20 FOREST TREES OF CALIFORNIA. 



nity. decision, and force of character. Top conic, the foliage, 

 closely viewed, is in compressed, flattened sprays, aspiring 

 and upright, thickened and somewhat succulent or luxuri- 

 ously tender, if not languid type, at least in no sense rigid, 

 nor thrillingly sensitive to the breeze, but concurrently 

 moving in masses, bears some resemblance to the Great 

 Western Arboryitie (Thuja Gigantea^ but these tiny leaf- 

 scales are opposite and quite awl-pointed; besides the close- 

 pressed, adherent base runs far down along the twigs below 

 the free tips; general hue of the foliage light yellowish- 

 green, or warm -tinted, beautifully golden bead-tipped, with 

 tiny oblong male catkins, as the fruit ripens in October and 

 November: cones pendulous from the tips of twigs, oblong, 

 egg-form of six very unequal scales, two principal ones, or 

 large pair, swelled on the back gradually below, pointed on 

 the back just below the tip; intermediate pair much nar- 

 rowed, a few bract-like, spine-tipped, short scales under the 

 base; seeds oblong, like a grain of rye. two-winged, one 

 wing developed v to the size of the larger scales ; the other is at 

 its side, below, and much smaller; cone seldom over three 

 quarters of an inch long, little more than one third as 

 thick, and for the most part a trifle compressed: wood, pale 

 cream-tinted in color, a delicate salmon shade. This would 

 hardly warrant the name of White Cedar, sometimes applied 

 to it, as well as to the Giant ArborvitaB. The extreme light- 

 ness of the lumber, and its sweetness for packing-boxes will 

 commend it for express and commercial purposes, for posts 

 and fencing, and especially railway ties, for sleepers, string- 

 ers, and ground timbers of all varieties, and for unnumbered 

 use-, a tithe of which cannot be told in this brief notice. 

 Formerly these trees were cut away and burned up to clear 

 the track for redwood, tamarack, and ponderous pitch pines, 

 etc.: now all else is superseded by this Incense Cedar. Thus 

 we see how hasty and ill-advised notions give place to gen- 

 uine merit. 



A fungus (Daedalus) attacks and honeycombs it: and riddled 

 as it may occasionally be, still if spike or nail find substance 

 enough to hold, or sufficient solidity to resist crushing, then 

 practically for many purposes, even such lumber is as good as 

 the soundest timber; because, when the tree dies the fungus 

 dies, and thenceforth will absorb no more moisture than the 

 soundest part, and is alike imperishable, contrary to com- 

 mon experience in similar cases. This is another timber 

 nearly as lasting as solid granite: hence we see how little 

 reliance is to be placed upon ignorant assertions of transient 

 visitors from abroad. For ship or boat lumber, the clear 

 stuff, from sound wood, is so exceedingly light, stiff, and 

 durable, and practically so abounds as to be available, few 

 timbers on this or any other coast can excel it, unless we 



