Harper: Observations on Taxodium 115 



tinction between the two species of cypress. Lumbermen recog- 

 nize several varieties, such as white, black and red cypress, based 



i 



on the appearance of the wood, but as they do not correlate these 

 with any leaf or bark characters, I cannot see but what all these 

 names apply to T. distidmm, which furnishes practically all the 

 cypress lumber on the market. T. iinbricariitm is used to some 



w 



extent for posts, telegraph poles, and crossties, but just why it is 

 not used for lumber I have not satisfactorily ascertained. Elab- 

 orate preparations were made several years ago for getting this 

 species out of Okefinokee Swamp and sawing it up, but for various 

 reasons this enterprise was abandoned after it had been in operation 

 a short time. The danger which thus threatened what is probably 

 the finest body of Taxodium Unbricariitnnn existence, which it has 

 taken Nature thousands of years to accumulate, is not altogether 

 past, but may be revived at any time. It is to be hoped that 

 rational methods of lumbering will be universally adopted before 



the devastation of Okefinokee Swamp is again undertaken. 



The illustrations selected to accompany this paper are mostly 

 of T. imbricarhtm, as botanists will be more familiar with the 

 other species, which has often been described and figured. The 

 most conservative should now admit that for phytogeographical 

 purposes at least it is much more desirable to regard the two spe- 

 cies here discussed as distinct 



College Point, New York. 



