THE SPECIES. 55 



Where it grows unhindered the form of the tree is that of a blunt 

 cone ; under other conditions the top is often open and irregular. The 

 younger trees show a straight central shaft which becomes less con- 

 spicuous later by the development of several strong branches and the 

 ultimate stunting of the leader in old crowns. The bark is reddish 

 brown, thin, and separates in strips of considerable length. The wood 

 is light in weight, compact, red or light brown, and very durable. 

 Owing to its small size and poor form, it is useful only for minor 

 purposes. The ultimate branches of this tree are great numbers of 

 short cylindrical twigs, along which minute, scalelike leaves in close 

 order are arranged in alternating pairs. The " berries " are terminal 

 on the twigs, are oval in form and blue in color, usually contain- 

 ing two seeds. In this, as in other junipers, the fruits are sought by 

 birds and animals, that scatter the seeds undigested. The junipers 

 have no means of dissemination by the wind, but some of the species 

 are very widely distributed. 



The shrubby red cedar (Juniperus scibina) occurs in the northern 

 part of Montana. It is a prostrate shrub, forming in mats, and is 

 seldom more than 2 feet high, but usually about 1. The appearance 

 of its twigs is much like that of the preceding species, and so is the 

 fruit; in both structures, however, they differ in points which are 

 more readily appreciated by the technical botanist. This species has 

 a very extensive distribution, being found not only in the more 

 northerly latitudes of Xorth America, but in those of Europe and 

 Asia as well. 



The western juniper (Juniperus occidentalism occurs in the south- 

 ern part of the region included within the scope of this paper, par- 

 ticularly in the Yellowstone Park. Mr. Sudworth 1 describes this 

 tree as being usually from 15 to 20 feet in height, with a diameter of 

 16 inches, more or less. Trunks are straight, with 'prominent ridges 

 and low branches. The bark is a clear, light cinnamon brown, dis- 

 tinctly cut by wide, shallow furrows. Leaves pale, ashy-green, and 

 prominently marked on the back by a glandular pit, whitish with 

 resin. The fruit is one-fourth to one-third of an inch long, mature 

 about September of the second year, bluish black, and covered with 

 a whitish bloom, and slightly marked at the top by projecting points, 

 the tips of the flower scales. The flesh is scanty and dry and con- 

 tains from two to three seeds, which are pitted and grooved. 



This tree has closely fitting and scale-like leaves, and in its general 

 form resembles somewhat the" Rocky Mountain juniper. 



The dwarf juniper (Juniperus communis) is easily distinguished 

 from the other junipers by its distinct, outstanding leaves, in circles 

 of three. The fruit matures at the end of the second season, is dark 



1 Sudworth, George B. Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope. Superintendent of Docu- 

 ments, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1). C., 1908. 



