THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, October 13, 1857. 
PIN US FEE MONTIAN A. 
This has also been called Pinus monophylla or Nut 
Pine, and P. Llaveana, with a thin-shelled seed. It was 
found in California by Mr. Hartweg 
Leaves generally in threes, but not unfrequently in pairs, 
or even solitary, from one inch and a half to three inches in 
length, of a glaucous green, more or less curved, very stout, 
rigid, and ending in a spiny point; sheaths very short and | 
rolled backwards on tbe older leaves. Seed leaves from 
eight to ten, but mostly nine in number, rather long and ! 
very stout. Branches numerous, the principal ones round ; 
tbe stem in a whorl. Bark smooth and of a light brown ! 
colour. Buds small, cylindrical, three quarters of an inch 
in length. Cones of a light glossy brown colour, two inches 
and a half long and one inch and three quarters broad in 
the widest part, which is near the middle. Each cone con¬ 
tains from six to seven rows of scales. Scales very thick, 
largest near the middle, bluntly pyramidal, slightly angular, 
and more or less recurved downwards, particularly the 
smaller ones nearest tbe base; they are also without any 
points. Seeds wingless, oblong or egg-9haped, half an inch 
in length, bright yellow, more or less stained with dark 
brown, and the shell so thin that it is very easily broken i 
between the finger and thumb. Kernel very pleasant in 
flavour, and also nutritious, as it constitutes the principal 
subsistence of the Indians who live in the mountains where 
it grows, for nine months out of the twelve. 
It was first discovered by Captain Fremont, during his 
“ Exploring Expedition,” when crossing tbe Sierra Nevada, 
or Great Californian Mountains, growing upon both sides, 
and extending over the top of the great Snowy Chain for a 
distance of 300 miles. The tree seldom attains a height of 
more than twenty feet, or eight or ten inches in diameter, 
but is very branching, and has a peculiar but pleasant odour 
when bruised. It is perfectly hardy, for Captain Fremont 
frequently found the thermometer at 2° below zero at night, 
and four feet of snow where it grew. The cones are pro¬ 
duced in great abundance. The seeds are gathered by the 
Indians for their principal winter and spring subsistence, 
and are either taken out and kept dry in their huts or left 
in their natural storehouse, the cones, in heaps under the 
trees, where they remain tolerably dry until wanted for use. 
The Indians are said to live upon them alone for months 
and months without any other kind of food. 
Dr. Torrey first gave the name of monophylla to this 
Pine, from a supposition that the leaves were mostly 
solitary; but Professor Endliclier, who afterwards examined 
more perfect specimens, found that the leaves were in twos 
and threes, and that the solitary leaves arose from Dr. 
Torrey’s specimens being gathered from stunted plants; 
he consequently altered Dr. Torrey’s name of monophylla 
to that of Fremontiana in compliment to Captain Fremont, 
its first discoverer. 
Shortly before leaving California for England Mr. Hartweg 
was informed by persons at Monterey that seeds of the Nut 
Pine might still be obtained from the Indians in the moun¬ 
tains, who at the proper season bring them down to the 
coast for sale. Upon this information Mr. Hartweg made 
a journey into the mountains, and found a few seeds still 
remaining at one of the Indian huts, and two cones, which 
he purchased from the inhabitant. The seeds being in 
tolerably good condition at the time soon came up after 
being received at the Gardens, and a portion was distributed 
under the name of “ Pinus Llaveana , with a thin-shelled 
seed.” 
This Pine will be found a very desirable plant, although 
not one for timber, but for its beautiful almond-flavoured 
nuts, which may be grown in England in the same way as 
the Stone Pine is in the South of Europe.—( Horticultural 
Society’s Journal.) 
FLOWER PEGS. 
At page 408 of the last volume of The Cottage Gar¬ 
dener is an article from the pen of Mr. Forsyth on the best 
construction of flower pegs. These are doubtless often con¬ 
venient, but for my own part I have long discarded their use 
in laying down the smaller kinds of shoots or flowers. The 
substitute I have adopted is always within reach, being 
simply a strip of bast mat: usually about ten inches long 
suffices. Tie the ends together so as to form a loop, and 
slip this over the stalk or shoot you wish to pin down, or 
pass the strip of bast round the shoot, and tie the ends 
after. Push the bast loop into the ground, which will there 
firmly remain, out of sight if you please. The only tool 
needed for the operation is a narrow thin piece of wood of 
any convenient length, a little notched out or forked at the 
lower end to prevent the bast from slipping away from the 
end of the piece of wood when it is forced downwards.— 
H. T. 
CUPRESSUS GOYENIANA. 
Raised from Californian seeds collected by Mr. Hartweg. 
Leaves imbricated, blunt, thickly set in four rows, and 
bright green on the old plants ; expanded, awl-shaped, very 
distant, more or less reflexed, sharp pointed and rather 
slender on the young plants. Branches very irregular on 
the main stem, some being opposite, others alternate, very 
numerous, slender, and rather pendent; lateral branches 
spiral, frequently opposite, very dense, and of a beautiful 
bright green colour. Cones in large clusters, globular, half 
an inch in diameter, each having from six to eight scales, 
which are nearly all four-sided and elevated in the centre to 
a blunt point. Seeds numerous to each scale, rather small, 
dark brown, without vittse, irregularly angular, and mem¬ 
branous at the edges. Seed leaves mostly in threes, seldom 
in fours. 
This fine Cypress was first discovered by Mr. Hartweg on 
the western declivity of the mountains of Monterey in 
Upper California, within two miles of the seashore, in 
company with Pinus muricata, forming a dense bush from 
six feet to ten feet in height. It is at once distinguished 
from the other Californian species by its very much smaller 
cones and more spreading, slender, somewhat pendulous ; 
branches. It has the same beautiful bright green colour, 
both in its foliage and branches, as Cupressus macrocarpa, 
and is a most desirable evergreen, which will prove quite 
hardy. 
It has been named in compliment to .Tames Robert 
Gowen, Esq., the Society’s present Secretary.— (Horticul¬ 
tural Society's Journal.) r 
