1802 



THURBER 



THUYA 



his contributions to horticultural literature consisted in 

 editing, revising and bringing out the horticultural 

 aud agricultural books of the Orange Judd Company. 

 After the death of Dr. Torrey, he was elected president 

 of the Torrey Botanical Club. He was also president of 

 the New Jersey Horticultural Society ; vice-president 

 of the American Pomologieal Society for New Jersey; 

 and honorary member of many scientific societies 

 throughout the world. The honorary title of doctor of 

 medicine was conferred upon him by the University 



2503. Typical form of Thuya occidentalis (X %). 



Medical College of New York. During the latter years 

 of his life he suffered severely from chronic rheuma- 

 tism, which finally resulted in heart degeneration and 

 his death. Personally, Dr. Thurberwas one of the most 

 genial of men, gentle, sweet-tempered, with a consider- 

 able share of good-natured humor, always ready to help 

 those whom he felt needed assistance, liberal-minded 

 and generous to a fault; but a relentless foe to frauds, 

 shams and impostors of every kind. 



P. M. Hexamer. 



THUYA (Thya or Thyia, an ancient Greek name for 

 a resinous tree or shrub). Also spelled Thuja or Thuia. 

 Including Biota. Coniferw. Arborvit^. Ornamental 

 evergreen trees of narrow pyramidal habit, with much 

 ramified branches, the branchlets arranged frond-like, 

 flattened and clothed with small scale-like leaves; the 

 fruit is a small strobile or cone not exceeding 1 in. in 

 length. The well-known T. occidentalis is hardy north 

 and also T. Japonica. T. gigantea and several forms of 

 T. orientalis are hardy as far north as Mass. Thuyas 

 are favorites for formal gardens. They are all of regu- 

 lar, symmetrical habit. Their numerous garden forms 

 vary greatly in habit and in color of foliage. For plant- 

 ing as single specimens in parks they are mostly too 

 stiff and formal, but they are well suited for massing 

 on borders of streams or lakes. The most beautiful and 

 the most rapidly growing species is T. gigantea. Thuyas • 

 are well adapted for hedges and wind-breaks. They bear 

 pruning well and soon form a dense hedge. They thrive 

 best in somewhat moist, loamy soil and are easily trans- 

 planted. Prop, by seeds sown in spring. The varieties, 

 especially those of T. occidentalis, are usually prop, by 

 cuttings taken late in summer and kept during the 

 winter in a cool greenhouse or frame; also by grafting 

 on seedling stuck in summer or early in spring in the 

 greenhouse. The vars. of T. gigantea and T. orientalis 

 are usually grafted, since they do not grow readily from 

 cuttings, except the juvenile forms of the latter, as var. 

 decussata and Meldensis, Consult Retinispora. 



Five species ur in N. America, E. and Cent. Asia. 



Resiniferous trees with short horizontal, much ramified 

 branches; the branchlets flattened and frond-like ar- 



ranged: lvs. decussate, scale-like, appressed, usually 

 glandular on the back: lis. monoecious, globose, small, 

 terminal on short branchlets, staminate yellow, consist- 

 ing of usually 6 opposite sta- 

 mens, each with 2-4 anther- 

 cells ; pistillate consisting of 

 8-12 scales in opposite pairs, 

 of which only the middle ones, 

 or in the section Biota the 

 lower ones, are fertile, inch 

 scale with 2 ovules inside at 

 the base: strobiles globose- 

 ovate to oval-oblong, with 2 

 seeds under the fertile scales. 

 The wood is light and soft, brit- 

 tle and rather coarse-grained, 

 durable in the soil; it is much 

 used for construction, cabinet- 

 making and in cooperage. T. 

 occidentalis contains a volatile 

 oil and thujin and is some- 

 times used medicinally. 



A. Cones pendulous, with thin 

 scales, apiculate below 

 the apex : seeds winged, 

 compressed : branchlets 

 ramified more or less 

 horizontally , with a dis- 

 tinct upper and under 



ide. 



2504. Seedline of Thuya 

 occidentalis (X %). 



B. Lvs. yellowish or bluish 



green beneath : usually 2 



pairs of fertile scales. 

 occidentalis, Linn. Common Arbobvit^:. Erroneously 

 but commonly called White Cedar (which is prop- 

 erly Chamsecyparis). Figs. 2503-5. Tree, attaining 60 

 ft. and more, with short horizontal branches ascending 

 at the end and forming a narrow pyramidal, rather com- 

 pact head : lvs ovate, acute, usually glandular, bright 

 green above, yellowish green beneath, changing in win- 

 ter usually to dull brownish green: cones oval to oval- 

 oblong, about }4 in. long, brownish yellow: seeds % 

 in. long. New Brunswick to Manitoba, south to N. C. 

 and 111. S.S. 10:532.-Much used for telegraph poles. 

 A great number of garden forms, about 50, are in culti- 

 vation. The best known are the following: Var. alba, 

 Nichols, (var. albo-sp)ca, Beissn. Var. Queen Victoria, 

 Hort.). Tips of young branchlets white. Var. argen- 

 tea, Carr. (var. albo-variegdta, Beissn.). Branchlets 

 variegated silvery white. Var. aiirea, Nichols. Broad 

 bushy form, with deep yellow foliage; also var. Biir- 

 rowii, Douglas' Golden and Median's Golden are forms 

 with yellow foliage. See also var. lutea. Var. aureo- 

 variegata, Beissn. (var. aiirea maculata, Hort.). Foli- 

 age variegated with golden yellow. Var. conica densa, 



2505. The Arborvitce— Thuya occidentalis. Nearly full size. 



Hort. "Dense conical form." Var. Columbia, Hort. 

 ''Strong habit; foliage broad, with a beautiful silvery 

 variegation." Var. cristata, Carr. Irregular dwarf, 

 pyramidal form with stout crowded, often recurved 

 branchlets. Var. Douglasii, Render. Bushy form, with 



