or five fided, with a toothed umbo in the centre, pointing flraight outwards: feeds [fig. .o, natural fize,
and fig. II, magnified], feveral to each fcale, coloured dark brown, proportionally large,
flat, fomewhat ear-fliaped; germinal flioot bifoliate [fig. 12]. I
5 W 1 This fpecies bears a great refemblance to Siebold's genus Rdiniftom. The chiel
" " characters of that genus are, that each fcale bears only two feeds, and that the feeds
themfelves arc marked with refinous blotches under the (kin. This fpecies poffeffes the latter charaflers
but not the former: but our examination of Siebold's fpecies 4» « * <?*>><*>•
a t o in regard to the former. We fee more than two feeds to each fcale in R. oitu/a and R. tfftra.
We imagine, therefore, that the genus Rctinifpora will not Band.
Defcription —A fine tree, about 100 feet in height and two feet in diameter. . The foliage delicate
and graceful The branches firfl depend like thofe of a Spruce, and then rifing gently, hang down at the
end like an oftrich feather. The top (hoot droops like a Deodar. The colour is of a delicate glaucous
green It has fome refemblance to C p e c j f u s Nutkamja (T/mjei/is ioreatii), but IS much more (lender
Ind delicate in habit Its cones are like thofe of RM/fora p i f f c r a , but of a fofter texture, and the foliage
is different The beauty of its colour, gracefulnefs of its habit, and hardinefs, have eflabl.lhcd this fpccics
as one of the molt favourite of the Cyprefs family. The tailpiece vignette is a portrait of the original
feedhng, now 8 feet high, growing in our Nurferies near Edinburgh.
A fpecies very elofely allied to this was difcovered by Mr Beardlley and defenbed by Mr K.llog,
m
under the name of C. fragram.* (See " Tranfaflions of the Academy of Science, San Francifco,
p. 103.) Its chief differences feem to be the fize of its fruit and the
ƒ number of the fcales. In C. Lawfonwna the cone is about the fize of a
ƒ pea, and has fix peltate fcales; in C. fragmm, of a hazel nut, and has
. ' nine peltate fcales. We have reared both, and we find little or no difference
in the embryonal leaves. Fig. 12 ihews their appearance in the true
C. Lawfoniana; fig. 13 that in C. fragrans.
It differs, moreover, according to Mr Killog. mod ftrikingly from C. Law/bmema, in the brighter green
of its foliage and its far denier bmnchlets: alfo in the leaves being narrower, much more angular, and
(harper pointed. The cones are from one-third to twice the fize. brighter in colour, more rough In form,
and more fparfe in diftribution, &c.; it is alfo a tree of larger proportions in all refpefls. Mr Killogs
fpecific name was chofeu to reprefent its quality far cxcelh.cc- He knew of no fpecies fo agreeably
fragrant, the wood abounding in an oil which exhales a peculiar fpicy aroma, in which the ginger flavour
predominates. This notable odour has fometimo given it the common name of the Ginger Pine among
lumber men. Some fpeak of it as White Cedar; in the market it is alfo known by the more indefinite
name of Oregon Cedar.
It is with great hefitation that we have kept it diftinfl from C. Law/<mia,w. In doing fo we have
been influenced a good deal by the reported fragrance of the wood, as we have found the odour of Conifers
a mod ufeful adjunct to other more eafily expreffed fpecific characters.
C. Lawfotiiaiia as yet has given no particular indication of fragrance. Should it, when older and
more mature, turn out to polfels' the fame odour as that of Dr Killogs fpecies, we fhould then confider
the
• For t.m Ol companion we here give Mr Kilos', K M , delcription : - " Branch,. M H lomewh.t ..MI|MlH
crowded lubdiviiions numerous, with a Irond-like arrangement. knger branches roundilh, (lightly controlled, laterally flexuole. liark madder
brown leaves di.tnond-c.te, and ac.l.ate, ihining bright vivid green, c.rinate, .n oblong refutous gland along the back, adpreflcd, imbricated
in two rows- older leaves on the intermediate breaches long, dccurrent; point awl-Ihaped, incurved. Cones pedicilate on long Icaly foot-
Halks, funilar to the bren.hlc, lomewlta. elongated, globofc cinnamon colo.r, ft, ol a ha.,1 nut, eompoled of about nine peltate Icales.
Centre depreled , margin thickened and rounded, dite anrugated and rough , a th.rp trantverfo ridge divide. ,t tomewh.t above the centre, the
mucre brond, thin, or Hat pointed, fragile, cutv.d outward., and pointed tow.rt. the .pea, teale, irregularly «.e lided. Seed, broadly wmged .11
round, waved, oblique looped : bale ol the Imooth cylindrical kernel portion prominent, apex emarginate, mucronate, bnght cinnamon colour."
the two to be identical, as the other characters feem fcarcely fufficient to warrant the eftablifhmcnt of a
fpecies upon them.
Geographical Diftribution.—Found in various parts of Northern California, ufually on the banks of
ftreams. Mr Murray found it bending gracefully over the brink of a waterfall in the Shatta Mountains,
in about 40° N. It is found alfo in Scots Valley, and in the diftriét about Port Orford, from which
circumftance it has come to be known among the fettlers as the Port Orford Cedar.
Hiftory.—Difcovered by Mr William Murray in 1854, in the locality above mentioned. Notwithftanding
that it was the autumn or fruit feafon, only one or two cones were found, the trees generally being
barren. From thefe, four plants were reared in our Edinburgh Nurferies. The plants grown from thefe
feeds are the oldeft in Britain ; and the figure at the end of this article is a portrait of one of thefe, although
by no means the largeft. The fpecimens were fo much admired that Mr Murray made another
expedition next year expreflly to procure feeds of it. Fie then found the tree loaded with fruit, and a good
fupply of feed was fent home. Other fupplies of feeds have fince been forwarded to this country, and it is
now generally diftributed.
Mr Gordon in his "Pinetum" fays it is fynonymous with the Chamoecyparis Bourfieri of Carrière.
He does not, however, give the grounds on which he has come to this conclufion ; but as Carrière fays
that his C. Bourfieri reaches fuch an enormous height as to have made him almoft confound it with
Wellingtonia gigantea, and in his very fhort defcription gives no characters by which his plant can be
difcriminated from a multitude of others, we refrain from adopting the fynonym of Mr Gordon.
It was named in honour of Mr Charles Lawfon, of Borthwick Hall, Mid-Lothian, who now (1865)
fills the office of Lord Provoft of the city of Edinburgh.
Properties and Ufes.—The tree has not yet been known for a fufficiently long period to have thefe fully
developed. We know that the timber is good, clear, and eafily worked. Its dimenfions and beauty are
fuch, that a flab was exhibited in San Francifco in 1860 as a curiofity.
Cultivation.—When this plant was firft introduced, we well remember that one of the molt frequent
comments upon it was, " Yes, it is a beautiful plant, but it looks tender ; the green is too delicate ; it
won't prove hardy." Never was a prophecy more fignally difproved by fubfequent experience. So far as
is yet known, there is not a hardier plant in Britain. Expofed in the winter of 1860-61 to the extremeft
cold which has vifited this countiy in the memory of the prefent generation, it remained as green and
frefh in the greateft froft, and moft expofed and unfavourable diftricts, as in the midft of fummer. Mr
Palmer's tables give only two flightly injured out of 79 reported on.
Like all its congeners, it propagates by cuttings with great readinefs. Confiderable diverfity is found
among feedlings, and thofe diftinguiflied by any peculiarity, being feized on and preferved by nurferymen,
are rapidly forming a feries of horticultural varieties of this fpecies, as in the case of other Conifers.
There are two common varieties, one of a very rich dark glaucous green, the other fomewhat paler.
One variety is clothed with a large amount of filvery mealinefs which gives it a charming effect. This is
due to a more than ordinary number of ftomata and a greater proportion of the white efflorefcence which
is ufually found upon them. The effect is very much that of frofted filver, whence we propofe to name
it var. argentea. There is alfo a weeping variety, fomewhat more pendulous in habit than the ordinary
form. Then there are feveral variegated kinds, having more or lefs of what is called a golden or filver
variegation.
The plants in this country have already produced cones, the tree having borne fruit in the fifth year of
its age. The largeft plant in the country is one of thofe above-mentioned as raifed from the few feeds
brought from the firft difcovery of the tree in 1854, ar|d now grows in our Nurferies near Edinburgh. It
[ 15 ] B is