2i6 TAXODINEiE 



it was ordained that a heavy penalty — that of burying 

 alive — should be imposed upon its custodians should 

 there be any dereliction on their part of their sacred 

 obligation. 



We do not for one moment suggest that the in- 

 fliction of any penalty, beyond the stings of conscience, 

 should be imposed upon those who neglected the 

 sacred duty of planting ornamental trees in meet 

 places. The only moral that we would point and 

 deferentially submit, is that here among us an ancient 

 usage, the practice of planting Deciduous Cypresses 

 in proper places, is in danger of extinction. 



As it was the sacred duty of these vestal virgins 

 to keep up the fire dedicated to Venus — the goddess 

 of beauty — ^who, among other tutelary avocations, 

 undertook the guarding of the family hearth, so do 

 we equally think that it is a sacred duty for those 

 who own and occupy lands to maintain to the utmost 

 the beauty of all scenes upon earth. And, finally, 

 that they could not better act up to this idea, and 

 upon the moral of this story, than by redirecting 

 their attention to the planting of this most picturesque 

 of trees, that goes by the name of the Deciduous 

 Cypress. 



Cryptomeria Japonica. — 



Some may perchance, with strange surprise, 

 Have blundered into Paradise, 

 In vasty dusk of life abroad. 



Francis Thompson. 



The Cryptomeria claims a Greek origin for the rather 

 mysterious sounding but euphonious name conferred 

 upon it. The Greek word KpvTrro^ signifies hidden, 

 and the word fi€po<; share, and we are told that it 

 was so christened on account of a hidden relationship 

 with the Cedar. 



