GENUS CRYPTOMERIA. 33 



situated, the rate of growth is rapid, one specimen that I 

 measured having reached the height of 74 feet in forty-two 

 years. Home-grown timber of this tree is very light in pro- 

 portion to the bulk, and bears a marked resemblance to that 

 produced in its native country. It is white, or rather in- 

 clined to yellowish-white, soft, easily indented, and pleasantly 

 perfumed. 



C- japonica araucarioides. This is a small grow- 

 ing and neat habited shrub with short, regularly arranged leaves, 

 and slender almost undivided branches. The foliage being 

 thickly arranged, causes the plant to have a dense, massive 

 character, while the colour in healthy specimens is a dark 

 bluish-green. From dried specimens of C. japonica Lycopo- 

 dioides (Carriere) that have been sent me, I am inclined to 

 believe that the two varieties are identical. 



C- japonica elegrans. This differs greatly both in 

 habit and appearance from the species, and produces cones 

 very sparsely, these, however, being indistinguishable from 

 those of the species. It is, unquestionably, one of the most 

 desirable and beautiful of hardy conifers, the remarkable 

 change in colour from the bright green of the warm season to 

 the bronzy-crimson of the winter and early spring months, 

 combined with the elegant outline and perfect hardihood, 

 placing this variety in the front rank of useful and ornamental 

 trees of medium proportions. It stands exposure better than 

 the species, and like that tree, will grow on cold, stiff soils 

 where only a limited number of conifers could subsist. In a 

 young state it is apt to form several leading shoots, and 

 sometimes ungainly side branches, which should be removed 

 by timely and well-directed pruning. The cones are | of 

 an inch long ; and the leaves, in which the primordial shape is 

 retained for an indefinite period, rather longer than the cones, 

 flattish, velvety in texture, and abundantly produced. 



C. japonica eiegrans nana. This should not be 

 confused with the dwarf form of the species, which is also 

 known under the varietal name of nana^ the present plant 

 retaining its coppery tint during the winter and early spring 



c 



