168 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



the east, across the continent to Alaska and northern Cali- 

 fornia and along the Rocky Mountains to Northern Nebraska, 

 western Texas and Arizona. In the old world it is widely 

 spread over northern and central Europe and Asia. 



In Minnesota often found along the bluffs of rivers. 



Propagation. By seeds as for Red Cedar. 



Properties of wood. Hard, close-drained, light brown with 

 whitish sapwood, susceptible of a tine polish, very durable in 

 contact with the soil. 



Uses. The great hardiness and pretty dwarf habit of the 

 Common Juniper make it desirable in some situations for 

 ornamental planting. It readily yields itself to shearing. 

 Many fine specimens may be seen at Como Park in St. Paul 

 and elsewhere. In India the wood and twigs are burned for 

 incense and on the high Himalayan passes are used for fuel. 

 The fruit is gathered in Europe in large quantities for flavor- 

 ing gin and is occasionally used in medicine. 



Varieties. There are many varieties that are used in 

 ornamental planting in this country and in Europe, some of 

 which are distinguished by the color of the foliage and others 

 by the habit of growth which may be columnar or pyramidal 

 or dwarf and compact. Some of these varieties in English 

 and Dutch gardens are trained into the shapes of globes, 

 bowls, animals and other fantastic forms. The Swedish Juni- 

 per, one of the most distinct varieties, has erect branches, 

 which form a narrow pyramidal head. 



Walirat Family. 



Trees with alternate, pinnately-compound leaves, no 

 stipules. Flowers monoecious; the starninate in catkins with 

 or without an irregular calyx and several stamens; the pistil- 

 late solitary or in clusters of 2 to 5, their common peduncle 

 terminating the shoot of the season; calyx, 3 to 5 lobed; 

 stigmas, sessile, 2-lobed, persistent. Ovary 1-celled or 

 incompletely 2 to 4 celled with a single ovule erect from its 

 base; ripens into a large fruit, the bony inner part of which 



