114 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION, November 18, 1830. 
NOTES UPON SOME NEWLY-INTRODUCED CONIFERS COLLECTED BY MR. HARTWEG IN 
UPPER CALIFORNIA. 
By George Gordon, A.L.S. 
descriptions were defective and inaccurate, which led Mr. 
Hartweg into the error of giving new names to kinds 
previously published. As Mr. Don's names have priority, I 
propose in the present instance to cancel such of Mr. 
Harttveg’s names as require it, and to rectify Mr. Don’s 
descriptions. 
No. 1. Pinus Benthamiana. Hartweg, in Hort. Soc. 
Journ., vol. ii. p. 189. 
Leaves in threes, thickly set on the branches, dark green, 
and resembling those of the Pinaster, but much longer, 
usually 11 inches in length, very stout, rather flat, with a 
slight elevated rib running along their inner side. Sheaths 
partly persistent, nearly an inch in length on those of the 
young shoots, slightly shaggy, except at the extremity, 
Where they are very ragged or torn. Seed-leaves on the 
young plants from seven to eight in number, and rather 
long. Brandies rather numerous, very 
stout, spreading, and rather irregular, with 
the bark rough. Buds large, dark brown, 
much imbricated, and destitute of resinous 
matter, or nearly so. Cones in clusters of 
three or four together, slightly pendulous, 
and quite straight, six inches in length, 
and two and a half broad at the widest 
part, which is rather below the middle; 
the base is unequal sided, owing to the 
numerous very small scales there, curving 
to one side, and forming a kind of hood 
round the base of the cone, which is quite 
sessile. Scales largest at the widest part 
of the cone, which is about one-third from 
the base, then diminishing gradually to¬ 
wards the point, which is rather blunt; 
those scales nearest the base are very 
small, particularly the first four or five 
rows, and are more elevated in the centre, 
which is terminated by a stout broad point; 
the larger scales are rather thin and 
nearly flat, ^ of an inch broad and ^ an 
inch deep, with a slightly elevated ridge 
across the middle of each, which is ter¬ 
minated in the centre by a very short stout 
spine, quite straight: each cone has from 
thirteen to fifteen rows of scales. Male 
flowers large, cylindrical, and in large com¬ 
pact clusters; each scale contains within 
it two seeds, which are rather below the 
middle size; but with wings rather more 
than an inch in length and half an inch in 
breadth. 
This noble Pine, which seems to he 
entirely a mountain species, sometimes 
attains the height of 200 l'eet, with a stem 
28 feet in circumference. Mr. Hartweg 
first met with it on the mountains of Santa 
Cruz, a coast range running due north 
across the bay from Monterey, and distant 
by water about 25 miles, although (30 miles 
by land; afterwards he found it in the 
Sacramento country, growing upon the 
ridge generally termed by emigrants from 
the United States, the Californian Moun¬ 
tains. Mr. Hartweg says, “After crossing 
tin' Clmba river you pass the prairie, and 
enter the mountains near Bear Creek, 
where you have to pass through an inter¬ 
minable wood of Pinus Sabiniana; and in 
ascending the gradual acclivity of the 
mountain you lose the region of Pinus Sa¬ 
biniana and enter that of Pinus Benthami¬ 
ana, which seems to be characteristic of 
the upper region.” Some trees of this 
noble Pine attain an enormous size; the 
largest which Mr. Hartweg measured in 
Pinus Benthamiana. this locality was 28 feet in circumference 
It has been known for some years past, from 
specimens and other memoranda brought home by the late 
Dr. Coulter, that several very desirable Firs were to he found 
growing on the mountains of Upper California, some of 
which were of gigantic stature and well suited for the 
climate of England; and as Mr. Hartweg, when in the 
service of the Society as collector in that country, succeeded 
in procuring good seeds and specimens of most of them, 
which he brought with him on his return to England in 
June, 1848; and as a large quantity of the same have now 
been distributed to the Fellows of the Society, either in 
seeds or young plants, some account of the different kinds 
may be found serviceable, particularly as the names under 
which some of them were distributed will require to be 
altered, in consequence of their having previously had 
other names assigned to them by the late Professor Don ; 
but as Mr. Don’s materials were very imperfect, so his 
