree. 
“ The firft notice of this Fir was obtained in 1856 by M. Schmidt, Curator of the Royal Gardens at Athens, who received cones from Arcadia, 
which he thought different from thofe of the common Grecian Apollo Fir ( Abies Apollinis —Link). He forwarded fome of the feed to M. Haage 
at Erfurt, in whofe Catalogue they were mentioned as Pinus Peloponesica, a name fince changed by Heldreich for that of Abies Regince Amalice 
—a compliment to the (late) Queen of Greece, who was indefatigable in caufing parks, gardens, and plantations to be eftablifhed, not only in her 
capital, but in all parts of the Hellenic kingdom. Schmidt had never feen the tree, nor was he aware of its peculiarities, until Meffrs Balfamaki and 
Origoni, InfpeClors of the Royal Forefts, reached Khryfovitfi, a village one and a half league from Tripolitza, in Central Arcadia, where, about 
1500 feet above the fea, a whole foreft was encountered, extending from Khryfovitfi, in a north-wefterly direction, towards Aloniftena and 
Magouliana, covering Mount Rhondia and the adjacent valleys, and thus having an extent of about three leagues long, and one to one and 
a half league broad. One of the reafons why a foreft of fuch dimenfions remained unknown is faid to be owing to the circumftance that the 
very locality it occupies was, until recently, a neft of notorious robbers, and carefully avoided, not only by ifolated botanical travellers, but 
alfo the Great French Expedition, during the years 1828, 1829, and 1830. One of the fpots in this foreft is to this day known as ‘ Ifaltu 
Elaton’ (Ifaltu’s Pine), Ifaltu having been a bold robber chief, the Fra Diavolo of the diftrifit. 
“ It appears that the country people are in the habit of cutting down the Pine for various economic purpofes, when the flump immediately 
throws out feveral new ftems. 
“ This is not the cafe with the Abies Apollinis , a fact, according to M. Bayer, well known to the country people, who, on that account, term 
Abies Regince Amalice ‘ Hemeron Elaton ’ (i. e., Tame Pine), in contradiftindlion to the Pinus Apollinis , which they call ‘ Agrion Elaton ’ (Wild 
Pine). When left undifturbed, and when growing in favourable localities, Abies Regince Amalice attains 55 feet in height, and 2 to 3 feet in 
diameter. They are of very unequal fize, fome affuming greater, dimenfions at the expenfe of the others. There are ufually three or four 
ftems on old flumps originally around its fummit. 
“ We are Hill,” fays Dr Seeman, “without a good technical defcription of this Abies; but it is faid to differ chiefly from Abies Apollinis , 
independent of its peculiarity of habit, in having more obtufe and fparfe leaves, lefs crowded together, and much fmaller and fhorter cones, fcarcely 
ever meafuring more than five to fix inches.” 
Properties and U/es. —It is ufed in its native country for all the ordinary economic purpofes for which 
fir trees are adapted; and the habit of fecond growth in the variety P. Regince A malice , might perhaps be 
taken advantage of for poles. 
Culture. —According to Endlicher, this fpecies delights in a moift foil, formed from the detritus of the 
primitive Hate rocks. The true P. Apollinis is probably pretty widely diftributed under the name of P. 
Cephalonica. The variety P. Regince Amalice is to be had in feveral German nurferies, as well as in a few 
in this country, and is faid to be planted on the Continent on a large fcale. 
Commercial Stati/lics. —In i860, the price of i-year feedlings was is. 6d. each; in 1861, 2-year feed- 
lings cost the same price. In 1862, the price per 100 of i-year feedlings was 36s. ; plants from 4 to 6 
inches high, 2s. 6d. each. In 1863, 2-year feedlings fold for 36s. per 100; and plants 6 to 8 inches 
high, 2s. 6d. each. Seedlings of the variety P. Regince A malice, fold in 1861 for 7s. 6d. each; in 1862, 
36s. per 100; plants 4 inches high, 5s. In 1863, i-year feedlings fold for 30s. per 100, and 2-year old, 9s. 
per doz.; while plants 6 to 9 inches high cofi: 5s. each. 
