CYPRESS AND JUNIPER TREES OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 23 



been determined, but it is probably very long-lived. The oldest 

 trees doubtless reach an age of at least 400 or 500 years. Trees from 

 5 to 7 inches in diameter are from 170 to 195 years old, and those 

 from 10 to 12 inches are from 315 to 375 years old. 



MOUNTAIN CEDAR. 



Junipei'us sabinoides (H., B. and K.) Nees. 



COMMON NAME AND EARLY HISTORY. 



Strictly speaking, mountain cedar is not a Rocky Mountain species, 

 since it occurs mainly in central and southeastern Texas and adjacent 

 parts of Mexico. It is included here, however, because its geographic 

 range has climatic and topographic features similar to those in parts 

 of Arizona and New Mexico, and also in order to include all of the 

 junipers occurring west of the one-hundredth meridian, which 

 roughly divides the forest regions of the West from those of the 

 East. The tree has no generally recognized common name, being 

 known in some parts of its range as " mountain cedar" or "rock 

 cedar," and in others as "mountain juniper," or even "juniper 

 cedar." The name "mountain cedar" is the one most commonly 

 applied by those who use the wood of the tree. It is appropriate 

 also because it indicates the general nature of the tree's habitat in 

 Mexico, though in the United States it grows mainly on limestone 

 hills. 



Mountain cedar was discovered first in Mexico and subsequently in 

 Texas, but the exact dates of these discoveries are unknown. The 

 earliest technical names applied to the tree is "Cupressus sabinoides 

 H., B. & K.," published in 1817. Subsequently other botanical 

 names given to it were published, from 1826 to 1877. It was not 

 until 1847 that its present name, Juniperus sabinoides (H., B. & K.) 

 Nees (based on Cupressus sabinoides), was permanently established, 

 and for the reason that the name "Cupressus sabinoides H., B. & 

 K." was not generally recognized as applying to our mountain cedar. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



The crown of old mountain cedar trees is broadly rounded, while 

 in young ones it is widely conical. Old trees develop very open 

 crowns, while those of younger trees are more compact. The tree 

 is seldom more than 18 feet high, though in sheltered or otherwise 

 favorable situations it may attain a height of 35 or more feet and 

 a diameter of from 12 to 18 inches. Seldom more than one-third 

 of the trunk is free of branches (PL XIV) , and in very dry, exposed 

 places the tree is often only a many-stemmed, widely spreading 

 shrub, the crooked stems occasionally sprawling upon the ground. 

 In general, the trunks of this juniper are rarely straight and cylin- 



