In a message dated 12/07/1999 2:30:06 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< How do you do this and are they needles from any kind
 >of pine tree or certain ones only?
 >Jane (with a pine tree right outside her front door)

 Just go out and get some, boil 10-20 minutes. No special taste but
 lots of vit C, december twice as much as in august, and still twice
 in march (260 mg/100g dry needles in Stocholm, 395 in northern Sweden).
  >>
A tea made from pine needles as well as some of the pine bark greatly
enhances the vitamin C effect; at least in the case of some Canadian and
French pines. This is how the potent antioxidant now called pycnogenol was
used by the people in Quebec in the 1500's and the combination is what was
said to have treated the severe scurvy that had developed among the stranded
explorers with Cartier at that time.