24<74< ARBORETUM AND FRL/TICETUM. PART III. 



Stances, in a group of trees of Other shapes, or to break an outline formed 

 by round-headed low trees or shrubs, the cypress is particularly suitable. 

 It is also, from its narrow form and erect habit of growth, well adapted for 

 small suburban gardens, and for planting near buildings, with which, by the 

 contrast it affords to theu* horizontal roofs, it harmonises better than most 

 other trees. It does not, however, thrive so well within the smoke of cities 

 as the Lombardy poplar. In a picturesque point of view, it may be used in 

 Britain for all those purposes to which we have shown, when treating of the 

 Lombardy poplar (see p. 1662.), that that tree may be applied ; but with this 

 difference, that, as the cypress is of slower growth than the Lombardy poplar, 

 and does not attain half its height, the description of round or irregular-headed 

 trees, with which it is to be associated or contrasted, must be proportion- 

 ately small ; and thus, instead of elms, sycamores, and, perhaps, round- 

 headed poplars and pines, must be used, thorns, crabs, sorbs, amelanchiers, 

 cotoneasters, yews, hollies, Portugal laurels, ilexes, &c. Thus far as to the 

 picturesque uses of the common cypress ; but every one knows that there 

 are certain associations connected with this tree, which are supposed to 

 render it particularly suitable for places of burial. " If the name of the cypress," 

 Bosc observes, " calls up gloomy ideas, it is not because its foliage has a sad hue, 

 as is commonly alleged, but because its pyramidal shape, affording a striking 

 contrast to the general forms of trees, and its head, occupying but a very limited 

 space, and requiring no pruning, have occasioned it, from the earliest times, 

 to be chosen as an object of decoration ; and, as tombs and cemeteries were more 

 decorated, in the earlier ages, than gardens, the cypress was frequently planted 

 among them ; till, at last, it has become, in the language of the poets, a symbol of 

 the last residence of man. This is so true," he says, " that the appearance of 

 the cypress produces no gloomy ideas in the minds of the inhabitants of the north 

 of Europe, who only see it in the gardens of the living, or in conservatories ; 

 or on those who see the tree without knowing its name or having read any- 

 thing respecting it. Hence," he continues, " it is only in the imaginations of 

 those who are prepossessed with the supposed character of this tree, that it 

 is considered an image of sadness : other persons regard it as a very beautiful 

 object, fit for forming avenues and planting in pleasure-grounds. Singly, and 

 of a large size," Bosc continues, " the cypress has a grand and very impos- 

 ing appearance. In pots and tubs, it is highly prized both in France and Italy, 

 and is used, along with orange trees, pomegranates, oleanders, &c., for deco- 

 rating churches, and other public buildings, during great fetes ; for forming 

 gardens of pots on balconies and on house tops, and even for ornamenting 

 private apartments on holidays." In the Nouveau Du Hamel, the cypress 

 is considered as recommending itself for being planted among tombs by filial 

 piety, not only from the gloomy aspect of the tree, but on account of its long 

 duration. " Depuis quelques annees," the author says, " on reserve un 

 endroit solitaire dans les pares et lesjardins, pour y placer des urnes et des 

 monumens funeraires. Le cypres doit y occuper la premiere place : il doit 

 accompagner de son silence lugubre la retraite paisible des morts. Lorsque 

 tous nos amis nous auront dit un eternel adieu, le cypres fidele nous pretera 

 son ombrage. Les urnes, les cercueils, periront : il se renouvcllera, pour 

 annoncer aux races futures qu'une main hospitaiiere I'a place aupres denous : 

 il pourra quelquefois leur rappeler les bienfaiteurs de I'humanite. 



" C'cst ainsi, Du Hamel, qu'aux jours de I'avenir 

 Tes nevcux fortune's, plein de ton souvenir, 

 Sans allor te pleurer au pied d'un mausolee, 

 S'iniagineront voir ton ombre consoK'e 

 Errer dans les bosquets, sous les arbrcs cheris 

 Que tes mains out ))lant^'8, que la terre a nourris." 



~ r/ldlai)he dc Colardeait d. Du Hamel de Denahtvilliers, 



le Frirc de Du Hamel. 



Soil, Situation, Prupngalion, and Culture. Any common garden soil suits 

 the cypress ; but it attains its largest size in such soils as are rather dry and 

 deep, and in situations sheltered rather than exposed. It may be propagated 

 cither by cnttin^s or seeds j the former being put in in autumn, and treated like 



