The White Cedars. 305 



the first year, and when ripe the scales become strongly reflexed. 

 In the Atlantic States and Canada, we find two species, viz.: 



1249. The AitBOE-ViTiE (Thuja oeddentalis) is found in swamps, 

 and upon rocky bluff's, throughout the inland portions of the North- 

 ern and Northwestern States, extending far northward in British 

 America, but not into the Southern States. The wood is soft and 

 easily split, has an agreeable balsamic odor, and is very durable. It 

 is made into shingles, pails, churns, buckets, and other hollow-ware, 

 is durable, and much prized for fence-posts, and is largely used 

 for telegraph-poles, and in late years for railroad ties. It grows well 

 under cultivation, and makes one of the most excellent of screens 

 and wind-breaks. Nothing would prove more effectual than this 

 for preventing drifting snows, in exposed places along the public 

 roads. 



1250. It is best propagated from seeds in nurseries, and then 

 transplanted in spring. It should have some shelter on the south 

 side, as every one must have noticed, w ho has attempted to plant on 

 both sides of a board fence running east and west. It would be 

 well to provide a row of some other trees for this use, two or three 

 years before the cedar is set, and take it away when no longer 

 needed. This tree when cut back will thicken up very well at the 

 bottom. When set it should be well watered, and if followed by 

 a dry summer, the watering should be repeated till the plants get 

 well rooted. 



1251. This cedar will endure burying in the sand to a remark- 

 able degree. In one instance on the shore of Lake Michigan, one 

 of these trees had been gradually buried to a great depth, and after- 

 wards left bare by the drifting away of the sands. It was found that 

 roots had been successfully put out from the trunk, to the height 

 of more than thirty feet. This quality renders it valuable in fixing 

 drifting sands, wherever it can be made to grow. 



1252. The "White Cedae" (Thuja sphaermdalis — formerly 

 known as "Cypressus ihyoides,'' or later " Chamaeeyparis thyoides") is 

 the common white cedar of the Atlantic Coast. It also occurs, but 

 less frequently, in swamps along rivers in the interior. It extends 

 from Massachusetts to Texas, and occurs abundantly iij New Jer- 

 sey, growing in dense masses in swampy ground. In some places 

 along the southern coast it is called the "juniper.'' It prefers the 

 lowlands along rivers and the forest swamps of the low pine barrens, 



