52 Native Trees of Canada 



In the United States the tree grows to a larger size and is extremely valuable, as 

 its wood is used exclusively for the better class of lead pencils. The lumber is 

 also valuable for moth-proof chests and wardrobes. 



JUNIPERUS SCOPULORUM, Sarg. ROCKY MOUNTAIN JUNIPER 



The Rocky Mountain juniper is found in the foot-hills of southern Alberta, 

 and westward through southern British Columbia to the Pacific coast. 



It is a small, bushy tree, ordinarily 10 to 20 ft. high, sometimes in favourable, 

 sheltered sites, reaching the height of 30 ft., and a trunk diameter of 12 in. 



In appearance this tree resembles very much the red juniper, or red cedar 

 (Juniperus virginiana), of eastern Canada, and was at one time thought to be a 

 form of that tree It differs from it chiefl}^ in the fact that its berries require two 

 years to mature and ripen, while those of the eastern tree require but one. How- 

 ever, the tree has been very little studied and much remains to be learned about it. 



Its wood is like that of the other species of juniper and could be used for similar 

 purposes, such as pencil slats and cabinet work. 



THE YEWS 



Six species of yew (Taxtts) are known, mostly shrubs. Two are native to 

 Canada, one of which {Taxus canadensis) is a shrub and commonly known as 

 "ground hemlock." Their leaves are flat, narrow, lance-shaped, sharp-pointed, 

 and resemble those of the hemlocks in their two-ranked arrangement. The yews 

 can, however, be readily distinguished from these trees by difference of habit and 

 fruit, which latter in the case of the yews is berry-like 



The wood of the yews is fine-grained, of great strength and of high technical 

 quality. In former times it was extensively used for the manufacture of bows, 

 but today is of little importance because of its rarity, small size, and slow growth. 



TAXUS BREVIFOLIA, Nutt. WESTERN YEW 



The western yew west of the Coast range has its habitat limited to the islands 

 and mainland of the Pacific coast, and farther east to both sides of the Selkirk 

 range from the Canadian Pacific railway to the Canada-United States boundary. 

 It is nowhere found in large stands, but usually in small groups or singly; compara- 

 tively rarely as a tree, more commonly as a shrub. 



It is a small tree, ordinarily 18 to 25 ft. in height and 4 to 6 in. in diameter. 

 The larger trees are found in the canyons near the streams or on moist flats. On 

 the higher, dry, gravelly soils they are small. The wood is of little commercial 

 importance in Canada. 



The trunk is much tapered and usually fluted. The crown is conical and 

 when growing in full light, extends right to the ground. It is composed of many 

 horizontal branches which bear many slender, drooping branchlcts. 



The trunk is covered with thin, purple scales which are easily removed, leaving 

 a reddish-purple under-bark. 



