How to tell them from each other:  The twigs of the arbor-vitae are
    flat and fan-like as in Fig. 13; the twigs of the red cedar are
    needle-shaped or scale-like as in Fig. 12.  The foliage of the
    arbor-vitae is of a lighter color than that of the red cedar, which
    is sombre green.  The arbor-vitae will generally be found growing in
    moist locations, while the red cedar will grow in dry places as
    well.  The arbor-vitae generally retains its lower branches in open
    places, while the branches of the red cedar start at some distance
    from the ground.

RED CEDAR (Juniperus virginiana)

[Illustration:  FIG. 11.—­The Red Cedar.]

Distinguishing characters:  The tree can best be told at a glance by its
    general form, size and leaves.  It is a medium-sized tree with a
    symmetrical, cone-like form, Fig. 11, which, however, broadens
    out somewhat when the tree grows old.  Its color throughout the year
    is dull green with a tinge of brownish red, and its bark peels in
    thin strips.

[Illustration: 
FIG. 12(a).—­Twig of Young Cedar. 
FIG. 12(b).—­Twig of Cedar (Older Tree).]

Leaf:  In young trees the leaf is needle-shaped, pointed, and marked by a
    white line on its under side, Fig. 12(a).  In older trees it is
    scale-like, Fig. 12(b), and the white line on its under side is
    indistinct.

Range:  Widely distributed over nearly all of eastern and central North
    America.

Soil and location:  Grows on poor, gravelly soils as well as in rich
    bottom lands.

Enemies:  The “cedar apple,” commonly found on this tree, represents a
    stage of the apple rust, and for that reason it is not desirable to
    plant such trees near orchards.  Its wood is also sometimes attacked
    by small boring insects.

Value for planting:  Its characteristic slender form gives the red cedar
    an important place as an ornamental tree, but its chief value lies
    in its commercial use.

Commercial value:  The wood is durable, light, smooth and fragrant, and
    is therefore used for making lead-pencils, cabinets, boxes,
    moth-proof chests, shingles, posts, and telegraph poles.

Other characters:  The fruit is small, round and berry-like, about the
    size of a pea, of dark blue color, and carries from one to four bony
    seeds.

Other common names:  The red cedar is also often called juniper and
    red juniper.

Comparisons:  The red cedar is apt to be confused with the low juniper
    (Juniperus communis) which grows in open fields all over the
    world.  The latter, however, is generally of a low form with a flat
    top.  Its leaves are pointed and prickly, never scale-like, and they
    are whitish above and green below.  Its bark shreds and its fruit is
    a small round berry of agreeable aromatic odor.