224 FOREST TREES. 
four anther cells, attached to the inner side of the 
scale; female catkins, ovoid, of few imbricated scales, 
fixed by the base, each bearing two erect ovules. 
Thuja occidentalis—American Arbor Vite. 
Leaves, appressed, imbricated in four rows on the 
two-edged branchlets; scales of the cones, pointless ; 
seeds, broadly winged, all round. 
The Arbor Vite is common in the most northern 
States of the Union, and in the British Provinces; 
but is rare in more southern latitudes. It grows in 
swamps, which it freqfiently occupies almost exclu- 
sively—in rocky situations—on the banks of streams, 
and the borders of lakes. It is forty or fifty feet in 
height, with a diameter of from twelve to fifteen inches, 
though it is sometimes much larger. In the neigh- 
borhood of the lakes it is called White Cedar; but 
as. it is generally known among cultivators by the 
name of Arbor Vite, I have preferred it, since the 
other belongs also to Cupressus thyoides. 
The wood of the Arbor Vite is light, soft and very 
durable. Michaux says it, will last thirty-five or 
_, forty years when used for posts. Rails made from it 
last sixty years. It is largely employed for fencing, 
and is preferred for telegraph poles. The trunk 
tapers rapidly; it is therefore not used where sticks 
of considerable length and uniform diameter are 
required. 
The Arbor Vite is gencrally admitted to be one of 
the very best evergreens for ornamental hedges and 
screens, It bears pruning to any extent desired, and 
