CEDRUS DEODARA. 
J 9 
not all, the Deodars in the park there; alfo the fineft fpecimens at Cloaton; and at Ravenfwood, near 
Melrofe, feveral fine plants about 20 feet in height were killed. 
There are at leaf! five varieties of the Deodar, fome of a more robuft habit, fome more pendent, fome 
more eredt or more tabulated than others ; while the depth of colour alfo varies confiderably, fome being 
brighter green, and fome more glaucous than others. Thefe, as already mentioned, have received nurfery- 
men’s names, as Deodara robufta , D. viridis, D. nivea, D. craffifolia , &c. Mr Palmer found some 
difference in the hardinefs of thefe, robufta having proved the hardieft, and viridis the mofl tender, in 
the proportion of more than two to one: out of 24 of each of thefe two, he found that 13 plants of robufta 
efcaped uninjured, while 4 were killed ; and of viridis , only 6 efcaped uninjured, while 11 were killed. 
The Deodar feems very indifferent to fite, foil, and fubffratum, flourifhing in its native mountains 
equally amongff the clefts of the mofl fcarped rocks, gneifs, quartz, limeftone, granite, clay, and mica flate, 
as in the black vegetable mould of the glen or ravine. It is the fame in this country. No foil feems 
unfuited for it except fand; indeed, few Conifers thrive in fand. For example, in Berkfhire, where the foil 
is fandy loam without lime, it makes flow progrefs; while in Gloucefterfhire it grows rapidly on a lime and 
clay foil without fand. It thrives well on the oolite. Even in undrained wet clay it thrives. It cannot, 
however, hand the fea breeze. Wherever it is expofed to its faline influence it dies; but when protected 
from it, though only a very little inland, it does well. 
A 
Its growth is rapid. On an examination of the Indian flab already mentioned, it was found that, 
notwithftanding it was 4 feet 6 inches in diameter, it was not more than 190 years old. The rate of 
growth had varied between 6 \ and f inches of increafe for every ten years, the larger increafe taking 
place chiefly in its older ffage. According to this datum, and fuppofmg the trees to grow as faff in 
England as in their native country, in the fpace of thirty years they fhould be 26 inches in diameter, or 
about three times as thick as Larch of the fame age. Mr Brown, in his tables, gives 9 \ inches as the 
average diameter of Larch in Scotland of that age. It is rather furprifmg that the fadfc of fuch a rapid increafe 
of growth in their native country fhould not have fuggeffed doubts of the ffrength of the timber: foftnefs and 
rapidity of growth being almoft fynonymous terms. “ A flow fupply of nutriment is neceffary to prevent 
the tree growing too rapidly,” fays Dr Lindley ; and Dr Royle, in his Report already quoted from, feems to 
have contemplated the neceffity of checking its too rapid growth. He fays, “The great precaution 
required in planting this, as in other timber trees, is to avoid planting it in too moift or too rich a foil, when 
it is required for timber. It would be proper, indeed, to feledt well-drained fites on the ffeep and barren 
acclivities of hills.” Excellent advice, from one point of view; excellent for checking the rapidity of growth, 
and improving the quality of the timber, if the trees would but grow there. U nfortunately, the expofure to 
wind neutralifes all the benefit; it lafhes them to death—the cure kills the patient. 
The ablual growth in this country does not equal that of the tree in the Himmalayas; the average 
proves to be about 20 feet in height, and about half a foot in diameter every ten years : equal to about 
2 feet in height and about three-quarters of an inch in diameter each year. The beffc and largeft fpeci¬ 
mens which we know of, are fome fine trees at Lady Rolle’s, at Bidton, near Exeter. Thefe are upwards of 
60 feet in height, and are the produce of the firft feeds introduced into this country. At Blenheim Park, 
in Oxfordfhire, there are trees upwards of 50 feet in height, which alfo no doubt belong to the firft flight. 
At Osberton Hall, in Nottinghamfhire, there was a plant 45 feet in height, which, however, was killed by 
the cold in i860. At Beechland, in Suffex, there is a plant 40 feet in height; at Nettlecombe, in Somer- 
fetfhire, one 37 feet; at Linton Park, another 32 feet; and a multitude of others all over the kingdom, 
varying from 20 to 30 feet. One of the fineft and beft grown of the medium fize that we have feen is 
at Mr Henry Watfons, Dartington Houfe, near Totnes. At Caftle Martyr, near Cork, there is a fine 
specimen 18 years old and 38 feet high. At Dropmore there are a number of plants which 
have probably been raifed from the firft feeds. Mr Froft, as already mentioned, dates them from 1829 ; 
we have taken the liberty of reckoning them as only dating from 1832. At any rate, there feems no 
doubt that they have all been raifed from the fame fowing, and their heights are 40 ft., 40 ft. 3 in., 
[ 9 ] 
40 
