12 
PINETUM BRITANNICUM. 
is true that the moft northerly limit of the Deodar is almoft as far north as the moft foutherly limit of the 
other two; but that has lefs bearing on the point. It is the moft fouthern limit of all which we have to 
ftart from. It fhould follow that the other Cedars are fpecies or varieties derived from the Deodar, and 
neither of them the parent form. It matters little whether we call them fpecies or varieties. For our- 
felves, feeing how clofe other different fpecies of Conifers which are acknowledged to be diftinfil come 
to each other, we accept them, for pradiical purpofes, as diftindl fpecies. Philofophically viewed, we regard 
the Cedar of Lebanon and the Atlantic Cedar as varieties of the Deodar, on their way to becomb fpecies, 
but which have as yet only reached different ftages on the road. 
Geographical Dijlmbution .—Fourteen hundred miles to the eaft of Lebanon and Taurus the Deodar 
firft appears, as fourteen hundred miles to the weft of it the Cedrus Atlantica does on the other fide. It 
firft appears in Affghaniftan, where it outnumbers every other Pine, and extends thence continuoufly eaftward 
along the Himmalayan range, at elevations of between 1200 and 4000 feet, almoft to the confines of Nepaul. 
The moft wefterly and moft northerly limit are the fame, viz., the weft of Affghaniftan, about 34° north 
latitude and 68 eaft longitude. It thence extends eaftwards and fouthwards, along the Himmalayan 
ridge, both the main ridge and its fubfidiary branches, until it reaches Nepaul, not extending farther eaft 
than from 83° to 85° eaft longitude. How far it reaches to the north in its eaftern range is not known, 
but it is thought that it does not extend beyond the northern Hope of the Himmalayas. As it advances 
fouthwards it becomes lefs continuous and lefs widely fpread: confined to the head of this valley or that 
glen, perhaps not to be found in the next, but reappearing again in another farther on. For inftance, it is 
not to be found in the glen of the Kaleegunga (leading to Kedarnath), although it is found, on the one 
hand, in the valley up to Gungotree, and, on the other, in the valleys near the fources of the Dhoulee and 
Vifhnoo Gunga rivers; a circumftance no doubt uninfluenced by anything relating to the valleys, but 
* 
depending on the upper connexions of the ranges which feparate them. The habitat of the Deodar may 
be faid to ceafe here; for, as fuggefted by Major Madden, although it is found in many fpots in the eaft of 
Kumaoon, and alfo in the weft of Nepaul, the fineft trees are all in the neighbourhood of temples, and 
have no doubt been introduced (the tree being thought facred), juft as in Great Britain the largeft yews are 
thofe by the churches.* From thefe temple-trees other trees have been diftributed; but their fize and 
diftribution fufficiently atteft the fource from which they have been drawn. It is faid to be found on the 
fnowy ridges in Central Nepaul; but this requires confirmation. They are to be feen in greateft perfection 
near the fnowy range and lofty mountains of the interior of the Himmalayas, where for half the year it is 
enveloped in fnow. Thofe who wifli a more detailed note of the various localities in the above diftriCl 
where it has been obferved, will find full information on the fubjedt in Major Madden’s paper above cited. 
Hiftory. —Perhaps the Deodar is the earlieft tree of which mention is made in profane hiftory. It is 
fpoken of in the antient hymns of the Hindoos under the name of Devadaru (derived from deva, a deity,, 
and daru, timber). The exaCt application of this term has formed the fubjefil of much learned and 
antiquarian difquifition, many trees competing for the divine cognomen; but it feems to be admitted, by 
general confent of thofe who are qualified to give an opinion on the fubjeCt, that the Devadaru of the 
Shaftras is the Himmalayan Devadaru. If Himmalayan, there is not much choice: there are only three 
Himmalayan trees which have any pretenfions to the attributes afcribed to the Devadaru: it muft be either 
the Pinus longifolia , a Cyprefs, or the Deodar. This may be matter of intereft to antiquarians, but its 
intereft to naturalifts is very fmall, therefore we fhall not infliCt upon our readers even a refume of the 
arguments which have been adduced on either fide of this foggy dreamland queftion. It will not diminifh 
the ftature of the Deodar one inch although it Ihould be proved not to be the true Devadaru; nor fhould 
--- -- we 
* “ The pilgrim to Budureenath and Kedarnath may occafionally be met carrying a young Cedar, as the moft acceptable gift to the Ihrine, 
next to the Company’s rupee, which is everywhere the moft facred and all-fufftcient.”— Madden , loc. cit. 
