OF LINX^US, OCCURRING IX NOVA SCOTIA SOMERS. 177 



which are marked with three prominences, or vesicles, at the top, 

 and contain three seeds." We have in the above a perfect 

 description of our arborescent juniper drawn by a master hand. 

 Periera, English medical authority, thus describes Juniperus 

 communis: "Leaves three, in a whorl, spreading, linear, 

 subulate, mucronate, longer than the galbulus ; a bushy shrub, 

 flowers sessile, axillary, male and female flowers separate ; fruit 

 called a berry, in botany a galbulus, requires two seasons to 

 arrive at maturity, black with blue bloom not more than half 

 the length of the leaves." 



Louden, in his Arboriticum, Vol. IV.. p. 2489, mentions seven 

 varieties, some of which he says are probably distinct species. 

 c< One juniper, Nana (Smith), procumbent stems, imbricated, 

 incurved ; leaves, linear, lanceolate, fruit nearly as long as the 

 leaves, endigiment in mountains." 



Prof. Amos Eaton, Manual of Botany, sixth edition, pub. 

 Albany, 1833, by Oliver Stub, gives, from an American view, a 

 diagnosis like that of Linnaeus, though he calls the plant 

 " Juniperus communis, Willd." He mentions two varieties : 



" Var. 1, erecta, branches erect. 



" 2, depressa, branches prostrate, or horizontal." He 

 gives no details as to appearance of erecta, except the above. 



Wood, in his class book, gives " a shrub, with numerous 

 prostrate branches, growing in dry woods and on hills, often 

 rising in a slender pyramid six to eight feet high." He quotes 

 Bobbins assaying it is rarely arborescent. This, of Wood, agrees 

 with our shrub. He gives no varieties. Gray is very indefinite. 

 After the usual diagnosis he says : " Low shrub, ascending or 

 spreading on the ground (Europe)." It requires some botanical 

 skill to evolve our juniper out of this. 



Taking all the above statements into consideration, I am of 

 opinion we have two varieties of Juniperus communis, Linn. ; 

 one most common, decumbent, the other uncommon, shrubby. 



Since writing the above I have received' from Prof. George 

 Lawson, LL. D., the following valuable information which he 



