THE CHINESE WEEPING CYPRESS. 97 



TJie Chinese JVeejAng Cypress is an evergreeu weeping 

 ti'ee_, one of the recent importations from Cliina^ and if we 

 may judge from the description given by Mr. Fortune^ 

 who introduced it — for we have seen it only in a young 

 state, — it is one of the finest of its class. In his inter- 

 esting work on ^ The Tea Districts of India and China/ 

 he says_, " It is a noble fir-like tree, about sixty feet in 

 height, having a stem straight as a Norfolk Island pine 

 [Araucaria excelsa), and pendulous branches like the 

 weeping willow. The branches grow at first horizon- 

 tally with the main stem, then describe a graceful ciu've 

 upwards, and di'ooping again at the points. From these 

 main branches others long and slender hang down 

 towards the groimd, and give the whole tree a weeping 

 and graceful fonn.^^ This tree appears to be hardy, and 

 if it maintains that character, it will be an interesting 

 addition to the scenery of the park and pleasm^- ground, 

 and should be planted wherever its form is admissible. 

 Avenues composed of it woid.d have a charming efiect ; 

 and these avenues, as the tree is only of medium size, 

 would not require to be of such dimensions as those 

 planted with English elm or lime or deodar. 



It remains to be noted that the forms of trees vaiy in 

 some measure with the season. Theii' internal configu- 

 ration is most conspicuous in winter, when the leafless 

 branches disclose the inner carpentry of boughs, and 

 too often, indeed, reveal deformities. Summer, with its 

 veil of foliage, shades much of the peculiar stiT-ictiu'e 

 of trees. Towards the end of June luxuriant sycamores 

 sometimes suggest the idea of masses of green vapom- 

 reposing in the atmosphere, an appearance veiy difierent, 

 certainly, from the numerous crossing limbs, and forked 

 branches, and biiish-like twigs presented by the winter 



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