286 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Cedrus continued. 



Conifera. Majestic evergreen trees, with large spreading 

 branches, rigid, scattered and clustered leaves and erect 

 oblong or oval cones rounded at the top; scales of the 

 cones broad, thin, coriaceous, entire, closely appressed, 

 at length deciduous. It is commonly supposed that a rich 

 soil is needed for the Cedar, but this is only correct 

 in a certain degree ; a rich loam or sandy clay being, 

 perhaps, the best. An open sub-soil is the most indis- 

 pensable condition, as will be proved from their healthy 

 state in natural mountainous regions. The Cedar does not 

 like pruning, either in root or branch, and if the top is 

 removed, the tree assumes the form of an enormous bush, of 

 picturesque and grand proportions. Growing in its natural 

 rtato, it takes a broad, conical form, till it reaches its full 



Cedrus continued. 



and thus lose the advantage which is derived from a bushy 

 root. It is of somewhat slow growth, but is often slower 

 than is necessary, from defective management and an unsuit- 

 able situation. Several authorities are agreed in regarding 

 the three species as mere varieties of one. In any case, 

 from a garden standpoint, they possess quite sufficient 

 characteristics to justify separate specific descriptions. 



C. atlantloa (Atlantic).* Very closely allied to C. Libani, but 

 mainly differing in the foliage, which, in the present species, is 

 shorter, usually less than lin. long, and of a glaucous green or 

 silvery hue. It is also of more erect pyramidal habit than the 

 Cedar of Lebanon, h. 80ft. to 120ft. Atlas Mountains of Algeria, 

 1843. 



C. Deodara.* Deodar or Indian Cedar. I. fascicled, acute, tri 

 quetrous, rigid, larger than those of C. Libani, and of a bluish 



. CKDAR OF LEBANON AND OTHER TREES FOR DRY SITUATIONS. 



but dark green, covered with a light glaucous bloom. One 

 of the most beautiful members of Coniferfe, and having an 

 elongated pyramidal or conical outline. Leading shoot and 

 branchlets pendulous, h. 150ft. to 200ft. Western Himalayas. 



height, when the lateral branches begin to extend outwards, 

 and the top then assumes a broad, flat surface. Cones 

 seldom make their appearance on the Cedar of Lebanon 

 before it attains forty years of age, and 

 it has been known not to produce them 

 before the tree was 100 years old. 

 The catkins appear in autumn, and 

 the cones require two years to arrive 

 at maturity. The seeds are difficult 

 to extract from the cones, which do 

 not drop from the tree, but will hang 

 for many years ; nor does the influence 

 of the sun cause them to shed the 

 seeds. The cones have, therefore, to 

 be gathered by April, and the seed 

 immediately sown in pans. The seed- 

 lings must be planted out in the open 

 nursery the following spring. The FIG. 389. BRANCHLET, SHOWING LEAVES AND CONE OF CEDRUS LIBANI. 



Cedar resembles other Conif erse in the formation of its , 1822 . The best-known varieties are the following : C. D. robusto. 

 roots, which strike out a great distance, if not transplanted, | (sturdy) has coarser and larger leaves and thicker branches, and 



