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over some kinds of firs have their cones upright^ when 

 unripe, and drooping when heavy with seed. Both 

 characters are indicated in this tree. The usual sym- 

 boHc horns are given at the foot of this tree. They 

 are exactly like the upper half of a 'fleur-de-lis' with 

 only one ligature. 



Now the fir tree is one of the most useful trees. It 

 grows quickly ; some varieties produce durable timber, 

 which can be used for masts of seafaring boats, for the 

 building of rafts to be laden with produce and floated 

 down the rivers, for beams of bridges, houses, etc. More- 

 over, the branches and cones being resinous would make 

 capital firewood. Here, then, is another most useful tree, 

 to be found in great plenty in those days in hilly 

 districts. 



In addition to utilitarian reasons there may have 

 been some superstitious reason for raising it to the 

 rank of a sacred tree.^ It is stated that certain hymns 

 mention that the fir-cone had imprinted within it the 

 name of God, and, therefore, was placed in the hands of 

 sick persons, as a sort of charm that would cure their 

 ailments. 



I find a fifth form of sacred tree shown in fig. 26. 

 A somewhat similar one is found on the Royal Cylinder 

 of Sennacherib.^ Both these have their branches termi- 



1 Dr. Masters has pointed out that certain conifers which usually have their 

 cones pendant, at other times liave them erect. 



^ See Etymology of the name Deodar — cone-fruit section. 

 * Layard's ' Nineveh and Babylon,' p. 174. 



