502 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFER.E 



brown or yellow when ripe, the middle scales only fertile. Seeds 

 small, thin, winged on each edge, 2-3 to each fertile scale. T. 

 japonica, T. koraiensis, T. occidentalis , T. jilicata, T. sutchuenensis. 



2. Thijjopsis. — Branches erect or horizontal, branchlets 

 horizontal, flattened, stout. Cones rounded or globular, com- 

 posed of 8-10 woody, wedge-like scales. Seeds 5 to each fertile 

 scale, rounded, thin, winged on each edge. T. dolabrata. 



3. Biota. — Branches and branchlets erect, arranged at 

 right-angles to the trunk, the edges of the branchlets pointing 

 outwards and towards the trunk. Cone-scales fleshy when young, 

 woody when mature, each one bearing a strong recurved or 

 rolled hook near the apex ; the lower scales only fertile. 

 Seeds thick, rounded, wingless, 2-3 to each fertile scale. T. 

 orientalis. 



Thuya resembles most closely the Chaincecyparis group of 

 Cupressus, from which it principally differs in the shape of the 

 cones and usually larger leaves. In Cupressus the cones are 

 rounded and the scales are usually four-sided with a distinct 

 boss in the centre of each. 



Wood light in weight, soft, fragrant, easy to work, very 

 durable, yellowish, yellowish brown, or reddish brown ; autumn 

 and spring wood well defined ; the distinction between sapwood 

 and heartwood usually clear ; resin canals present, but very 

 small and difficult to see with a lens. It is widely used for build- 

 ing purposes, telegraph and telephone poles, shingles, furniture, 

 etc. As furniture wood it is said to be rarely harmed by insects, 

 and when used for drawers it is reputed to keep away moths. The 

 slender branches are sometimes woven into baskets and ropes ; 

 the bark, removed in large sheets, is used for roofing houses and 

 sheds, whilst the fibrous inner bark has been employed for the 

 manufacture of mats, baskets, cordage and fibre for stuffing 

 upholstery, mattresses, etc. 



The Thuyas are quite hardy and are easily grown in Britain. 

 One species is sometimes planted under silvicultural conditions, 

 but their more general use is for decorative garden work and 

 for hedges. The best results are obtained by planting in moist 

 but well-drained loamy soil, but they also thrive in fight, sandy 

 soil, provided it is moist, and in peat. The species are propa- 

 gated by seeds and cuttings, the varieties by cuttings and grafts. 

 Cuttings should be inserted in sandy soil in a close frame or under 

 a handlight in July or August ; grafting is practised indoors in 

 spring ; in most instances propagation by cuttings is prefer- 

 able to grafting. Hedges should be cut in summer, a knife or 

 secateurs being preferable to shears for the work. 



Thuyas are sometimes attacked by scale insects. They may 

 be cleansed by spraying them once every eight days over a period 

 of six weeks, from the middle of April or early May, with a 



