same sheathing base; ten to the second, which comprehends those with solitary leaves, encompassing the branches; and four to the third, which includes those with numerous fasciculated leaves, proceeding from one sheathing base. The following are their designations: Pinus sylvestris, P. pumilio, P. Banksiana, P. pinaster, P. pinea, P. maritima, P. Halepensis, P. Massoniana, P. inops, P. resinosa, P. variabilis, P. tæda, P. rigida, P. paluris, P. longifolia, P. Strobus, P. cembra, P. occidentalis, P. abies, P. alba, P. nigra, P. rubra, P. orientalis, P. picea, P. balsamea, P. Canadensis, P. taxifolia, P. lanceolata, P. larix, P. pendula, P. microcarpa, and P. cedrus. P. Dammara is added in the form of an Appendix, From this nomenclature, the intelligent botanist will easily perceive how much Mr. Lambert has extended and developed the received accounts of the genus which he has undertaken to illustrate. The details of the respective species embrace the Linnean and vernacular names, the specific characters, references, and synonymes, the habitations, season of flowering, botanical description, remarks relative to the botanical history, modes of culture and uses, explanations of the plates, &c. An example or two of the author's manner will occur in the course of our extracts.

If to the various particulars related of P. sylvestris, we add the ample account of its products by Dr. Maton, the whole will, perhaps, be found to contain the substance of most of the valuable communications on this species.

The pumilio of the present author was so denominated by Clusius and some of the earlier botanists. It corresponds to P. sylvestris montana y. of the Hortus Kewensis, and, probably, to P. sylvestris mughus of Scopoli. Villars has observed of this last, that its characters depend on elevation alone, and that they disappear in low situations. This variety of the sylvestris may, however, be found to differ in some respects from the krumbolz of the Germans.

P. sylvestris divaricata . of the Hortus Kewensis, being a distinct species, and not a native of Europe, has properly obtained a separate rank. Mr. L. observes; as I am entirely obliged to Sir Joseph Banks for the first knowledge of this species, I have given it his name.'

A remarkable fact is related of P. pinaster; namely, that Mr. Tucker of Devonshire had a tree which bore eighty cones in one bunch.'

Three excellent plates and an accurate description are allotted to P. pinea: but no particular directions are given with regard to its cultivation.

P. maritima is more shortly discussed than its importance stems to require. Not only is it capable of resisting the sea

air, but it screens other trees planted within the influence of saline vapours, and flourishes in pure quartzose sand; a species of soil (if soil it may be called,) which is usually condemned to hopeless sterility. The success which has attended the cultivation of the maritime pine, in various bleak districts of France, should operate as a powerful encouragement to forming plantations of it along the wastes of our sea-shores.

P. Massoniana, so called because it was brought by Mr. Francis Masson from the Cape of Good Hope, where it had been raised from seeds sent from China, is as yet little known to the curious in Europe. We therefore gladly copy the following characters and description:

PINUS MASSONIANA, foliis geminis tenuissimis longissimis ; vaginû abbreviata, antherarum crisia dentato-lacera.

• Habitat in China.

DESCRIPTIO.

Arbor stipulis ciliato-pilosis, vaginis filamentosa-laceris. Folia 3-4 uncialia, angusta, canaliculata, margine scabra. Amenta mascula pedicellata. Antherarum crista plana, reniformis, dentato-lacera.'—

The diligent student will compare these particulars with the account of the long-leaved Indian pine, copied from a manuscript communication of Dr. Roxburgh..

Mr. Lambert justly infers, from the character of the Siberian or Cembra pine, that it might be planted with success on our bleak and mountainous grounds. Alviez, which he mentions as its French name, is more properly one of its numerous provincial appellations, and chiefly confined to the neighbourhood of Briançon. Villars has remarked that its name is different in almost every village of Dauphiny.

The characters of P. occidentalis are copied from Swartz and Plumier, but the author cautiously subjoins the following

note:

Dr. Swartz seems only to have seen trees of this species without male flowers or fruit, and could only procure a branch with leaves, and a cone very much mutilated: it therefore still remains to be better described by some future botanist who may be more fortunate.'

As short exemplifications of the plan of this work, and intimations of two species which solicit greater publicity, we quote the ensuing articles.

PINUS TAXIFOLIA.
NCOTKA FIR.

• PINUS TAXIFOLIA, foliis solitariis planis integerrimis, strobilis ablongis, antheris inflato didymis.

• Habitat ad Americe Borealis oras occidentales.

DESCRIPTIO.

DESCRIPTIO.

Habitus. P. Canadensis, at folia angustiora et paululum longiora, integerrima. Amenta mascula ovata, subsessilia, multiflora; antheris inflato-didymis, cristá reflexá, minimâ.

The figure was taken from a specimen in the Banksian herbarium, brought home by Mr. Menzies, by whom it was discovered on the north-west coast of America, and who has favoured me with the following particulars respecting this species.

In general habit this tree resembles P. Canadensis, and attains considerable height and size. The leaves are also very like those of the species just mentioned, but narrower, and their edges are entire ; whereas the others are visibly serrated. The inflorescentia is much larger than in P. Canadensis, and there are more antheræ. As for the cones, I can give no account of them, those which were brought by Mr. Menzies having been unfortunately mislaid. That gentle. man however informs me that they differ in their form from the cones of P. Canadensis, and that they are longer.'

PINUS MICROCARPA.

RED LARCH.

PINUS MICROCARPA, foliis fasciculatis deciduis, strobilis subrotundis paucifloris; squamis inflexis, bracteolis ellipticis obtusè acuminatis. P. LARICINA, foliis fasciculatis deciduis, conis subglobosis; squamis laxis orbiculatis glabris. Du Roi. Harbk. ed. Pott. v. 2. 117. · DESCRIPTIO.

• Præcedentibus similis, ramulis laxè pendentibus, foliis paululùm minoribus. Amenta mascula brevissima et fere capitata, antheris apice lateribusque ventricosis, crista mutica deflexa: foeminea retusa, pauciflora, bracteolis obovato-ellipticis, acumine obtusiori. Strobili parvi, semiunciales, rubicundi, squamis paucioribus, margine inflexis, integris.

This species is very scarce in England, but would be a great ornament to the finest plantations. The only tree of any size I have seen is at Whitton, where it was planted by John Duke of Argyll, and which has a remarkably beautiful appearance in the summer, being covered with a great number of bright purple cones.

The specimen from which the figure was taken came from that tree. It is a very remarkable species, the cones being much smaller than those of P. pendula. Upon examining the two trees very accurately, I am inclined to suppose them really distinct : besides the smallness of the cones, they differ essentially in the figure of the bracteole. The cones of both are sent from America annually to Mr. Loddige, one under the name of the black, and the other of the red larch. He has a large plantation of fine healthy trees of each sort, about eight feet high, which produce many cones every year; and although they grow close to each other, the cones always remain distinct. There are two trees growing at Sion House, under the name of the Siberian larch, whish I make no doubt were brought from America, and appear to be P. microcarpa.'

Without minutely scrutinizing the omissions of a work of such undisputed merit as that now under our review, we must

beg

beg leave to hint that the larches and spruces might have afforded articles more copious, and more detailed; that the remarkable cedar at Enfield was worthy of being noticed; and that the cultivation of several of the species might have been treated with greater latitude of discussion.

Dr. Maton's essay on the various substances prepared from trees of the Pine Genus manifests a very laudable degree of discriminating attention:

The terms commonly attached to these substances,' he observes, are, in general, extremely vague, ambiguous, and inexpressive. Those employed in ancient authors are not to be excepted from the application of this remark; they have occasioned great difference of opinion among commentators, and, in some instances, they remain to this day undefined; but, on the whole, they were used with more precision perhaps than is observable either in the popular discourse, or in the regular pharmacopaia, of modern times. In the following pages, which are intended to describe the several substances and processes in detail, we shall endeavour to dissipate the confusion as far as we are able, by substituting appropriate appellations for those which are either ambiguous, or likely to lead to error, and by arranging immediately under every head such synonyms as may be adduced without undue latitude of conjecture.'

Agreeably to this exposition, not fewer than eleven distinct substances are stated as procurable from the Scotch Fir alone. These are liquid resin, or turpentine, extract of the juice, yellow resin, essential oil, common resin, black resin, or colophony, tar, tar-water, pitch, lamp-black, and bark-bread. The last mentioned is thus described:

We are informed by Linnæus that the Laplanders eat, during a great part of the winter, and sometimes even during the whole year, a preparation of the inner bark of the pire, which is called among these people Bark broed. This substance is made in the following manner, viz. After a selection of the tallest and least ramose trees, (for the dwarf, branching ones contain too great a quantity of resinous juice) the dry and scaly external bark is carefully taken off, and the soft, white, fibrous, and succulent matter collected and dried. The time of the year chosen for this process is when the alburnum is soft, and spontaneously separates from the wood by very gentle pulling, otherwise too much labour would be required. When the natives are about to convert it to use, it is slowly baked on the coals, and being thus rendered more porous and hard is then ground into powder, which is kneaded with water into cakes and baked in an oven.'

The products from the other species are noticed in a much more cursory manner.

The remarks on the timber yielded by various species of pines, communicated in a letter from Mr. Davis of Hommingsham, are the result of thirty years' experience. We only re

gret

gret that they are not more numerous. Among other interesting particulars, Mr. D. observes that land planted with Scotch Firs eight feet and a quarter apart, viz. six hundred and forty to an acre, will pay ten per cent. compound interest, supposing very poor land at three shillings per acre, worth about four pounds in fee, and the planting to cost six pounds more, in all ten pounds per acre. In twenty-eight years, ten pounds, at compound interest, will be forty pounds, and in that period the trees at only two and sixpence each will be worth eighty pounds.'-Et dubitamus adhuc ?

Mr. D. also remarks that it is a mistake to suppose that fir trees should be cut in summer, because (as they say) the sap, which is the turpentine, is afloat; they should always be cut when the sap is stagnant, viz. in winter. Fir cut in the summer will become full of mushrooms in a twelvemonth afterwards. I have tried this frequently, and paid dearly for my experience.'

Mr. Lambert has, moreover, inserted a valuable extract from Coxe's Travels in Poland, &c. on the subject of Christiana deal; and a copy of a letter from Mr. Marsham, on insects destructive to pines.

In taking leave of this masterly performance, we must observe that the paper and typography are truly sumptuous; that the plates, which exhibit most of the species, and several of them in different states, with the parts of fructification, &c are executed in an admirable style; and that the text has added much to our stock of botanical and useful knowlege. We wait with high expectations for the completion of the author's design.

Muir.

ART. IX. The Year of Sorrow. Written in the Spring of 1803, by W. R. Spencer. 4to. 5s. Cadell and Davies. 1804.

I

T is seldom that the public feel cordially disposed to participate in the domestic distresses of individuals: yet the tale of private suffering will sooner and more forcibly affect many persons than the eventful records of war, pestilence, and famine. In paying a melancholy tribute to the memory of those friends and relatives, who, in the course of a single year, were severed from him by death, Mr. Spencer has contrived to interest our feelings; and to recommend his elegiac pages to every reader of taste and sensibility. If his sentiments and images are neither new nor particularly brilliant, they are such as nature disctates when we bewail the loss of those whom we loved.

The