INDIGENOUS TREES AND SHRUBS. 27 



American arbor vit.e, Thuya accidenialis . 



The Arbor Vitas, or White Cedar, belongs mainly to our almost im- 

 penetrable swamps of the North, there forming a perfect net-work of roots 

 that, with the mosses, cover every knoll and rock and rotten log. Grows 

 also on drained, moist soils, and there of the best qualities. Its aromatic 

 wood is light and durable; used for shingles, telegraph poles, posts, street 

 paving, pails, tubs, churns, etc.; when well seasoned best of lampblack. 

 Precious little care is bestowed upon its preservation. For lawns, screens 

 and hedges nothing excels it. Its foliage is a perpetual evergreen. 



RED CEDAR, OR COMMON JUNIPER, JUTlipeTUS Communis. 



Indigenous throughout the wooded portions of the state, but not fre- 

 quent. The variety alpina is found on the north shore of Lake Superior. 

 A shrub tree six to eight feet high, growing in dry woods and hills, often 

 forming a slender pyramid. This and the Yew (Ground Hemlock) growing 

 in the same region, are indeed desirable; also the Red Cedar, or Red Savin 

 or Sabiiia, var proeumbens, trailing over the rocky banks and grounds, 

 along our northern borders. It has scale-shaped, acute leaves, "the fruit 

 codding on the short peduncle-like recurved branchlets." Is hardy and 

 hedgy. 



red cedar tree, J. Virginiana. 



Indigenous to the greater part of the state, most frequent in the south- 

 east; "rare near the west side and north of Lake Superior. Found scanti- 

 ly in exposed situations, as on the bluffs or shores of rivers and lakes, 

 growing to be ten to twenty-five feet high." Upham. Foliage evergreen, 

 subdivided numerously, composed of tiny sharp scales enclosed in one an- 

 other. When bruised, emits a resinous, aromatic odor. ''Flowers incon- 

 spicuous, the staminate in oblong, terminal aments; the fertile on separate 

 trees, producing small, bluish berries, covered with a white powder." 

 Wood. Seeds mature in the early fall. 



The wood is a bright red tint; sap perfectly white; odorous, compact, 

 fine-grained, stronger than the White Cedar. Highly esteemed for cabinet 

 work and manufacture of pencils; growing scarcer and higher priced. So 

 hardy and branchy it should have special attention paid it in prairie 

 forestry. 



NON-INDIGENOUS EVERGREENS. 



The Norway Spruce, Scotch and Austrian Pine (European) are popular 

 trees in Minnesota, and yet, all qualities considered, they do not excel our 

 native ones. The Colorado Blue Spruce, Picea pungeus, and Bull Pine, 

 Pinus ponderosa, have promise of success for prairie planting. 



THE QUESTION TO SOLVE. 



Our valuable pines, our spruces, our larches, our cedars, that have 

 brought us wealth and comfort immeasurable, serving as a primal factor of 



