In the last century white pine (Pinus strobus) and hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) both appear to have been common in our forest. Highgrading for masts, lumber and bark have reduced their numbers to the point that they continue to exist more as scattered trees rather than as stands of trees. Both species appear to be more abundant in eastern P.E.I. than in central or western P.E.I. The opposite is true of jack pine (§§ banksiana) which is uncommon in west Prince and, other than for plantations, it has been recorded only at Valleyfield and Lewes in Kings and Queens Counties. Red pine (P, resinosa), the last of the three native pines, is found in wild stands primarily in Kings and south eastern Queens Cbunties. The white pine can be distinguished by the presence of needles in bundles of five, the red pine by the presence of 4.5 to 6.5 inch long needles in bundles of two and jack pine by the presence of 0.7 to 2 inch long needles in bundles of two. (Caution must be used in identifying pines in planted areas as Sbots (P, sylvestris) and Austrian pine (P, nigra) are also present as plantings.)

The northern red oak (Quercus rubra) was one of the premium forest crops of the last century. some of the original visitors to the Island described large tracts of it but it is now un— common, existing primarily as scattered trees. Its distinctive, sharply pointed, lobed leaves distinguish it from the English oak (Q, robur) which has been widely planted.

One specimen of red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) has been reported from Lewes where it was fbund growing wild in a hedgerow. A number of butternut or white walnuts (Juglans cinerea) have been located, primarily near homesteads. It is debatable whether these two species were a natural component of our fbrest which was highgraded to the point of virtual extinction or whether they are imported trees or the offspring of imported trees. The red cedar can be distinguished by the presence of both scale~like and longer 5-sided needle shaped leaves. The butternut is a broad leaved tree with alternate, compound leaves. The simplest way to distinguish it from the black walnut (i, nigra) and Japanese walnut (g; s2.) is by the shape of the nut which is oblong in the butternut, round in the black walnut and heart shaped in the Japanese walnut.

References:

Erskine, David S. 1960. The Plants of Prince Edward Island. Department of Agriculture. '

Gaudet, J.F. 1979. Forestry Past and Present on Prince Edward Island. Department of Agriculture and Forestry. »

Petrides, George A. 1958. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs. Houghton Mifflin Cb. Boston.

Personal communications with W.Glen, D. Guignion, G. Hogan, A. MacLean, I. MacQuarrie, S. Manley, and S. watts.

Phillips, Roger. 1978. Trees of North America and Europe. Pan Books, London.

Roland, A.E. and Smith. 1968. The Flora of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Museum.

Sargent, Charles Sprague. 1965. Manual of the Trees of North America. Dover Publications Inc., N.Y.

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