CHAP. CXI IT.

CONI'FERjE. pi'nus.

2195

from the gratefulness of its fragrance; for it is highly probable that the bruteanimals, especially in a wild state, are even more sensible of the odour oftrees than the human species. Michaux concludes his observations on thistree by remarking that, next to the grey pine ( P. Banksidna), it is the mostuninteresting species in the United States; but as, in Europe, almost all theAmerican pines can only be considered in the light of ornamental trees, thisspecies, as such, well deserves a place in collections, from the singularity ofits form, its delightful fragrance, and its hardiness.

Soil, Propagation, S,c. Plants are sometimes raised from imported seeds;or they may be inarched, or grafted in the herbaceous manner, on P. sylvestris.(See p. 2127. and p. 2129.)

t 5. P. mi'tis Michx. The soft -leaved, or yellow, Pine.

Identification. Michx. FI. Bor. Amer., N. Amer. Syl.,3. p. 120.; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836; Bon Jard.,ed. 1837.

Synonymes. P. variabilis Pursh FI. Amer. Sept. p. 612., AT. Da Ham. 5. p.234.; ? P. echin&taMill., Diet. No. 12. ; New York Pine, Spruce Pine, Short-leaved Pine, Amer.

Engravings. Michx. N. Amer. Syt, 3. t. 137; our figs. 2076. from Dropmore, and 2075. from Michaux,to our usual scale ; and figs. 2072, 2073, and 2071., of the natural size.

Spec. Char. Leaves long, slender; hollowed on the upper surface. Conessmall, ovate-conical. Scales with their outer surface slightly prominent, and- terminating in a very small slender

mucro, pointing outwards. ( Michaux .)Buds, on a young tree {fig. 2072.),-A,, in. long, and in. broad; on anold tree, larger {fig. 2073.) ; scarcelyresinous. Leaves {fig. 2074. from

«S Michaux), from 2^ in. to 4 in. long, % '»1

fil with sheaths Jin. long; white, la- St

« eerated, afterwards becoming dark. '\)\ IHlih 'til

slightly ringed. Cone, 2 in. long, and M|

2072 1 in. broad in the widest part. H

Seeds small; with the wing, £ in. long. xSS If

Young shoots covered with a violet-co- Vfi M

loured glaucous bloom, like those of P. Nik. Ya, if

inops, by which it is readily distinguished MV M

from the P. variabilis of Lambert.

Description. A beautiful tree; accordingto Michaux, 50 ft. or 60 ft. high, with a trunkof a uniform diameter of 15 in. or 18 in. for

nearly two thirds of its length. The branches are spreading on the lowerpart of the trunk, but become less divergent as they approach the head of thetree, where they are bent towards the body so as to form a summit regularlypyramidal ; but not spacious in proportion to the dimensions of thetrunk. This narrow conical appearance of the head, as compared withthe spreading character of those of other species, seems to have given riseto the name of spruce pine in America. The leaves, according to Michaux,are 4 in. or 5 in. long, line and flexible (whence the specific name ofmitis, soft), hollowed on the upper surface, of a dark green, and united inpairs. Sometimes, from luxuriancy of vegetation, three leaves are found inthe same sheath on young shoots, but never on old branches. The conesare oval, armed with fine spines, and smaller than those of any other Americanpine ; scarcely exceeding 1J in. in length, even upon old trees. The concentriccircles of the wood of the yellow pine, Michaux states, are six times as nu-merous, in a given space, as those of the pitch pine {P. rlgida) and theloblolly pine {P. Tee' da). “In trunks 15 in. or 18 in. in diameter, there areonly 2 in. or 2J in. of sap wood, and still less in such as exceed this size. Theheart wood is fine grained, and moderately resinous, which renders it com-pact, without its being of great weight. Long experience has proved itsexcellence, and durability.” {Michx.)

7 c 3