CONIFERS. 411 



Sub-Tribe I. Cupressece. Scales of the cone four or more, decus- 

 sately opposite, or three or four in a whorl, persistent. Leaves usu- 

 ally scale-like, persistent, opposite or whorled. 



Gen. Juniperus, Cupressus, Chamwcyparis, Thuya, Libocedrus, Calli- 

 tris, etc. 



The fleshy cones (the so-called berries) of Juniperu* communis are 

 used in medicine, as are also the leaves of J. Sdbina J from the former 

 an oil is obtained by distillation. 



The wood of most of the species is valuable. 



iTrom Juniperus Virginiana of North America and J. Bermudiana 

 of the Bermudas, the wood is obtained for making lead pencils. 



Cupressus sempervirens is the Cypress, a native of the Levant ; its 

 wood is nearly indestructible. 0. macrocarpa is the beautiful "Mon- 

 terey Cypress " of California. 



ChamcEcyparis spUceroidea, the White Cedar of the Eastern United 

 States, is used in the manufacture of pails, tubs, etc. Several allied 

 species from Japan are cultivated under the name of Retinospora. 



Thuya occidentals, the Arbor Vitse of the Eastern United States, sup- 

 plies enduring posts, etc. ; its congener of California and Oregon (T. 

 gigantea) is an immense tree 30 to GO metres (100-200 ft.) high. 



Libocedrus decurrens, nearly related to the last named, is another 

 large Call for nian tree. 



Sub-Tribe II. Taxodiece. Scales of the cone spirally arranged 

 (whorled in one genus), persistent. Seeds three to nine upon each 

 scale. Leaves usually linear, arranged spirally, or in two ranks. 



Gen. Taxodium, Sequoia, Sciadopytis, etc. Taxodium distichum, the 

 Bald Cypress of the Southern United States, is valuable for its durable 

 timber. S quota gigantea, the Giant Redwood, or Big Tree of Califor- 

 nia, grows only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

 It attains a height of more than 100 metres (300 ft.), and a diameter of 

 -10 metres (20 to 30 ft.). Its wood is red in color, and very durable. S. 

 sempermrens, the Redwood of the Coast Range Mountains, is a some- 

 what smaller tree ; its durable timber is much used for making shingles, 

 weather-boarding, fences, etc. Sciadopytis wrticittata and Cryplomeria 

 Japouica,, large trees of China and Japan, furnish valuable timber. 

 They are now considerably grown in the United States. 



Sub-Tribe III. Pinece. Scales of the cone spirally arranged, usually 

 persistent. Seeds two upon each scale. Leaves linear (or, in some cases, 

 scale-like on the primary shoots), spirally arranged. 



Gen. Tsuga, Abies, Picea, Larix, Pinus, etc. Tsuga Canadensis, the 

 Hemlock-Spruce of the Eastern United States, and T. Douglasii (Pseu- 

 dotsuga Douglasii of CarritSre), the Douglas Spruce of Oregon and Cal- 

 ifornia, are valuable timber trees. The former attains a height of 30 

 metres (100 ft.), and the latter of nearly 100 metres (300 ft.). Both are 

 valuable for making the frames of houses and ships. 



