PINACE.E 513 



waters. The wood of ornamental trees makes good posts. A 

 decoction prepared from the leaves is sometimes used in medicine 

 in cases of intermittent fevers, coughs, scurvy and rheumatism ; 

 mixed with lard it is used as an ointment in cases of rheumatism. 

 A volatile oil extracted from the shoots and leaves is sometimes 

 used as a vermifuge.^ 



T. occidentalis was introduced into Britain in 1596, and has been 

 widely planted for decorative purposes. As many of the so-called 

 varieties are not very distinct from the type, they should be seen 

 growing before they are purchased. Light moist loamy soil suits 

 this conifer best, although it also succeeds in peat and heavy 

 loam. It is sometimes efiectively used as a hedge plant but has 

 no value in this country as a forest tree. When growing on dry 

 soils or where the atmospheric conditions are fairly dry it is 

 subject to attack by scale insects. These may be destroyed 

 by spraying the plants once in eight days during May and early 

 June with a paraffin wash. 



Thuya orientalis, Linnaeus. (Fig. 112.) 

 Chinese Arbor-vit^. 



Biota orientalis, Endlicher ; Thuya acuta, Moeneh ; Cupressus Thuya, 

 Targ. Tozz. Platycladus stricta, Spach, 



A bush or small tree 30-40 ft. high of dense habit, often 

 branching into several stems from near the base or occasionally 

 of columnar habit. Bark thin, reddish brown. Branches erect, 

 often as long as the central stem, branchlets erect, the secondary 

 ones arranged obliquely. Leaves smaller than those of the other 

 species, distinctly grooved on the back, those on the main axis 

 about T2 in. long, triangular, ending in a blunt point, not pressed 

 close to the shoot, those on the finer spray about two-thirds as 

 long, closely pressed, green on both surfaces, bearing minute 

 stomata, giving off a slight resinous odour when bruised. Cones 

 egg-shaped, fleshy and glaucous before ripening, with usually six, 

 sometimes eight scales, the lower ones fertile, each with two or 

 three seeds ; scales thick, woody, with a strong hooked or rolled 

 boss near the apex, ultimately gaping widely and releasing the 

 seeds. Seeds oblong, about ^ in. across, wingless. 



T. orientalis is easily known by the vertical arrangement of 

 its branchlets and by the strongly hooked cone scales. 



It is a native of N. and W. China and is in cultivation in 

 many other Asiatic countries. The date of its introduction to 

 Britain is doubtful, but it was in cultivation here early in the 

 eighteenth century. In some gardens the species is still found 

 under the generic name of Biota. 



A large number of forms have been given varietal names, 



* Sargent, loc. cit. 



L L 



