that he was using the two terms as equivalents for the same tree type.21

Conclusion — Problems with the identification and nomenclature of the spruces and fir mean that the French records are of limited value in attempting to reconstruct the distribution and abundance of these species on Prince Edward Island in the eighteenth century. Rather, much of the above has turned into an etymological exercise concerned with trying to determine the meaning of the words used. All the same, considering the present abundance of balsam fir and the spruces on the island (e.g. Sobey 1995), and their undoubtedly high presence in the past, they may well be under- represented in the above lists. Perhaps the reason for this is that they were so common and widespread as not to receive special notice or mention.22

THE PINES (Pinus species) [French name : pin]

Identification — Because of their importance as a potential source of masts for ships, the pines (especially the red and white) were trees likely to attract special attention. As well, the genus was likely to have been familiar to most of the early French recorders, no less than eight species occurring in France (though most of these are entirely Mediterranean or Alpine in their distribution).23 The most widely distributed European species is Pinus sy/vestris (in Britain

called the Scots pine, in France pin rouge or just

pin“).

2‘ We may also consider here whether the name of the French

settlement recorded by La Roque in his census of 1752 at anse a Pinet (still current as Pinette River and Pinette Point) may derive from either pinet or épinette, as the type of tree in the area. However, Rayburn (1973) (p. 98) states that the place is named after Noel Pinet who he says migrated to lle Saint-Jean in 1738 and settled at the spot, but he presents no evidence to support this assertion. In fact La Roque’s census of 1752 indicates that Noel Pinet was well established at East Point (more precisely, at the present North Lake), while the Pinette River area had only been settled from about 1750 (see also Clark 1959, p. 35). If there is no proven connection between the man and the place then the name is more likely to derive from the type of trees in the area.

22 Fortier (1983) (p.339), in an assessment of the French period records of sapin on He Royale, found a similar paucity of comment on what was probably the most abundant tree on Cape Breton

Island.

’3 Jalas 8. Suominen 1973.

2‘ Bonnier 8. Douin 1990.

129

Three species of pine occur on Prince Edward Island, and all three were undoubtedly present in the eighteenth century: (Pinus strobus, white pine, P. resinosa, red pine and P. banksiana, jack pine). The genus itself is quite distinctive in appearance from the other conifer genera on the island and the three species are also easily distinguished from each other. However, with the exception of two references to red pine in connection with masting operations on the island”, and another in connection with building materials26 — all that is ever listed is pin?7 Nomenclature — Pin, the French name for pine, was readily transferred to all of the pine species in eastern North America. Though Rousseau (1937) has suggested that pin could have been used for all conifers with needles grouped in fasicles (i.e. the pines and larches)”, there is no evidence that this was so for any of the records for lle Saint— Jean.

The tree lists — Pin is the most frequently recorded conifer in the tree lists for Prince Edward Island (Table 1-2): six of the eight observers record it — only Denys (1672) (whose list is very short), and the post-French regime list (Anon. 17605?) omit it. It is also the most frequently listed conifer species in the total tree tally (Table 1-3), and in fact would have been even higher in that list if all of the references to mast trees of unnamed species had been included.

This high frequency in the records is due to the fact that, as is true also of oak, pine was being singled out for special attention because of its economic importance as a source of masts and

25 Saint-Ovide 1725; Mézy 1728. 26 Verrier 1733.

27 This failure to discriminate between the pine species appears to have been so throughout the Acadian region in the French period, which is a little surprising considering that the red pine was considered to be superior to the white for masting purposes (Albion 1926, pp. 30-31; Bamford 1956, p. 17). However, Denys (1672) (reprinted in Ganong 1908, p. 574) in his description of the trees of Acadia, does distinguish the pin and the petit pin. Ganong (pp, 379—380) suggests that the first is likely to be the white pine, while he considered that the petit pin, if it refers to a species and not to a size of tree, could be either the red or the jack pine. I also note

that Massignon (1962) (p. 168) cites a record of 1688 pertaining to Acadia that mentions ‘pin blanc et rouge'.

2“ Rousseau 1937, pp. 67-68.