THE ROMANCE OF OUR TREES 



at about loo years, and the oldest at 2,500 years, but 

 with no degree of surety. 



To-day some five groves of Cedrus libani are known 

 on Lebanon, the one containing the oldest trees being 

 on the northern slopes above Bsharri. The largest tree, 

 but not one of the very oldest, is 48 feet in girth, in full 

 growth and vigorous health. In one grove, that of 

 Baruk and the largest, are many young trees in all 

 stages of growth. Several travellers have noted that 

 seedlings spring up readily but are browsed off by 

 goats. With proper protection against these animals, 

 and the forbidding of the people cutting them, these 

 Cedar groves would increase in size and in time become 

 forests, as in the days of King Solomon. 



The Cedar of Lebanon is not confined to the 

 mountain of that name but grows also on the Taurus 

 and Anti-Taurus ranges in Asia Minor, from the 

 province of Caria in the west to near the frontier of 

 Armenia in the east. On these mountains it forms a 

 considerable portion of the coniferous forest between 

 4,000 and 7,000 feet but appears to attain its maxi- 

 mum development on the Cilician Taurus, where the 

 climate is a severe one, the snow lying several feet 

 deep on the ground for fully five months of the year. 

 At least such is the statement of Walther Siehe. 



The Director of the Arnold Arboretum heard of 

 this discovery on the Cilician Taurus and commis- 



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