RED CEDAR . 



(Juniperus Virginiana) 



THIS widely distributed tree is called red cedar in New Hampshire, 

 Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, 

 Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, 

 Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri, 

 Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and 

 Ontario; cedar in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Caro- 

 lina, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, and Ohio; savin in Massachusetts, Rhode 

 Island, New York, Pennsylvania and Minnesota ; juniper in New York 

 and Pennsylvania; juniper bush in Minnesota; cedre in Louisiana. 



The names as given above indicate the tree's commercial range. 

 It appears as scattered growth and in doubtful forms outside of that 

 range, particularly in the West where several cedars closely resemble the 

 red cedar, yet differ sufficiently from it to give them places as separate 

 species in the lists of some botanists. They are so listed by the United 

 States Forest Service; and the following names are given: Western 

 Juniper, Rocky Mountain Juniper, One Seed Juniper, Mountain Juniper, 

 California Juniper, Utah Juniper, Drooping Juniper, Dwarf Jumper, and 

 Alligator Juniper. These species are not of much importance from the 

 lumberman's viewpoint, yet they are highly interesting trees, and in this 

 book will be treated individually. 



The red cedar grows slowly, and thrives in almost any soil and 

 situation except deep swamps. It is often classed as a poor-land species, 

 yet it does not naturally seek poor land. That it is often found in such 

 situations is because it has been crowded from better places by stronger 

 trees, and has retreated to rocky ridges, dry slopes, and thin soils where 

 competitors are unable to follow. The trees often stand wide apart or 

 solitary, yet they can grow in thickets almost impenetrable, as they do 

 in Texas and other southern states. It is an oldfield tree in much of its 

 range. Birds plant the seeds, particularly along fence rows. That is 

 why long lines of cedars may often be seen extending across old fields or 

 deserted plantations. 



The extreme size attained by this cedar is four feet in diameter, 

 and one hundred in height, but that size was never common, and at 

 present the half of it is above the average. That which reaches market 

 is more often under than over eighteen inches in diameter. The 

 reddish-brown and fibrous bark may be peeled in long strips. Stringi- 

 ness of bark is characteristic of all the cedars, and typical of red cedar. 



The wood is medium light and is strong, considering that it is very 



01 



