is a southern tree, but is found under cultivation in
parks and on lawns in northern United States.

Soil and location: Grows naturally in swamps, but will also do well in
ordinary well-drained, good soil. In its natural habitat it sends
out special roots above water. These are known as "_cypress knees_"
(Fig. 18) and serve to provide air to the submerged roots of the
tree.

Enemies: None of importance.

Value for planting: An excellent tree for park and lawn planting.

Commercial value: The wood is light, soft, and easily worked. It is used
for general construction, interior finish, railroad ties, posts and
cooperage.

Other characters: The _bark_ is thin and scaly. The _fruit_ is a cone
about an inch in diameter. The general _color_ of the tree is a
dull, deep green which, however, turns orange brown in the fall.

Comparisons: The cypress and the larch are apt to be confused,
especially in the winter, when the leaves of both have dropped. The
cypress is more slender and is taller in form. The leaves of each
are very different, as will be seen from the accompanying
illustrations.

GROUP V. THE HORSECHESTNUT, ASH AND MAPLE

How to tell them from other trees: The horsechestnut, ash, and maple
have their branches and buds arranged on their stems *opposite* each
other as shown in Figs. 20, 22 and 24. In other trees, this
arrangement is *alternate*, as shown in Fig. 19.

How to tell these three from each other. If the bud is large--an inch to
an inch and a half long--dark brown, and _sticky_, it is a
_horsechestnut_.

If the bud is _not sticky_, much smaller, and _rusty brown to black_
in color, and the ultimate twigs, of an olive green color, are
_flattened_ at points below the buds, it is an _ash_.

[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Alternate Branching (Beech.)]

If it is not a horsechestnut nor an ash and its small buds have
many scales covering them, the specimen with branches and buds
opposite must then be a _maple_. Each of the maples has one
character which distinguishes it from all the other maples. For the
sugar maple, this distinguishing character is the _sharp point of
the bud_. For the silver maple it is the _bend in the terminal
twig_. For the red maple it is the _smooth gray-colored bark_. For
the Norway maple it is the _reddish brown color of the full, round
bud_, and for the box e