CEDRUS LIBANI. 415 



At Charleville in Co. Wicklow, the residence of Viscount Monck, is a 

 fine avenue of Deodars called the "Cedar Walk," planted in 1851 to 

 commemorate the great International Exhibition held in London in 

 that year ; the avenue is 328 yards in length ; the trees average 

 about 60 feet in height and are in faultless condition.* The specific 

 name, Deodara or Devadara, is a native word indicative of the connection 

 of the tree with sacred objects and worship ; it is said to be derived 

 from two Sanscrit words, deva (a deity) and darva or daru (wood). 



Cedrus Libani. 



A majestic tree 50 80 or more feet high, of variable habit according 

 to situation and environment but always with spreading tabuliform 

 branches from which it receives the peculiar aspect that distinguishes it 

 from every other tree. When standing alone the principal branches, 

 frequently attain a great length, and the tree has a broadly pyramidal 

 outline with a rounded or flattened top, the diameter of the spread of 

 branches sometimes exceeding the height of the tree ; when surrounded 

 by or in contact with other trees, the trunk usually ascends higher and 

 the length of the branches is much contracted. In very many of the 

 largest trees in Great Britain, the trunk is not only forked at a short 

 distance from the ground but often divides into several ascending stems. 

 Bark of trunk thick, rough, and deeply and irregularly fissured into larger 

 or smaller plates. Branches in pseudo-whorls or tiers often unequally 

 developed, the largest of timber-like size, spreading horizontally, the 

 lowermost decumbent and frequently sweeping the ground; the ramification 

 mostly confined to the distal end, lateral and in the same plane. 

 Branchlets opposite or alternate, covered with light brown smooth bark 

 that peels off in thin scales. Buds sub-cylindric, obtuse, about 0'25 inch 

 long with ten twelve broadly ovate pale brown perulae. Leaves- 

 persistent three five years, acicular, obscurely four-angled, spine-tipped, 

 0'75 1'25 inch long, dark lustrous green, produced on short arrested 

 branchlets usually erect on the axial growths, close-set and spirally 

 arranged around them in tufts of thirty fifty, but often many more on 

 strong healthy trees ; on the terminal growths scattered and inserted on 

 small cortical outgrowths (pulvini). Staminate flowers terminal on 

 arrested branchlets five seven .years old, cylindric, 1 1'75 inch long,, 

 surrounded at the base by ovate-lanceolate bracts in two series ; stamens, 

 numerous, spirally crowded around the central axis, yellowish brown. 

 Ovuliferous flowers terminal, broadly ovoid, purplish before pollination. 

 Cones erect, mature at the end of the second season, ovoid-cylindric or 

 sub-cylindric, variable in size, 3 4'5 inches long and 1'75 2'5 inches in 

 diameter at the broadest part; scales sub-quadrate, closely imbricated and 

 attached to the axis by a short cuneate claw. Seeds angular with a 

 cuneate oblong membraneous wing. 



* Good specimens of the Deodar over 50 feet high are (or were till quite recently) growing, 

 at Howick Hall, Northumberland ; Armathwate Hall, Cumberland ; Revesby Abbey, 

 Lincolnshire ; Thoresby Park, Notts ; Hewell Grange, Worcestershire ; Penrhyn Castle, 

 Bangor ; Linton Park, Maidstone ; Carclew, Cornwall ; Bicton, Devonshire ; Tortworth Court 

 and Highnam Court, Gloucestershire ; Eastnor Castle, Ledbury. In Scotland at Abercairny, 

 Dunkeld, Dupplin Castle, Murthly Castle and Rossie Priory in Perthshire. In Ireland at Fota 

 Island, Cork ; Courtown, Wexford, Woodstock, Kilkenny, Hamwood, Co. Meath ; and 

 Castlewellan, Co. Down. 



