THE HEMLOCK. 363 



The full beauty of the Hemlock is displayed on the 

 edge of a wood, or on a plain where it has grown without 

 impediment, feathering down to the ground. Here we 

 observe how much less formal it is in shape than other 

 conifers. "When there are no gaps in its ramification, 

 the numerous branches are mostly in close contact at 

 their extremities, so that, when viewed from the outside 

 of the wood, it seems nearly one uninterrupted mass of 

 foliage, hiding the interior of the tree almost entirely 

 from sight. In its perfection, when it has enjoyed an 

 isolated growth, without any mechanical accident to mar 

 its symmetry, it presents a fine tapering form without 

 stiffness, and a mass of glittering foliage with which that 

 of but few other trees is comparable. 



The branches of the Hemlock are very numerous, per- 

 fectly horizontal, and remarkable for the absence of 

 those regular whorls that distinguish other trees of this 

 genus. They are put forth irregularly from all parts of 

 the trunk, turning from their horizontal position grace- 

 fully upward, drooping a little at their termination, and 

 endowed with great flexibility. The branches are minute- 

 ly subdivided, forming with their leaves a flat surface, 

 somewhat like the compound pinnate leaves of the cicuta, 

 or poison hemlock. From this resemblance it undoubtedly 

 obtained its name. These branches lie one above another, 

 each bending over at its extremities upon the surface of 

 those below, like the feathers upon the wings of a bird. 



The bark of the Hemlock is of a reddish brown, di- 

 vided by furrows that separate it into scales. The young 

 trees have a smooth bark, like that of the balsam fir. 

 The cones are very small, numerous, and pendent, of a 

 fine crimson color when they first appear, attached to the 

 ends of the branches, and arriving at maturity in the 

 autumn. The Hemlock occupies all kinds of soil, though 

 trees of a large size are found only where it is deep and 



