PINETUM DANICUM. 



803 



T. distichum, Rich, in Ann. Mus. xvi. 298, and Conif. 143, 

 t. 10. T. distichum patens, Endl. T. nigrum^ hort. Schuhertia di- 

 sticha, Mirb. Spach, Hist, des Veg. Phan. xi. 34f), excl. pi. Mexic. 

 Gupressus virginiana Tradescanti, Rai, Hist. PI. ii. 1, 408. Cujrressus 

 virginiana fol. Acacise cornigerse paribus et deciduis, Plukn. Almag, 

 125, t. 85, f. 6. Citpressus americana, Catesb. Carol, i. 11, t. 11. 

 Gupressus disticha, L. Sp. PI. 1422. Gupressus disticha patens, Ait. 



Introduced into Europe about 1640. 



Habitat. — Sussex County, Delaware ; south near the coast to Mos- 

 quito Inlet and Cape Romano, Florida ; west through the Gulf States 

 near the coast to the valley of the Nueces River, Texas, and through 

 Arkansas to Western Tennessee, Western and Northern Kentucky, 

 South-eastern Missouri, and Southern Illinois and Indiana. 



A large tree of great economic value, 80-150 feet in height, 

 with a trunk 6-13 feet in diameter ; deep, submerged swamps, 

 river bottom lands, and pine-barren ponds ; common, and forming 

 extensive forests, in the South Atlantic and Gulf States (C. S. 

 Sargent). 



Wood light, soft, close, straight-grained, not strong, compact, 

 easily worked, very durable in contact with the soil ; bands of small 

 summer cells broad, resinous, conspicuous ; medullary rays numerous, 

 very obscure ; colour light or dark brown, the sapwood nearly white ; 

 specific gravity, 0*4543 ; ash, 0"42 ; largely manufactured into lumber 

 and used for construction, cooperage, railway ties, posts, fencing, &c. ; 

 often injured, especially west of the Mississippi River, by a species 

 of Dsedalia, not yet determined, rendering it unfit for lumber. Two 

 varieties of Cypress, black and white, are recognised by lumbermen, 

 the wood of the former heavier than water when green, rather harder 

 and considered more durable than the other ; the unseasoned wood 

 of the latter lighter than water, and rather lighter coloured than the 

 black Cypress (C. S. Sargent, "Forest Trees of North America 



The deciduous Cypress appears to have been introduced before 

 1640, as Parkinson, writing in that year, speaks of it. ' ' The Ameri- 

 cane cipresse is, as it is said, in sundrie countries of the North 

 America ; its seed was brought by Master Tradescant from Virginia, 

 and sown here, and doe spring very bravely " (Park. Theat. &c. 

 p. 1477). Miller, speaking of this tree, says : " One in the gardens 

 of John Tradescant, in South Lambeth, near Yauxhall, is upwards of 

 30 feet high, and of considerable bulk ; and though in a common yard 

 at present, where no care is taken of it, but, on the contrary, many 

 hooks are driven into the trunk to fasten cords thereto for drying 

 clothes, yet the tree is in great health and vigour, but has not pro- 

 duced any fruit as yet, which may be occasioned by want of moisture ; 

 for we often see aquatic plants will grow upon a drier soil, but yet are 

 seldom so productive of either flowers or fruit as those which remain 

 in the water " (Diet. ed. 1731). 



