THE WHITE CEDAR 



SOME confusion is caused in the identification of this species by the fact that in many 

 regions the Arbor Vitas is commonly known as the White Cedar. It is desirable 

 that the Arbor Vitae should be universally called by that distinctive and pleasing 

 name, so that the White Cedar should not be confused with it. The latter species has a 

 much more limited range than the former, being found chiefly along the Atlantic coast 

 from Southern Maine to Northern Florida and not extending very far inland. It is essen- 

 tially a swamp species, flourishing best where its roots are in water a large part of the year. 

 It is doubtless on this account that the wood is able to withstand the injurious effect of 

 contact with moist soil to a most extraordinary degree, a quality which renders it of great 

 value for fence-posts and railway-ties, and which also gives an especial permanence to 

 shingles made from cedar logs. 



The White Cedar is very easily distinguished from the Arbor Vitae by its cones, 

 which are globular and brownish purple, being generally less than half an inch in diameter 

 and having thickened scales that open on the inside and bear several small, winged seeds 

 under each scale. The leaves are very small and scale-like, borne in opposite pairs which 

 alternate along the twigs in a way to give a four-ranked appearance. On the middle of 

 the back of most of the scales there is a rounded greenish gland. 



The manner of growth of the White Cedar is very much more spreading and diffuse 

 than that of the Red Cedar. Consequently it is not so attractive a tree for general planting, 

 especially as there is a tendency for the lower branches to become bare and scraggy 

 vhen the trees get older. The species may sometimes be utilized, however, in ornamental 

 planting in wet places where it is difficult to get other trees to thrive. 



In the far Western States occur two other species of the genus to which the White 

 Cedar belongs. One of these is called the Yellow Cypress or Sitka Cypress (ChamcEcy- 

 paris Nootkatensis) and occurs from Alaska southward to Oregon and Washington. The" 

 other is called the Lawson Cypress or Port Orford Cedar (C. Lawsoniana) and occurs in 

 Oregon and California. There are a great many horticultural forms of each of these species 

 which have long been in cultivation both in Europe and America. 



(50) 



