CHAPTER XXXII. 



CEDARS. 



THE CEDAR TREE (Abies Cedrus), THE CEDAR OF 

 LEBANON, 



Is found upon Mount Lebanon, the Taurus, and also 

 upon many of the mountains in Asia Minor. 



It is a very stately and majestic evergreen tree, with 

 heavy wide-spreading branches thrown out horizontally 

 from low down the stem, bearing clustered leaves and erect 

 obtuse oblong cones. Very extraordinary accounts have 

 been given of the longevity of these trees, but these, I 

 think, should be received with some little reserve. 



It is stated in a small work on useful and ornamental 

 planting, that at Highclere Park, in Hampshire, the Earl 

 of Caernarvon planted seeds in 1739, from a cone gathered 

 upon Mount Lebanon. Only two germinated, which, after 

 being planted out, remained rather stunted, and without 

 showing any signs of vigour. In 1767 they were trans- 

 planted into a poor soil, in a bleak situation, being at that 

 time 17 inches in girth at one foot from the ground, and 

 from that date their growth was considered to be satis- 

 factory. 



No I in 48 years measured 35 inches in girth at 3 feet from the ground. 

 73 82 3 



No 



93 



2 in 48 



73 



93 



in 3 



22 3 



72 3 



102 3 



These two Cedar trees, therefore, when 93 years old, 



