J, D. nOOKEB ON THE CEDAES OF LEBANON. 15 



temple. The Cypress (also called Cedar by the ancients,) the Finns 

 Salepensis, and the tall fragrant Juniperus of the Lebanon, with its 

 fine red heart-wood, would have been far more prized on every account. 

 On the other hand, that the grove has, within the historic period, 

 increased and diminished in extent, owing to secular changes in 

 the climate, cannot be doubted, when it is remembered, that no seedling 

 has come to matmnty (though thousands annually germinate), since 

 the birth of trees the youngest of which is 18 inches in girth ; and 

 that the whole grove presents such a disparity in the ages of its 

 trees, that only about 15 exceed as many feet in girth, and 385 fall 

 below 12 feet girth. Upon this point I have collected some curious 

 corroborative evidence, from the works of old travellers. 



The nearest point to the Lebanon at which Cedars have been found, 

 is the Bulgar-dagh chain of the Taurus in Asia Miuor, and from that 

 point forests extend eastward to Pisidia, in long. E. 32°, westward to 

 long. E. 36", and northward to the Anti-Taurus, in lat. 40° N. ; gi'owing 

 at elevations of 4000 to 6400 feet above the sea. The Lebanon may 

 be regarded as a branch of the Taurus, and is 250 miles distant from 

 the Cedar forests upon that chain. Between individuals from the 

 Lebanon, and the common Asia Minor form, there is said to be no 

 appreciable difference, by those who have examined both : but there 

 are two distinct forms or varieties in the latter coimtry ; one having 

 shorter, more stiff and glaucous or silvery foliage than the other ; 

 this is the Silver-cedar, G. argentea, of our gardens. Northern Syria 

 and Asia Minor form one botanical province ; so that the Lebanon 

 grove, though so widely disconnected from the Taurus forests, can be 

 regarded in no other light than as an outlying member of the latter. 



O. Atlantica. At a distance of 1400 miles from the Cedar forests 

 of Asia Minor, and separated by the whole breadth of the Medi- 

 terranean sea, are those of Algeria. Tliese form the prevalent arbo- 

 reous vegetation throughout the eastern province of Constantine, 

 which borders on Tunis, and they also abound on the eastern Atlas 

 ranges ; though whether they extend to the greater Atlas and into 

 the kingdom of Morocco is not known. They characterize the upper 

 mountain zone (5200 — 7200 feet), and approach within twenty miles 

 of the sea. The African Cedar differs from that of Lebanon in having 

 a perfectly erect, rigid leader, and straight stiff ends to the branches, 

 all which, in the Lebanon plant, ch-oop more or less. In the African, 

 the cone is generally smaller, the leaves shorter and more glaucous, 

 and the scales and seeds triangular in form (instead of quadrangular.) 

 There are two forms of Cedar in Algeria, as in Taurus, and charac- 

 terized by the same differences in each country, viz. : a greener longer- 

 leaved, and a more silvery shorter-leaved variety. Nevertheless it is 

 generally easy to distinguish the Atlas Cedar from the Lebanon one, 

 and in beds of young plants the differences are very marked, though 

 it is always possible to pick out deceptive specimens. 



