69G THE JAPAN CEDAR. [Mah. 



of surrounding trees, so as their extending branches do not actually 

 commingle with its own. By far the finest specimen of this tree 

 that I have seen is growing in a low-lying and well-sheltered piece 

 of ground near our home nursery. The soil is deep, damp, and 

 rich, being principally composed of vegetable matter in an advanced 

 state of decomposition, and resting on a compound or commixture 

 of earth and stones, while a running stream in close contiguity 

 seems to contribute in no small degree to its general welfare, pre- 

 venting at least, even during our hottest summers, the possibility of 

 a dust-dry state of the soil. It is perhaps incorrect of me to say 

 that this is our finest specimen, for there are several others of larger 

 dimensions, but the position it occupies being considerably below 

 the road level and eye of the observer certainly enhances its 

 appearance in no small degree. It is 60 feet in height, girths at 

 3 feet and 5 feet, 4 feet 8 inches and 4 feet 6 inches respectively. 

 Another, growing within a hundred yards of the sea at Port Penrhyn, 

 and on rather stiff sandy loam, girths 5 feet and 5 feet 2 inches 

 at 3 feet and 5 feet up the stem ; while on the drive edge, near the 

 grand entrance, is one of like proportions. 



The taper in the stems of these trees is very inconsiderable, tlie 

 ffirth at 18 feet or 20 feet being little less than that at 3 feet. In 

 very damp situations we have, however, found that tliis tree succeeds 

 but very indifferently, the rate of growth being slow, and tlie foliage 

 somewhat sparse, and wanting in the deep, silky green tliat is so 

 noticeable in luxuriant specimens. Xo conifer with which I am 

 acquainted produces cones in such profusion as the Cryptomeric, some 

 of the largest trees in the park here being literally covered from base 

 to apex, not an unfertile branchlet being noticeable in several that I 

 lately examined. Even in young plants, when hardly 4 feet high, 

 and still under the nurseryman's care, cones are produced pretty 

 freely, not in all cases, but commonly enough. A peculiarity of 

 the cones is that the axes elongate and bear foliage leaves at their 

 apices, thus imitating in a marked degree those of Cvnniiujliamia 

 sinensis and several species of spruce. 



This prolonged axis of the Crijptomcria cone differs considerably, 

 however, from that of the Cunninghamia, which produces side-shoots 

 from the prolonged axis, what I have never noticed in tliose of the 

 tree under consideration. 



In the Cryjptomcria the prolonged axis dies off' the same season 

 it is formed, whereas in the Cumvinghamia this is not tlie case, 

 the elongated portion emitting new shoots, as in an ordinary 

 branchlet. 



Both in Japan and China, into which latter country it is generally 

 supposed to have been introduced, this tree is largely employed for 



