On the Cypress Timber of Mississippi and Louisiana. 19 
the trunks of bayou timber is represented by the drawing, fig. 1. 
They swell out toward their base and form into large spreading 
butments curving out into lateral roots strongly fortifying their 
trunks. This is mostly the form and character of the timber 
along the margins of all bayous leading from their several sources 
in the cypress basin to their principal water courses. Its defects 
in character and growth increase on approaching the principal 
Fig. 2. 
wipe, Bn 
streams, cai inversely, improve in receding from them towards 
the woodland- basins; here it attains its highest perfection, — 
iting trunks not unusually nm enormous proportions. It tow 
to a height, in some instances, of a hundred and twenty eet, 
Without a limb, with a Spent iaienag at top, often exceeding six 
teen feet, and at butt more than twenty feet, and this above 
‘usual swell near the base, (fig. 2.) These cypress bas 
or swamps present an interminable array of stately praca, 
ng up their tall and symmetrical shafts, and aeuketing 
a a dome-tike ceiling which excludes half the rept of day. ‘The 
are crowded closely together, an observer is 
rece With the uniformity of elevation ts ed maintain, 
although varying much in diameter. These fine cypress col- 
umns iponinate ie abraPAly under a cap, consisting of a few dis- 
and. inconsiderable duals altogether constituting 
ted ceiling; and there is so perfect a reflection 
