MODELS FOR TREE DESCRIPTION 47 
The. fruit lasts a greater length of time and, usually 
dropping spontaneously, gives a much better chance for 
investigation. 
Specimens of most of the common woods may be ob- 
tained from cabinet-makers and carpenters. In cases 
where these specimens are at hand, description of the 
wood should be required. If the school has such speci- 
mens as are described in Chapter VI., Part I., the wood 
in all its peculiarities can be described. 
Examezz8 OF TREE DESCRIPTION. 
Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress). 
(Atterbury’s Meadow.) 
No. 1. 
Tree eighty-four feet tall, thirty feet wide near base 
ovate, conical, pointed; trunk seven feet in circumfer 
ence near base and ridged lengthwise, 
but only four feet at the height of six 
feet from the ground, where it becomes 
round or nearly so, then gradually taper- 
ing to the top; branches small, very 
numerous, beginning six feet from the 
ground, sloping upward from the trunk 
at an angle of nearly forty-five degrees ; 
twigs very slender, numerous, pendu- 
lous, two, three or even more growing to- 
gether from supernumerary buds around 
the old scars; bark brownish, quite 
rough, thick and soft on the trunk, 
smoother on the branches, greenish on 28% 
the young spray. 
Leaves about sessile, without stipules, 
alternate, crowded, two-ranked, thin, linear, entire, par. 
allel-veined. with midrib, dark green, smooth, deciduous 
