384 TIMBER AND TIMBER TREES. [chap. 



ATLAS CEDAR {Cedrus atlantica) 



is met with in Morocco and on the Atlas Mountains of 

 North Africa. Very little is known of its properties, but 

 it is so closely allied to the foregoing that it may be 

 inferred generally that the timber is very similar where 

 well grown. As there can be scarcely any doubt that 

 all the above three races of Cedrus have sprung from 

 the same stock, I place them together, in spite of the 

 fact that the home of the last named is North Africa. 



THE CONIFERS OF INDIA. 



I have already referred to the Himalayan Cedar, 

 but the mountains of Northern India yield several other 

 Coniferous trees of considerable importance in the 

 country, though they are not exported. 



Of the five Pines, the beautiful Bhotan Pine {P 

 excelsd) stands first in order of importance. It is re- 

 markably like the North American Weymouth Pine 

 {P. Strobus), and, like it, has its needles in fives, and its 

 cones drooping and Fir-like. The wood, which has a 

 red heart, is remarkably compact and durable, and 

 contains much resin. In the districts where it is chiefly 

 found — 6,000 to 10,000 feet in the Himalayas — it is 

 regarded as the most valuable timber of the country for 

 buildings and engineering work, and its durability is 

 second only to that of the Deodar. 



Of the other Pines, the soft timber of P. longifolia 

 is used for shingles, buildings, tea-boxes, &c., but it is 

 not very durable. Perhaps its importance in producing 

 resin is its chief value. 



P. Khasya is the chief soft wood for building and 

 other purposes in the Khasya hills. P. Merkusii is a 



