EXOTIC TREES FOR NORTHERN FORESTS. 139 
He could hardly say more; and this strong praise is fully endorsed by 
various other competent observers. Professor Sargent, in his Silva of 
North America, describes it thus :— 
The most beautiful of the pines of the southern States; the broad, compact, 
shapely dark heads of the Slash-pine, raised on massive trunks, stand out boldly 
among the more open-headed and less symmetrical Long-leaved (P. australis) and 
Loblolly Pines (P. taeda), which it seems destined gradually to replace and to 
become a chief factor in the restoration of the southern pineries. For its seedlings, 
produced in great numbers every year, are able to thrive without direct sunlight, 
and, overcoming the more slowly growing seedlings of the other species, sooner 
attain sufficient size to resist the fires which endanger all young plants:in the 
Maritime-pine belt of the south. 
{ have seen Cuban-pine nowhere in New Zealand. It seems one 
of the good things to come to the Dominion with good forestry. Being 
naturally a summer-rainiall pine, it should not be liable to disease in 
New Zealand like Insignis, Cluster, and other dry-summer pines. 
Compared to the growth of Insignis-pine in New Zealand, Cuban-pine 
is decidedly slower on good soil, but it seems as fast on bad soil, which is 
more important, In America, with land at £1 an acre, Cuban-pine is 
calculated to return 8 per cent. net, after deducting taxes and cost of 
management, ‘The timber-yield figure (acrim) seems to average about 
145 c, ft. in quite young stands, (For. Quart. for Dec., 1916.) These 
are extraordinary figures, especially if one considers the high taxation 
put on forest property in America. The initial difficulty with Cuban- 
pine is seed. [I tried in vain to obtain it for many Years in succession. 
The American Forest. Service is now better organized, and could probably 
supply New Zealand at this time. Cuban-pine has had various names. 
The old botanical name was Pinus cubensis; the names just now in fashion 
are P. heterophylla and ‘‘ Slash ’’-pine. 
Canary-pine (Pinus canariensis),—In this connection I should men- 
tion the Canary-pine, though it would, I fear, be rather too wet for it, 
even on the driest coast lands of the north. But Mr. Phillips Turner 
tells me that he has seen trees in the north growing as fast as Insignis- 
pine. The description of it in “‘ Australian Forestry ’’ may be referred 
to. 
It is so valuable a tree that in South Africa it has been planted more 
abundantly than any other pine except Cluster-pine, and it is intended, 
in all the thinnings, to take out Cluster-pine and leave Canary-pine to 
form the permanent forest. There is probably more of this pine now 
in South Africa than in its restricted home in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Its valuable qualities are that the heartwood is about as heavy and 
strong as Jarrah, and seemingly twice as durable. It thus furnishes 
a first-rate sleeper. The Spaniards call the heartwood ‘‘ Pino Tea.” 
There is quite a literature on its durable qualities. The sapwood is no 
better or worse than ordinary pine-wood. The tree grows fast, and if 
by chance it gets burnt will shoot again. In New Zealand it may be 
seen growing as far south as Christchurch. It does well in the dry 
climate of Hobart. but is seen best in Australasia as an ornamental 
tree in the Adelaide parks. It is the most remarkable tree of South 
Australia. 
Araucaria brasiliensis —If not the most yaluable tree in South 
America, it appears to be the tree forming the most valuable forests. 
In Brazil, in wet mountainous climates similar to the mountain forest 
lands of northern New Zealand, the Brazilian Araucaria forms pure 
forests of large extent and great value. In these forests, recently opened 
