BACCIFER^. 



149 



JUNIPERUS EXCELSA : The Lofty Jumper. 



This is a very distinct, compact, handsome, and very ornamental 

 tree, attaining heights of from twenty-five to fifty feet : forming a most 

 beautiful tree, either in arboretum or pinetum, -park or plantation; alike 

 conspicuous in groups or singly. But it requires the best soils, warmest 

 localities, and most sheltered situations fully to develope itself in 

 Albion's Isles. It is found more or less plentiful in Armenia and 

 Georgia, in Persia, in Taurica and Syria ; also in the Crimea, and most 

 of the Islands in the Grecian Archipelago. Its leaves are variously 

 formed — generally in pairs, small, short, thick, ovate, and acute ; 

 spreading on young growths, and on old branches imbricated, the two 

 pairs of leaves form four rows : the berries are globular, about half an 

 inch in diameter, glaucous and deep purple when ripe. Its branches 

 are numerous and well clothed with the glaucous grey foliage, when 

 young the branches are very compact and ascending, when old they 

 become somewhat pendent ; the branchlets are straight and rigid. 

 There is a mas. or male form, and a foemina or female form ; 

 also a quasi form called Procera having smaller berries, and in 

 Abyssinia forming a large tree : moreover, a Variegata variety is some- 

 times seen. 



JUNIPERUS MeXICANA: The Mexican Juniper. 



This is the " Cedro " of the Mexicans ; attaining heights of from 

 ten to twenty feet ; forming a bushy pyramid ; full to exudation of an 

 amber-like resinous yellow matter, so abundant as to be found in 

 icicle-like forms on the branch stems and trunk, and much resemblin£r 

 pure Sandarac. It is tolerably hardy, but requires the best soils, and 

 warmest situations to enable it to grow and develope itself, and to 

 survive the effects of our most severe winters. Its leaves on young 

 growths are generally in threes, needle-like, rigid, spreading, glaucous, 

 and dull green ; on adult plants in pairs, ovate, blunt-pointed, imbri- 

 cated, four-rowed, and greyish-green. Its berries are ovate or globular, 

 about half an inch in diameter, dark purple, and when ripe glaucous 

 and powdery. It is also found in a Flaccida or Gracilis a more open- 

 branched, and drooping form. 



JUNIPERUS PrOSTRATA : The Prostrate Juniper. 



A creeping, crawling, spreading curiosity ; never rising above a foot 

 from the ground : useful only for rockwork. Its leaves are generally 

 in opposite pairs, small, numerous, sharp-pointed, overlaying each 

 other, dull, but shining green in colour. Its berries are also smaU, 

 globular in form ; very dark violet, or blackish in colour and glaucous. 



