CHAPTER XXXVI. 



ASIATIC AND AFRICAN CONIFERS. 



THE CEDARS. 



The word Cedar, like the words Oak, Deal, and others, 

 has been misapplied to several timbers which have no- 

 thing in common beyond more or less superficial 

 resemblances in colour, texture, &c.* The true Cedars 

 are Coniferous trees belonging to the family Cedrus, and 

 of these there are three races or varieties, often regarded 

 as species. The Cedar of Lebanon {Cedrus Libani) of 

 Asia Minor, the Deodar {C. Deodara) of the Hima- 

 layas, and the Atlas Cedar {A. atlanticd) found in 

 North Africa. 



It was not unnatural, perhaps, that the word Cedar 

 should also be applied to certain fragrant woods yielded 

 by the genus Cedrela and its allies, members of the 

 Dicotyledonous family Meliacese, and, as matter of fact, 

 the wood of Cedrela odorata of the West Indies has long 

 been so termed. Moulmein Cedar is Cedrela Toona, the 

 Toon of India ; and C. australis goes by the name in 

 Australia. 



The matter is more complicated, however, by the 

 name Cedar being applied to certain other Coniferae, e.g. 



* See page 210, 



