580 EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS. 
on the exterior of the tree, so that the stem and branches are 
plainly seen through it. It is not a beautiful tree, and deserves to 
be cultivated in ordinary grounds only as a curious souvenir of its 
mighty family on the Pacific slope. Hoopes does not consider the 
tree entirely hardy ; but we believe its hardiness is now pretty 
generally conceded. It is unreliable in transplanting, and should 
be bought in pots or boxes. 
The California Redwood. Sequoia sempervirens .—This and 
the preceding being almost equally famous for size, and both 
brought to notice about the same time, are often confounded. 
Sargent makes the following description of their differences :—“ the 
foliage of the Sequoia sempervirens being flat, two-rowed and dark- 
green, while that of the Washingtonia (S. gigantea) is needle-shaped, 
spirally alternate, and on the branchlets very close and regularly 
imbricated like an arbor-vitae, besides being a light or yellowish- 
green.” It has been found too tender to succeed in the northern 
States, but may grow healthily south of Washington. 
THE LAURELS. Laurus. 
The Noble Laurel or Sweet Bay. Laurus nobilis .—This is a 
noble evergreen tree “ or rather enormous shrub, sometimes growing 
to the height of sixty feet, but always displaying a tendency to 
throw up suckers; and rarely, if ever, assuming a tree-like charac¬ 
ter ” (Loudon). It is a native of the south of Europe and north of 
Africa. It was a favorite tree with the poets of mythology, and 
several of the Greek gods and goddesses were intimately associated 
with its poetical legends. At what period of history its leaves 
became emblems of victory is not known, but the Romans used 
them on all occasions where bravery and success were to be 
symbolized. 
The noble laurel is considered hardy in and near London, but 
does not attain a great luxuriance north of it. It will probably be 
liable to winter-kill north of South Carolina and the Gulf States, 
though in favored locations it may thrive as far north as Richmond, 
Va. It has a thick aromatic leaf, smaller and more slender than 
