180 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



Var. tortuosa. 

 A rare form with contorted branches. 



C. Lihani is distinguished from C. Deodara by its less pendent 

 branchlets and shorter leaves, and from C. atlantica by the more 

 or less drooping leader and by the general habit. Leaf speci- 

 mens of C. Libani and C. atlantica are often difficult to identify. 



This species is now rare in the Lebanon Mountains but is 

 still plentiful in the Cicilian Taurus. The best historical account 

 of the Lebanon cedars is given by the late Sir J. D. Hooker.^ 

 The species appears to have been introduced to England between 

 1670 and 1680, probably by Evelyn. 



Timber of home-grown trees is sometimes offered for sale, 

 but it rarely reahzes a satisfactory price. Although usually 

 coarse and brittle it is very durable, and that sawn up on private 

 estates has been used with good results for rough carpentry, 

 rafters, wall-plates, beams, floor-boards, cattle-troughs, washing- 

 tubs, fencing, greenhouse doors, and other purposes. It has also 

 been employed for furniture and panelling, but lacks "figure." 

 Drawers and chests made of this wood are usually avoided by 

 insects. The wood is esteemed for firewood on account of its 

 fragrant odour, but it is a pity to use clean wood for that purpose 

 which might be put to more important uses. 



Old specimens of Lebanon cedar are among our most pictur- 

 esque evergreens, the massive trunks and symmetrical heads of 

 widely spreading branches lending an aspect of dignity and beauty 

 to our parks and gardens. C. Lihani is quite hardy and thrives 

 under a wide range of conditions. Planted in deep, light, loamy 

 soil, growth is very rapid, and a space of ^\ in. between the wood 

 rings is common. There are many fine specimens at Goodwood, 

 Claremont, Bayfordbury, Pain's Hill, Cobham, Longleat, and 

 elsewhere. Elwes measured a tree at Pain's Hill in 1904 which 

 was 115-120 ft. high and 25i ft. in girth. 



Elwes and Henry, Trees of Great Brit, and Ireland, iii, 453 (1908) ; Clinton- 

 Baker, Illust. Conif. i, 71 (1909). 



CRYPTOMERIA, Don. 

 Gryptomeria japonica, Don. 



Japanese Cedar. 



Gryptomeria Fortunei, Otto e Dietrich; Cupressus japonica, Linnaeus f. ; 

 Taxodiiim japonicum, Brongniart. Goddess of Mercy Fir ; Peacock Pine ; 

 Sugi. 



This, the only representative of a genus belonging to the 

 tribe Taxodieae of Pinaceae, is a very variable evergreen tree, 



^ Nat, Hist. Rev. vol. ii, 11 (1862). 



