THE AMERICAN ARBOR VITJE. 



255 



over the continent from Canada and New England to British 

 Columbia and Oregon. One form is also found in Japan, and 

 another is said to have been met with in eastern Siberia. The 

 timber obtained from the large trees is valuable, and is used for 

 many purposes by the colonists ; it is remarkable for its durability 

 and fragrance. 



All the Thuias are perfectly hardy in England ; they are among 

 the most useful of Coniferae on account of the numerous purposes for 

 which they may be planted, and the variety of soils in which they 

 thrive ; but generally preferring in their native country, low lying, 

 moist situations, as the banks of rivers or streams, the shore of lakes, 

 &c, they are also found to thrive best in Great Britain under 

 similar conditions. Under cultivation, the Thuias are polymorphous, 

 and several distinct varieties have originated in gardens both in 

 England and America. 



Thuia is from 6Va, the name of a tree or shrub that cannot 

 now be identified with certainty, whose wood, according to 

 • Theophrastus, was fragrant, and thence employed for incense in 

 very early times. The origin of the application of the name Arbor 

 Vitae (Tree of Life), to the American Thuia, is unknown. It is 

 so named by Gerard, in his History of Plants, published in 1597. 



Thuja is the common orthography ; Thuya is that of Tournefort, the 

 founder of the genus. We have preferred the original form as being 

 the most free from ambiguity, and which is also adopted by Carriere. 



SCIEHTIPIC NAME. 



THUIA gigantea 



(Nuttall) 



OCCIDENTALS 



(JAnrueus) 



„ Elwangeriana 

 (Sort.) 



ti Hovfiyi 



{Hort.) 



Synonyms, 



Thuia Menziesii 



(Douglas or 

 Carriere) 

 „ LoM (Hort.) 



Eetinospora 



(Gordon) 

 thvAa oecidentalis 



ericoides (Hort.) 



,j glohosa (Hort.) 



Popular Name. 



Lobb's Arbor 



Vitse 



The American 

 Arbor Vitse 



Habitat. 



BT.W. America 



Canada and New 

 England States 



Garden variety 



Height 



in 

 Feet. 



50 to 160 



40— 50 



