On the Cypress Timber of Mississippi and Louisiana. 21 
IV. In the texture and quality of cypress timber there is a 
very considerable variety, depending, in a great measure, upon the 
Re condition of the localities where it is produced. That growing 
along the bayous is usually much smaller, more scrubby and of a 
| stunted body, giving out limbs, more or less large, at short dis- 
; _ tances from the place where the base ceases to swell, all along its 
< body, and enlarging into a wide spreading top. They have but 
little resemblance to those growing in the basins. A great portion 
of the cypress timber growing along the sloughs, around the mar- 
gins of lakes and imperfectly formed basins, is of this description, 
being coarse, defective, and knotty ; affording a very inconsidera- 
ble amount fit for market. But the timber growing in the more per- 
fectly formed basins, seems to attain all the perfection of its nature, 
furnishing the best quality of timber for architectural purposes.* 
_ One specimen somewhat over seventeen inches, was found to 
contain three hundred and eighty annual layers varying in thick- 
ness from the ;},th part to the jth of an inch. In a tree of 
not more than forty-two inches, we counted over sixteen hun- 
dred rings of growth; they decreased in thickness on receding 
from the centre until one inch contained not less than ninety-five. 
From all this it may be safely presumed that there are cypress 
trees in the forests numbering over two thousand years. 
__Y. The diseases to which the cypress is liable are few in 
number ; they affect it in the form of rot. That species of decay 
to which it is most liable, shows itself in partial and detached 
Spots at greater or Jess distances, but often in very close proxim- 
ity to each other. It isa decomposition of the woody fibre to 
which the tops and central parts are the most exposed, and which, 
when affected, appear as if operated upon by worms. ‘This dis- 
ease affects more or less, one-third of the cypress timber, irre- 
spective of age or size. It makes its appearance more immedi- 
ately in the heart of the tree, seldom as low as its base ; but some 
where intermediate between that and the top, and spreading as 
it descends, until, in very many instances, the whole upper part 
of the tree is rendered an entire rotten mass. Timber affected 
in this way is denominated by raftsmen, “ Pecky.” The timber 
of some basins is much more liable to this disease than that of 
others, but there is this peculiarity attending it, that the pie 
down of the timber arrests its further progress ; and timber t ad 
affected, although not as strong, is found to last as long as that 
which is very sound. Nor does this disease seem to hasten the 
ultimate termination of the life of the timber affected by it ; - itis 
found in those of every age, and continues during the et life 
_ hme of the plant; but never extends to the active sap vessels. 
he eae specime : iation, descriptions of 
wh af halt eo ets rey ee ee caialigible Without the spe- 
m to the examination 
and. Dr. Dickeson will be happy to submit the 
Puasa ONE rate ee nce sik Sachageeuitadelphia 
