2500

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

very bitter taste. The male flowers are disposed in smallcatkins, on peduncles covered with little imbricated leaves,and are dispersed laterally along the youngest branches.

The female flowers are generally produced on separatetrees, and are disposed in the same manner: they aresucceeded by oval berries, of a blue so deep as to bealmost black, and are about the size of a currant: theygenerally contain only one seed, which is long, oval, andsomewhat compressed. The variety J. S. famariscifdlia is amuch lower shrub, with spreading branches, and longerleaves, which are only half-opened. (N. Du Ham.) Millersays that the cypress-leaved savin is by many supposed tobe only an accidental variety ; but the branches grow more erect, the leaves areshorter, and end in acute points, which spread outwards. It rises to the heightof 7 ft. or 8 ft., and produces great quantities of berries ; whereas the tamarisk-leaved savin very rarely produces either flowers or seeds in British gardens.(Mart. Mi7/.)This last-mentioned variety sends out its branches horizontally,and seldom rises more than 3 ft. or 4 ft. high, but spreads to a considerable dis-tance every way. The leaves are very short, acutely pointed, and running overeach other along the branches, with the ends pointing upwards. The berries aresmaller than those of the common juniper, but of the same colour, and a littlecompressed. The savin is a native of Spain, Italy, part of France , and theLevant. Professor Pallas says that it is also found in the Taurian Cherso-nese, where it often has a trunk 1 ft. in diameter, and an upright habit ofgrowth, like a cypress; whereas in the Tanais it is procumbent, the branchesextending on the sand several fathoms. The wood very much resembles thatof J. lycia, but has a more unpleasant smell. (Mart. Mill.) Both the twofirst-mentioned varieties, or, rather forms of the species, were in cultivation inBritish gardens before 1548, as they are mentioned in Turner’s Names ofHerbes, &c., published in that year. The leaves of the savin are used in me-dicine, as a diuretic; but, if taken in large quantities during pregnancy, as wellin the human species as in domestic animals, will produce abortion. Whendried and pulverised, they are used for cleansing foul ulcers. The upright savinwas formerly much used in England, and still is in some parts of France , intopiary work, as it bears the sheers very well. In France , it is employed in thesame manner as the common juniper, to form screens (rideaux de verdure), andto cover walls which it is wished to conceal. The Baschkirs, a people of Russia ,between the Volga and the Oural , use fumigations of savin to cure the dis-eases of children; they also believe it to have a great effect against witches,for which purpose they hang branches of it at the doors of their houses. Theancient Germans , it is said, gave savin to their chargers to give them ardour.In Britain , the savin is a very common ornamental evergreen, thriving in thepoorest soils, and in exposed situations; in the latter remaining an humbleprostrate shrub, and in the former attaining a considerable size. Price ofplants, in the London nurseries, of the species 6 d. each, and of the varietiesIs. 6 d .; at Bollwyller, of the species 1 franc 50 cents, and of the varieties 2francs; and at New York, 50 cents each.

«. 8. J. dau'rica Pall. The Daiirian Juniper.

Identification. Pal!. Ross., 2. p. 13. t. 55.; Gmel. Sib., 1. p. 185. No. S5.; And. Rep., 534. ; Mart.

Mill., No. 12. ; Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 2., 5. p. 414.; Lodd. Cat. , ed. 1836.

Engravings. Pall. Ross., t. 55.; oat fig. 2365. to our usual scale, and fig. 2366. of the natural size.

Spec. Char., §c. Leaves opposite, acute, imbricate-decurrent, spreading, andawl-shaped. (Willd.) A prostrate shrub, a native of Daiiria. Introducedin 1791, by John Bell, Esq., and flowering from June to August.Description, §c. The limbs of this juniper are large and very thick, and areusually found lying prostrate on"the rocks. The branches are dichotomous,and covered with imbricated young leaves, and the remains of old leaves,which change into acuminate scales before they fall off. The leaves differ in