THE CEDARS. 41 



much divided, horizontal, and quite flat, the lower ones being 

 more or less deflected and close to the ground, but the general 

 aspect of the tree when young is drooping and exceedingly- 

 graceful, but as it grows older and larger the branches assume 

 a stifi", flat, and solemn appearance, like that of the Cedar of 

 Lebanon. It flowers in September, and the seeds are ripe in 

 October or November of the following year, or in about thirteen 

 months. The male catkins, though solitary, are very numerous, 

 erect, 2 or 3 inches long, at first oval, but gradually become 

 cylindrical; the majority of these and the female flowers are 

 produced on separate trees, but a considerable number of trees 

 also produce both male and female flowers on the same indivi- 

 dual. In about a month after the Deodar has flowered, the 

 young cones, covered with a bluish bloom, appear of a cylin- 

 drical form, without any footstalks, and solitary on the top of 

 the little tufts of leaves. Cones, erect, solitary on the upper 

 side of the stout top branches, ovate, obtuse, or nearly cylin- 

 drical, from 3 to 5 inches long, and 2^ inches wide, flat, 

 and slightly depressed at both ends, and very much resem- 

 bling those of the Common Cedar of Lebanon, of a rusty brown 

 colour, and when the seeds are ripe, break up and fall to pieces, 

 shedding both scales and seeds on the ground. Scales, firmly 

 and closely imbricated when young, but deciduous when ma- 

 tured ; broad, thin, smooth, quite entire on the margins, of a 

 rusty-brown colour, and full of resinous matter on the outside, 

 in the shape of numerous transparent tears. Seeds, wedge- 

 shaped, soft, and full of turpentine ; wings, obovate and mem- 

 branaceous. 



In the Himalayas the Deodar occupies a great vertical belt or 

 range, flourishing from about 5500 to 12,000 feet of elevation, 

 mixed up for the first 1500 feet with Pinus longifolia, while for 

 the last 3000 or 4000 feet of elevation it accompanies Abies Smith- 

 iana and Picea Pindrow. It is found on all the higher moun- 

 tains from Nepal up to Cashmere ; and Dr. Grifiith describes 

 it as occurring in vast forests and of great size towards Kaf- 

 fristan, where it is called ' Nokhtur,' and flourishes at an 

 elevation of from 6000 to 10,000 feet above the sea; but to see 



