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ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

retaining its branches from the ground upwards. The tree at Dropmore isnearly as high, though not planted above forty years.

Geography, History, §c. P. Cembra is indigenous to the alps of Siberia,to Tartary, Switzerland, Italy, and to Dauphine and other parts of France.According to Kasthofer, it is found to a greater height on the Swissmountains, than any other species of pine or fir. ( Voy., &c., p. 150.) Villarsfound it, in Dauphine, on high mountains, growing with different varieties ofP. sylvestris, but rare. According to Hoss, it grows on the alps ofHungary and Austria; and, according to Pallas, as we have seen above,it has a very extensive geographical range in Siberia. It was introducedinto England by Archibald Duke of Argyll, in 1746; but whether fromSiberia or Switzerland is uncertain, though, in all probability, from theformer country; as the cones of the original tree, still existing at Whitton,answer better to the description of those of P. C. helvetica than to those of P. C.sibirica. The Swiss variety was strongly recommended by the Rev. J. Ilarte,in his Essays on Husbandry, published in 1746; and it is not improbablethat it was he who communicated the seeds to the Duke of Argyll, thoughwe have no positive evidence on the subject. Mr. Lambert states thata great many seeds were brought from Switzerland about the end of thelast century; and that more than 2000 plants, raised from part of them,were planted at Walcot Hall, the residence of Lord Clive, in Shropshire.These plantations are still in a healthy state, many of the trees havingattained the height of 40 ft. or 50 ft., and producing cones. Several treeswere also planted, at the same time, at Gledhow, near Leeds, where someof them still exist, and whence arose the name of Gledhow pine, whichis often applied to this tree. In 1828, Mr. Lawson of Edinburgh imported aquantity of seeds of P. Cembra from Sw itzerland; and dispersed them through-out Scotland for experiment ; raising, also, a great many plants in his ownnursery. {Quart. Journ. of Agric., i. p. 813.) In 1836, the plants sown in 1828had, in several places in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, attained theheight of from 8 ft. to 12 ft. From this, Mr Lawson very properly concludesthat, though some varieties of P. Cembra grow remarkably slowly, yet P.C. helvetica, after three or four years’ growth, will make annual shoots from1ft. to 18 in., or even 2 ft., annually in length. There can therefore beno doubt, he says, but that this variety, from the high altitude at whichit naturally grows, is well adapted to clothe the tops of many hithertoalmost barren mountains in Scotland, not only with fresh and luxuriantvegetation, but with valuable timber. {Man., p. 359.) The finest treesin the neighbourhood of London are at Whitton, Kew, Dropmore, andMill Hill, at all which places they bear cones. The Gledhow pines wereexamined for us, in October, 1837, by Mr. Murray, nurseryman, Leeds. Hefound in the plantations at Gledhow several trees, most of which were ofsmall dimensions, and going fast to decay; particularly those in exposedsituations. The largest and best tree which he found was 35 ft. high, with atrunk 3 ft. 2 in. in circumference, at 3 ft. from the ground, after being plantedfrom 45 to 50 years. It stands on a lawn sheltered from the north, east,and west, and exposed to the south. The tree is now abundant in thenurseries, and, being remarkably hardy, is likely to be soon generallydistributed; but, owing to its very slow growth, it will be liable to bechoked by the trees among which it is planted, unless greater attentionbe paid to thinning and pruning than is generally the case in ornamentalplantations.

Properties and Uses. The wood of P. Cembra is very soft; and its grainis so fine, that it is scarcely perceptible. According to the Nouveau DuHamel, it is very resinous, which is the cause of its agreeable fragrance.It is not commonly large enough to be used in carpentry; but in joineryit is of great value, as it is remarkably easy to be worked, and is of greatdurability. In Switzerland, it is very much used by turners; and the shep-herds of the Swiss Cantons, and of the Tyrol, occupy their leisure hours