The New International Encyclopædia/Hemlock-tree

HEMLOCK-TREE, or. A name applied to the coniferous trees which belong to the genus Tsuga, especially to Tsuga Canadensis. This is a large, graceful tree with much the habit and appearance of some spruces. It is found from Nova Scotia to Alabama and Georgia, and west to Wisconsin and Minnesota. The leaves are one-half inch long, bright green above and silvery beneath. The cones, which have few thin bracts, are scarcely longer than the leaves. The wood, light, soft, brittle, and light-red in color, is extensively used in building. It warps badly when exposed. The bark is largely employed in tanning leather, for which purpose it is preferred and more extensively used than any other American product. Hemlock oil is distilled from the branches and leaves, and pitch is obtained from the trees. There are numerous cultivated varieties which are very ornamental, especially while the trees are young. Tsuga Caroliniana is a second species, which occurs locally in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. Other species are found in Asia. See.