CYPRESS (Fr. cypres, Lat. cuprcssus, Gk. kyparissos: connected by some with Bub, gopher, a sort of tree, Assyr, giparu, reed, canebrake). Evergreen trees and shrubs of the genus Cupressus. and of the natural order Coni fern. They have small, generally appressed and imbricate leaves and globular cones of a few thickened scales. There are about a dozen spe cies, natives of Eiu'ope, Asia, and the western part of North America. One of the best known is the common cypress of the south of Europe (Cu presses scnyerrirens), and introduced into Eng land and parts of the Cnited States, a tree which attains a height of SO feet, and is famous alike for the great age it reaches and for the durabil ity of its wood. The wood is red or yellowish, hard, compact, and durable. It is not subject to attacks of insects and was once in great demand for cabinet work. It is believed to be the cedar wood of Scriptures and possibly the gopher wood also. Museum specimens of the wood are known to be several thousand years old, and the old doors of Saint Peter's at home lasted for more than 1100 years until replaced by doors of bronze. Medicinal virtues were once attributed to the wood, but its present use is for cabinet work and musical instruments. Perhaps the finest tree of this genus is Cupressus nmerocarpa, the Monterey cypress of California. It is a beau tifully symmetrical tree, attaining a height of 150 feet and a circumference of trunk of eight to ten feet. It grows rapidly, even on poor soils, and thrives best near the sea. It is not very hardy; freezing temperatures are fatal to it. A small tree (Cupressus Maenabiana ) of Califor nia is much hardier. Oupressus funebris, of China, has wide-spreading and often pendulous branches; it attains a height of 60 feet, and has been extensively planted as an ornament in regions adapted to it. Cupressus lusitanica is
common ornamentally in the south of Europe, where it is known as cedar of Goa. Cupressus torulosa is a valuable species found in the north of India. Cupressus obtusa or Retinospora ob tusa, a Japanese species, is hardy, attains a height of 100 feet. has a hard, close-grained, durable wood, which is considered of great value in Japan, where the tree is abundant in the for ests. It is hardy in the latitude of New York, and sonic of its varieties are of great beauty. Other species occur in Japan. Mexico, and the United States. By some botanists the species of Cham;e cyparis are united with Cupressus. Among the best known are the white cedar (Cupressus thy oidcs) of the eastern United States, the yel low- cedar (Cupressus nootPaknsi.$), and Port Orford cedar (Cuprcssus Larrsoniana). all of the Pacific Coast region. The bald or southern cy press (Ta.rodium distichnta) is a tall tree with deciduous leaves which occurs abundantly in the swamps from Maryland to Missouri and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The timber of this tree is valuable for many purposes. It works easily and is commonly used for shingles. In water it is very durable. When growing in wet places curious, conical, hollow upward growths, called knees, rise from the roots. Their function is not positively known. The tree will grow in dry places. and is frequently planted as an orna ment as well as for its timber. For illustra tion of a California cypress-tree. see Plate of CY CADS AND CYPRESS. For fossil forms of cypress, see CONIFER.E.