EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS. 573 



Parsons & Co.'s superb specimens, which are now about twenty 

 feet high, are in a deep, warm, sandy loam, and fully exposed in 

 every way. The tree grows from twenty to thirty feet high, and 

 casts its lower limbs as it rises ; so that at maturity its form is like 

 that of a common pear tree, or somewhat more slender. 



THE DECIDUOUS OR SWAMP CYPRESS. Taxodium distichum. 

 This is the lofty and moss-hung tree of the gloomy maritime 

 swamps of Virginia and the Carolinas, but becomes a stately 

 tree of some beauty in open grounds near the sea south of 

 Philadelphia; and there are many fine specimens around New 

 York, some even in quite dry localities in the Central Park ; but it 

 is quite inferior to the preceding in all respects for private grounds. 

 The foliage is of fern-like delicacy, of a light green color, but rather 

 thin. The trunk increases rapidly in size near the bottom ; the 

 lower branches die out as the tree gains in height, and the top forms 

 a conical pyramid, supported loftily at maturity on a straight and 

 rapidly-tapering trunk. In the Bartram garden, south of Philadel- 

 phia, is a tree, planted by John Bartram in 1749, which is now one 

 hundred and twenty-five feet high, with a trunk twenty-eight feet in 

 circumference at the base, growing healthily, and to all appear- 

 ance rapidly. It is of course unsuited to small grounds. 



JAPAN CYPRESSES. Retinispora. This new botanical family in 

 general appearance resemble the junipers, and the arbor- vitaes, as 

 much as the cypress. The following have been in cultivation in 

 this country long enough to be pretty well tested. 



THE HEATH-LIKE CYPRESS. Retinispora ericoides. The first 

 small plants which were sent out from the nurseries in this country 

 attracted universal attention by the density and moss-like delicacy 

 of the foliage, its clear green, and the pretty pink tinge it often 

 wears. But it has generally been voted nearly worthless on ac- 

 count of a tendency to die by branches, and to lose its leaves. Our 

 summer and winter climate seem alike uncongenial to it, and it has 

 not,. as far as we can learn, proved a perfectly healthy tree any- 

 where in this country. 



THE JAPAN CYPRESS, Retinispora obtusa, is reported hardy at 



