i88 CYPRESSES AND JUNIPERS 



upon to create any restaurant precedent for its ap- 

 pearance on the better-furnished tables of the more 

 epicurean. 



To return to our inquiry into the origin of the word 

 Juniper and its application. The Greek word apicev6o<; 

 is translated Juniper, but Heaven only knows how 

 wide was the application..^ these two frequently 

 used words, Kehpo^ and apKevdo^, nor, for the matter 

 of that, is it a subject of much consequence in any 

 present-day commentary. The name Arceuthos has 

 been applied by the Kew authorities to the Syrian 

 representative of the family which goes by the name 

 of J. Drupacea, and to which reference is made 

 farther on. 



Writers of a past day have described the Juniper 

 as a plant with an aromatic smell, and tell us that 

 its wood emitted the fragrant odour connected with 

 incense. While the leaves of the J. Sabina emit a 

 striking and independent odour, and one quite un- 

 mistakable from that, say, of a Cypress or Thuya, 

 some of the other species hardly betray any sign 

 whatsoever in these dispensing directions. The smell 

 of the Sabina has been described by some as fragrant, 

 by others as disagreeable. While personally in favour 

 of the first pronouncement, we can only suggest, as 

 we have in similar cases and under similar circum- 

 stances, that each one should work out his own 

 instincts on this subject, and put a thoughtful nose 

 to an acute consideration of its merits or demerits. 

 After that experiment they can arrive at in inde- 

 pendent judgment upon these opposite allegations 

 urged. 



As a timber tree modern writers appraise it rather 

 cheaply. Older writers give it a better character. 

 It has certainly been extensively used from times 

 immemorial, for many purposes, which range from 

 cedar pencil making to gin flavouring. In an olden 



