1 84 THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN 



which was afterwards planted on Adam's grave, and 

 grew into a goodly tree with three branches. 



Another version of the story is that the angel 

 gave Seth three seeds, from which grew the cypress, 

 the cedar, and the pine. These were later on carried 

 away by Moses, who cut his rod from them, and 

 King David transplanted them near a fountain at 

 Jerusalem, and under their shade composed the 

 Psalms and lamented his sins. Solomon afterwards 

 cut the tree down for a pillar in the Temple, but 

 none could fix it there. 



It was then buried in the pool of Bethesda, 

 thereby accounting for the healing properties of 

 the waters. At the Passion it floated, and was taken 

 for the Cross, or, as some say, for the upright 

 beam. Some versions of the legend of the wood 

 of the Cross, state it was made of cypress, cedar, 

 pine, and box. One names cypress for the body, 

 palm for the hands, cedar for the support of the feet, 

 and olive for the superscription. 



Another version states that the cross-beam was 

 of cypress, the upright beam of immortal cedar, 

 the title of olive, and the foot-rest of palm, and from 

 this arises the line: 



" Ligna crucis palma, cedrus, cupressus, olivia.*' 



^he Cedar has always been regarded as a sacred 

 tree, and many historical references are made con- 

 cerning it from the very earliest times. Josephus 

 tells us that the Cedar of Lebanon was first planted 

 in Judaea by Solomon, who greatly admired this 

 noble tree, and built himself a palace of cedar of 

 Lebanon itself. 



