THE AEBOE-VITyE. 399 



coast to the Cape of Florida, and along the shores of the 

 GuK of Mexico. 



THE AEBOK-VIT^. 



The American Arbor-Yitse is a small tree growing very 

 much in the spiry form of the juniper, but narrower in 

 the lower part. It is Kke the juniper also in its numer- 

 ous and irregularly disposed branches. It is not seen in 

 the woods near Boston ; and it is rare even in cultivated 

 grounds, where the Siberian Arbor- Vitae, on account of its 

 superior foliage, is preferred. The American tree grows 

 abundantly in high northern latitudes. It is remarkable, 

 with its Mndred species, for the flattened shape of its 

 leaves ; and" in its native woods it is hardly ever without 

 a mixture of yellow and faded leaves interspersed with 

 the green and healthy foliage. The terminal branch in- 

 vested by the leaflets — resembling scales, and not a true 

 leaf — constitutes this fanlike appendage, resembling the 

 frond of a fern. The leaves have the flavor and odor of 

 tansy. 



In Maine the Arbor-Vitae, next to the black spruce 

 and hemlock, is more freciuent than any other of the 

 evergreens. It delights in cold, damp soils, and abounds 

 on the rocky shores of streams and lakes. It sometimes 

 constitutes a forest of several acres, with but a slight in- 

 termixture of other trees, predominating in proportion to 

 the wetness of the soil. In the driest parts of these bogs 

 we find the black spruce, the hemlock, the red birch, and, 

 rarely, a few white pines. 



