FOR TIMBER PURPOSES. 217 



The principal hindrance to the extensive planting in quantity 

 of any of the newer conifers, after the suitability of the species 

 has been fairly tested, is the price of young plants, consequent, 

 no doubt, upon their scarcity in the first instance, but also to 

 some extent on account of the demand for them. This will, in 

 the course of time, work its own cure, and when such a species 

 as the Taxodium has fairly established itself in public opinion, 

 so as to be planted in masses, as we do Scots hr and spruce, we 

 may then find it thriving better in this country ; for, as in the 

 case of the Ceclrus Dcodara, a grave error has been committed in 

 this country since its introduction, in planting it as a specimen tree, 

 and not in close order in spaces about 4 feet square apart on hill 

 sides, — so in regard to the Taxodium, the isolation of specimens 

 does not give a fair chance of success, in a new climate, to a pine 

 accustomed to luxuriate in groves in its native habitats. Xor 

 should the fear of having to sacrifice, by thinning while yet young, 

 many of the plants if thus closely planted, operate against this 

 suggestion. For the straightness of habit of the young trees, and 

 the suppleness of their wood, should, independently of other pro- 

 perties of the Taxodium, which will shortly be referred to, render 

 it a most valuable substitute for larch in any of the many pur- 

 poses to which, as a young tree, that conifer is applied. 



One striking feature in the Tao:odium sempervirens is its bark. 

 It is very thick, in old trees in California reaching sometimes 

 to upwards of 2 feet, and of a dark rich brownish red colour, and 

 is composed of a dense reticulated mass of corrugated layers run- 

 ning longitudinally roimd the stem or bole, while the intervening 

 interstices are closely and firmly packed with fibres of a soft, elastic, 

 light, spongy nature, which form a sort of padding, and probably 

 from the protection aflbrded thereby to the young inner cells and 

 wood of the stem, the tree derives that tenacity of life during 

 severe winters for which it is remarkable, and which adds sa 

 materially to its recuperative energy, as to enable it when young 

 to throw out young branchlets and foliage, even when the frost 

 has been so intense as to kill most of its shoots of recent growth. 

 This i)eculiar structure of the bark is also well adapted to enable 

 the tree to resist with impunity the action of the severest gales, 

 aiul prevents the wood, which is remarkably light and somewhat 

 brittle when of large size, from being so readily liable to be 

 sna])ped across by wind. 



1'he peculiar red substance already referred to, which exudes 

 from the wood and bark of i\w. 'Taxodium /icmpcrrirens, hardens 

 into the consistency of gum, and li-om analysis lias been found 

 to contain a kind of tannin, or "kino," which might be ])erliaps 

 employed as a substitute for oak or larcli bark in tanning i)ro- 

 cesses. 'I'here is tlius a new use suggested to which young trees 

 of Ta.xodium might be proiital)ly ap])lied in this country; and 

 were it thickly planted liki; lurch in masses, and reguharly 



