2 PINUS C O U L T F . RI
the young leaves at the end of the branchlets, about an inch in length, tapering and slightly bent, with a
long stiff lanceolate fringed scale (fig, 4, a, b, c). at the base on the outside, the same as those at the base
of the sheath of the leaves, and within this two smaller rounded broader membranaceous translucent scales.
Stamens numerous, imbricated, spirally disposed, filament very short, expanding into the two loculi of the
anther, ojien at the side and above, terminating in an expanded suborbicular membranous process with a
subcrenulate margin. Cones very large, more than a foot in length, and half a foot in diameter, weighing
aijout four pounds, conical oblong, with large hooked scales. The scales areedge-shaped with an elongate
lanceolate mucronate apex, compressed on both sides, sharp at the margins, obsoletely quadrangular
in transverse section, incurved and hooked, very thick, hard, smooth, shining, fawn-coloured, from i to 3
inches in length, the lower ones longer, deflexed, and spreading, ver}' closely adherent to each other.
Seeds brown, irregularly oval, or sometimes with the back nearly straight, from Jto 8 of :in inch in length,
and % of an inch in breadth without the wing; with the wing it is ujiwards of an inch in length. The wing
is stiff, light brown, and neariy encloses the seed. The test or shell of the seed is hard, although not veiy
thick, dark brown, and covercd with a sort of yellowish-grey pulvcrescence. Cotyledons 10 or 11, irregularly
trigonal in shape, very much compressed, almost pointed at the top, and broadly rounded at the base.
Description.—A tree very nearly allied to P. Sahiuiana, growing to the height of 80 or too feet, with
large spreading branches, and a trunk 3 feet or 4 feet in diameter. It is perhaps of a straighter habit and
of a less glaucous hue. It i)roduces the largest, heaviest, and most beautiful cone of any known species.
The cone is like that oi P. Sabiniana, with the scales terminating in large recurved hooks, but it is larger,
longer, and the hooks of the cones more prolonged. Good specimens are rarely to be seen in this
countr>% the projecting hooks of the scales being usually broken and injured, either in gathering or in
course of transit, Mr. W, ]\Iurray mentions that two magnificent specimens ornamented his drawingroom
chimney-piece in San Francisco for a considerable time; and notwithstanding the occasional use
of fires when these were needed, the cones never shewed the slightest indication of opening, but seemed as
if carved out of a solid block of wood. Indeed, the common observation made by non-botanical visitors
was what an exquisite piece of can-ing it was, the light colour like box-wooil, and the sliarply defined
edges contributing to mislead those who had never heard or dreamed of Pine-tree cones larger than a
man's head. The cone oi P. Sabiniana is, on the other hand, easily opened, the scales separating of their
own accord. The seeds of the two species are the converse of what one would expect, the species with
the smaller cone {P. Sabiniana) having the largest seed. The cone takes about twenty months to come
to maturity. In 1852 a tree in the Jardin des Plantes at Paris produced two cones in its eighteenth year.
They grew at the top of the leading shoot, one dropped off, but the other remained, and at the end of the
first season it measured about 3 inches in length, and | of an inch In diameter. At the end of the second
season it bad reached its full development, and was about 16 inches in length, by about 9 in diameter.
We have not heard of cones being produced in Britain; but a tree in the Royal Horticultural Society's
Garden at Chiswick bore male catkins, from which the drawings of the male flower above given have
been taken.
Geographical Description.—It is found growing in company with P. Lavibertiana on the moimtains
of Santa Lucia, near the Mission of San Antonio, in lat, 36° north, within sight of the sea, and at an
elevation of from 3000 to 4000 feet above Its level. This seems the northern limit of its range: how far,
or whether it extends much farther south is not known. To the north of this district it is represented by
P. Sabiniana.
History.—It was first found by Dr, Coulter (afterwhom it was named by Don), ii
mentioned, and its range has not been traced much farther since his time.
the district above
P I N U S C O U L T E R l 3
Dr. Thomas Couher was born in Ireland, and received a medical education, in the course of which
he passed two years at Geneva as a pupil of the elder De Candolle. It was the wont of that distinguished
Professor to encourage or require his pupils to write a thesis upon any particular family they
might select, and if deserving, he published the thesis in the Memoirs of the Gctez'a Soaety of Physics
and Natural History, or in the " Transactions " of some other scientific sccicty. Coulter selected the
family o{ Dipsace<z, and his thesis, which is an excellent one, was published in the Memoirs of the Geneva
Society just mentioned (vol, ii, p. 11, 1826), After taking his degree as Doctor of Medicine, he went to
Mexico on a scientific expedition. Remembering his ties to Geneva, he sent to its Botanic Garden a
great many new spccies of plants, more particularly of Cactus, of which a list was published in De Candolle's
review of that family, Humboldt, Bonpland, and Kunth named a new genus of the family of
Legmni?iosw after him {Coulteria). After leaving Mexico, he passed to California, at a time when the
ratdesnake was still undisturbed by the hordes of gold-seekers who have since turned much of that countr>'
into vulgar ground. He there discovered many new trees and plants, among which may be specially
mentioned Abies bracteaia and the present species.
Properties and i/j^x.—Not much is yet known of the quality of the timber of this tree. There is to
be seen in the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden at South Kensington a section of a tree upwards
of a foot in diameter, grown at Mr. I lope's property, the Deepdene, in Surrey. The annual rings in this
specimen are lai^e, and are interrupted by wide lacuna; or sinuses of a hard resinous matter.
Culture.—It springs easily and strongly from the seed, but is apt to suffer when young from the
winter's frost, especially in the North of England, When fairly started, it seems to make fair progress.
The tree of which a section is above spoken of shews what it will do in Surrey, There is another specimen
at Nettlecombe, in Somersetshire, 21 feet high; at Blenheim Park, in Oxfordshire, 30 feet high; one of
the same height at Castle Ashby, in Northamptonshire; and one at Dropmore, 32 feet high. There is
a fine specimen at Kew, which was unhurt by the winter of 1879-80 and 1880-1881,
Commercial Statistics.—Price
in 1863, 3 to 4 feet, 7s, 6d. each; in 1873,
to 15 inches, 2S, 6d,; 2 to 3 feet, 5s, each.
[38]
850, seedlings, small, in pots, 21s, each; grafted, 17s. 6d, each;
feet, 3S-; 2 to 3 feet, 3s- 6d, 1045. cach; in 1883, 12
III