THE CEDAR OF LEBANON. 



409 



even mentions having frequently raised it from 

 seeds, but whether these seeds came from Mount 

 Lebanon, or the Summer Islands" (the Ber- 

 mudas), is not clear. It was undoubtedly his 

 opinion that the Cedar of Lebanon and the Ber- 

 muda Cedar were identical ; and though he men- 

 tions his having received cones and seeds from 

 Palestine, he does not state that he raised any 

 plants from these seeds. On the other hand, he 

 says, — I have frequently raised it from the seeds 

 and berries, of which we have the very best in 

 the world from the Summer Islands." In a letter 

 written to the Royal Society, some twenty years 

 after this, in which he describes the effects of a 

 severe winter, he says, — " As for exotics, my 

 Cedars, I think, are dead." Now it is not likely 

 that Cedars of Lebanon, twenty years old, were 

 killed by frost ; but it is exceedingly probable that 

 Bermuda or Pencil Cedars, which are very deli- 

 cate, were destroyed, if inadequately protected. 



I cannot, therefore, agree with Loudon that 

 Evelyn introduced the Cedar, especially as there 

 is no traditional existence of any tree planted by 

 him. That it was introduced soon afterwards, 

 and perhaps in consequence of his recommenda- 

 tion, there can be no doubt ; for in 1 683 four 

 Cedars were planted in the Chelsea Garden, two 

 of which are yet standing. These, and another 

 tree which formerly stood at Farley, near Salis- 

 bury, are said by Lord Holland to have been in- 

 troduced by his ancestor. Sir Stephen Fox. Ac- 

 cording to a tradition in the family of Ashby, of 

 Quenby Hall in Leicestershire, a fine Cedar, 

 which is yet standing in their grounds, was intro- 

 duced between 1680 and 1690. 



