JUNIPER. 285 



Properties of Wood. Light, soft, close grained, but brittle and 

 n'ot strong, dull red, with thin, nearly white, sapwood, very 

 fragrant, easily worked and extremely durable in contact with the 

 soil. Specific gravity, 0.4926; weight of a cubic foot, 30.7 

 pounds. 



Uses. The Red Cedar is a valuable ornamental tree for this 

 section, of rather slow growth except when young, but very 

 hardy and durable. It makes an excellent low windbreak or 

 hedge, and bears close pruning without injury. The leaves gen- 

 erally turn brown by the latter part of winter. The wood is used 

 where great durability in contact with the soil is required, as for 

 telegraph poles and fence posts, for interior finishing, cabinet 

 making and for lining chests and closets in which woolens are 

 preserved against the attacks of moths. It is almost the only wood 



_ 



Figure 49. Common Juniper. 



used in the manufacture of lead pencils, and is the most highly 

 esteemed of any wood for the manufacture of pails, tubs, brush 

 and tool handles, faucets. A decoction of the fruit and leav v es is 

 occasionally used medicinally and an infusion of the berries as 

 a diuretic and in homeopathic remedies. Oil of Red Cedar is 

 distilled from the leaves and wood, and is used principally in per- 

 fumery. 



Juniperus communis. Dwarf Juniper. Common Juni- 

 per. Trailing Juniper. 



Leaves in whorls of three, pointed at the base, linear, lanceo- 

 late, pointed, dark green on the lower side, channelled and 

 glaucous white on the upper side, one-third to one-half inch long, 

 spreading at nearly right angles to the branches, have a strong, 

 unpleasant, slightly astringent taste, during winter turn to. a rich 

 bronze color on the lower surface and remain on tree for five or 

 six years. Flowers open late in spring. Fruit during the first 



