164 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



the great court of his palace was with three 

 rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar 

 beams." 



At the same time, Solomon built a fleet of 

 merchant ships, at Tyre, which must also 

 have thinned the forest, both of fir and of 

 cedar. We observe Hiram's answer to So- 

 lomon is, " I will do all thy desire, concerning 

 timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir." 



Solomon, also, celebrated the cedar in his 

 writings which still remain ; although a vest- 

 ige of his gorgeous palaces is not to be 

 found. 



" His countenance is as Lebanon, ex- 

 cellent as the cedars." 



" The beams of our houses are cedar, and 

 our rafters of fir." 



Josephus relates, that Solomon planted 

 cedars in Judea, and the Scripture says, 

 " he made cedars to be "as the sycamore 

 trees, that are in the vale, for abundance." 

 Evelyn says, " he doubtless tried many expe- 

 riments of this nature, none being more 

 kingly than that of planting for posterity." 



From that time, it became a custom with 

 the Jews to plant a cedar when they had a 

 son born, and for a daughter a pine, which at 

 their marriage, was cut to form their nuptial 

 bed. The cedar was considered the symbol^ 



