62 



PINACE^. 



this country as tlie "Deciduous Cypress," and was introduced into 

 Britain from JS'orth. America two-and-a-quarter centuries ago ; but it 

 has been more recently sent to us from Mexico, China, and other 

 countries as a new species ; but in no case do these forms differ in any 

 appreciable degree from the American form, so I place them as quasi- 

 species of Disticha. 



This tree is found more or less plentiful in the low-lying grounds 

 and swamps of the more southern states of ISTorth America, from the 

 Delaware to Florida ; also in Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, 

 and Virginia; and in Chapultipec in Mexico, where it attains 

 heights of from sixty to one hundred and twenty feet ; while in the 

 Chinese swamps it only attains to heights of from fifteen to thirty 

 feet. Its timber is tolerably good, being strong, fine-grained, light, 

 and, though non-resinous, yet somewhat durable ; but its slow rate of 

 growth, and the limited dimensions it attains in this country, will ever 

 prevent it taking rank as a timber tree in it. As an ornamental tree it 

 takes high rankj its beautiful and peculiar foliage, which, during 

 summer, is of a rich bright green, gradually changing, as autumn 

 advances, to ruby or sombre red before it falls off at winter's approach. 

 It is at any time when in foliage a tree of beauty, and materially 

 increases the scenic effect of any landscape, however picturesque. I 

 often think that had Dame IN'ature allowed this tree to retain its leaves 

 throughout the year, still transforming the colours, she would have 

 given a good illustration of — "A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;" 

 or at least a perpetual pleasure, in an ever-pleasing, never-satiating, 

 perennial-leaved tree. It will do tolerably well in any ordinary soils, 

 but prefers moist to dry ones, and likes the valleys and the rivers' 

 banks, a humid atmosphere, and shade. 



Its quasi-species, Mexicana, retains its foliage longer, yet it is not 

 evergreen, but deciduous, and somewhat too tender for our climate. 

 Its other quasi. Sinensis, is only an alter ego of its dwarf variety Nana: 

 Of its varieties I mention Fastigiata, (fastigiate-branched,) Denudata, 

 (sparse-branched,) Micropliijlla, (small-leaved,) Nana, (the dwarf,) 

 Pendula, (the pendent-branched,) and Variegata, (the variegated, when 

 found and kept so,) as hardy and useful for decorative planting. 



CUPRESPINNATA HetEROPHYLLA : The Various-leaved. 



Leaves, very various : — awl-shaped, ovate, scale-formed, oblong, 

 triangular, and somewhat linear, can all be seen upon the same plant ; 

 in size various, ranging from two to eight lines in length : equally 

 variously disposed, alternate, two-rowed, imbricated, and spreading; 

 acute and obtuse pointed, curved and straight, erect and decurrent, and 



