CELESTINE 753 



New South Wales produces a cedar, Cedrela Toona, somewhat similar to the Havan- 

 nah, but more red in colour. 



A similar kind is found in the East Indies ; the Himalayan cedar, Juniperus excelsa, 

 is harder and less odoriferous than the pencil cedar. 



In the ' Sketch of the Eoute and Progress of Lieutenant A. Burnes and Dr. Gerard, 

 by a recent traveller ' (' Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal,' Calcutta, vol. i., 1832), 

 in their adventurous journey to explore the Oxus, it is stated: 



' While on the banks of the Jelum they were much struck by the immense size of 

 the firs floating down the river. The houses in all the towns along its banks are 

 roofed therewith. 



' Immense cedar trees were seen rolled down from the hills ; it was these which 

 supplied materials for Alexander's fleet. One tree measured 13 feet in girth, which 

 may afford some idea of their applicability.' 



There is much confusion in the application of the term Cedar, several trees which 

 are not cedars being so called. 



The cedar of Lebanon is usually called Pinus cedrus, but sometimes Cedrus lAbanus. 

 The lofty deodara, a native of the Himalayas, with fragrant and almost imperishable 

 wood, and often called the Indian cedar, is sometimes referred to the genus Pinus, 

 and sometimes to that of Cedrus or Larix, with the specific name of deodara. 



The wood of several coniferse is, however, called cedar. The wood of Juniperus 

 Virginiana is known as the red or pencil cedar, and that of J". Bermudiana is called 

 Bermuda cedar ; that of J. Barbadensis forms Barbadoes cedar, while the juniper of 

 the north of Spain and south of France and of the Levant is called J. oxyccdrus. The 

 white cedar of North America, a less valuable wood than the red cedar, is yielded 

 by Cupressus thyoides, and the cedar wood of Japan, according to Thunberg, is a 

 species of cypress. 



The name cedar is, however, applied to a number of woods in our different colo- 

 nies which are in no way related to the coniferse ; thus, the cedar of Ghiiana is the 

 wood of Zcica altissima ; the white wood or white cedar of Jamaica is Bignonia leuco- 

 xylon ; and bastard cedar is Guazuma ulmifolia. In New South Wales, again, the term 

 white cedar is applied to Melia azedaraeh, and red cedar, to the Flindersia australis, 

 as well as to the wood toon tree, or Cedrela Toona. 



Cedar wood yields a very fine essential oil by distillation, in the proportion of 

 about 15 oz. to every hundred pounds weight of wood. The perfumery-makers find 

 a considerable use for essential oil of cedar. It is now known that all the odoriferous 

 woods, such as sandal wood, myall wood, rose wood, yield their perfumes at the ordi- 

 nary temperature. If these woods in chips be put into a glass jar for a year the in- 

 terior will be coated with a heavy dew of perfume. 



CEDAR CrTTM. A gum used for many medicinal purposes, obtained from the 

 branches and cones of the Widdingtoniajuniperoides. 



CEDRA (Cedrat, Fr.) is the fruit of a species of orange, citron, or lemon, a tree 

 which bears the same name. Its peel is very thick, and covered with an epidermis 

 which encloses a very fragrant and highly -prized essential oil. The preserves flavoured 

 with it are very agreeable. The citrons are cut into quarters for the dry comfits, 

 but are put whole into the liquid ones. The liquorist-perfumer makes with the peel 

 of the cedra an excellent liqueur ; for which purpose, ho plucks them before they aro 

 quite ripe ; grates down the peel into a little brandy, or cuts them into slices, and 

 infuses these in the spirits. This infusion is distilled for making perfume ; but the 

 flavour is better when the infusion itself is used. See PEBFTTMERY. 



CEDROX7. Simaba Cedron. A tree which grows in the hottest parts of New 

 Granada. It yields to alcohol a crystallisable substance cedrin. It has an intensely 

 and persistently bitter taste. 



CEXiESTXXTE or CEXiESTITE. (Celestine, Fr. ; Colestin, Ger.) Native sulphate of 

 strontia, SrO.SO 3 (SrSO 4 ). This mineral occurs in prismatic or tabular crystals belong- 

 ing to the rhombic system, and often resembling those of sulphate of baryta. In other 

 physical characters, also, the two species are likely to be confounded. Density, if care- 

 fully determined, affords a fair means of discrimination, though the difference is not very 

 striking; the specific weight of celestine never rises above 4, whilst that of barytes is 

 about 4'5. Blowpipe reactions offer better-marked means of distinction ; celestine im- 

 parting to the flame a crimson-red colour characteristic of all strontia-compounds, whilst 

 barytes colours the flame yellowish-green. 



The name Celestine (from codestis, ' sky-blue ') has reference to the pale blue tint 

 which the mineral frequently presents ; id some cases this has been referred to the 

 presence of a trace of phosphate of iron. It should be remembered, however, that this 

 colour is neither a necessary characteristic nor a sufficient means of diagnosis ; many of 

 the finest specimens of celestine being colourless, whilst a blue colour, equally pronounced 

 with that of the most typical celestine, is occasionally presented by crystals of burytes. 



YOL. I. 30 



