

Cryptomeria Japonica. — This a very ornamental, distinct-looking tree, 

 where the plants happen to have assumed a good habit ; but sometimes they 

 make only a straggling, naked growth, and have a poor and mean appearance. 

 I have several trees of diflferent habits, and of heights varying from twenty 

 to thirty feet, some very nicely shaded ornamental trees, and one in particu- 

 lar of noble aspect, branched to the earth's surface so thickly, that the bole 

 of the tree cannot be seen without putting the branches aside. This tree, un- 

 fortunately, a few years since, had nine feet of its head smashed off by a terrible 

 south-east gale ; but by tying its upper branches down, and loading them with 

 stones, it started the second year, a vigorous leader, which has since gone 

 ahead in a most luxuriant manner, putting out its side-branches as it proceeded, 

 so vigorously, that the tree has now almost grown into its natural pyramidal 

 shape, with a bole of four feet in circumference, and a diameter of branches of 

 from twenty-six to twenty-eight feet. It has borne cones for years, and many 

 fine plants of beautiful, close, thick habit have been raised ; and even these 

 latter have themselves produced cones. 



The cryptomeria is a plant that cones at an early age, and very freely. The 

 cones are about the size of a morello-cherry, blunt, and rather globular in shape. 

 The male catkins are formed in autumn, in great abundance, in the axils of the 

 leaves. The cones first appear at the ends of the branches in the winter months, 

 and are in full bloom in March and April. On a sunny, windy day, the pollen 

 may be seen to fly about as if a dusty bag had been shaken. The cones grow 

 very fast, and soon reach their mature size. They become ripe in September, 

 and are full of seed ; but they soon burst open and shed the seeds, which 



