10 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
been published in England. We shall not discuss such 
! comparatively insignificant points as whether the au¬ 
thors have adopted some divisions in the botanical 
grouping which other botanists have rejected (points 
suitable to be dwelt upon by such as judge of a book by 
“ its margin’s breadth and binding'”). It may be that 
v the authors are wrong in such particular, but if they 
are wrong they have erred in good company; and they 
are altogether correct and excellent in more important 
and useful matters. Their attention to the synonymes 
of the different species, and the fulness of the index 
referring to every one of those synonymes, renders it one 
of the best books of reference relative to the cone-bearing 
tribes that has ever been published. Rut even this is 
not its best feature in point of utility, for as the authors 
justly observe, “ The principal practical use of such a 
synopsis is to know which kinds are suitable for plant¬ 
ing in a pinetum or an arboretum ; as, at present, no 
large country seat is considered complete without some 
plantation of the kind.” How the volume before us 
aids the reader who seeks from it this “ principal prac¬ 
tical use,” will be best shown by quoting what the au¬ 
thors say about the genus Cedrus. 
The cedar of Lebanon ( O.Libhni ) will grow in almost any 
soil or situation, but it varies very much in its appearance, 
according to the circumstances in which it is placed. When 
crowded with other trees, it takes a fastigiato habit, looking 
like an immense upright cypress; but, where it is allowed 
space, the branches, which are of a gigantic size, spread 
horizontally, and the tree assumes a somewhat pyramidal 
shape, the branches being disposed in distinct layers or 
stages, and diminishing in extent as they approach the top. 
The great beauty of this majestic tree being so well known, 
it will be unnecessary to say anything further respecting it. 
What is called the Silver cedar is a very distinct variety of 
this species, and it is supposed by some persons to be the 
same as the cedar of Mount Atlas. 
The Deodar cedar ( U . Deoclara) is found on the Hima¬ 
layas at an elevation of from 7,000 to 12,000 feet; and, as it 
is now becoming well known in this country, it is almost 
superfluous to remark that it is, perhaps, the most orna¬ 
mental coniferous tree ever introduced, and that, from its 
great beauty, rapid growth, perfect hardiness, and valuable 
timber, it is exceedingly well suited for being extensively 
planted in woods, parks, and pleasure-grounds. Dr. Falconer 
gives the dimensions of a fallen Deodar which lie saw on the 
Himalayas, as thirty-six feet in circumference at the base, 
and one hundred and thirty feet in length. The same au¬ 
thority states that timber of the Deodar, taken from a temple 
supposed to have existed at least 1000 years, was, to all 
appearance, as sound as when first placed there, not afford¬ 
ing a dwelling to even a solitary insect. Burnes, in his 
Travels in the Mysore, states that “the frameworks of the 
: houses are made of Deodar cedar, which is floated down 
| with the inundations of the river Schem, or Hydaspes, from 
the Himalaya. The durability and fragrance of the wood,” 
j he adds, “recommend it for buildings of ever}' description.” 
He further observes that he saw a “ cedar tree lying on the 
| banks of the Hydaspes, with a diameter of thirteen feet. On 
j this river,” he continues, “ the Macedonians constructed the 
! fleet by which they navigated the Indus ; and it is a remark- 
\ a kl e fact, that in none of the Punjaub rivers are such trees 
floated down, nor do there exist anywhere else such facilities 
for the construction of vessels." Bishop Iieber, in a letter 
j t0 Lord Grenville, alludes to a, pine, evidently the C. Deodara, 
j as “ a splendid tree, with gigantic arms and narrow dark 
leaves, which is accounted sacred, and chiefly seen in the 
neighbourhood of ancient Hindoo temples.” The Deodar 
I the Araucaria imbricata are line illustrations of two oppo¬ 
site styles of beauty in landscape: the Deodar being of a 
powth and hue light, airy, and graceful, and the Araucaria 
| being dark, rich, and massive. The Deodar cedar is parti- | 
[October 10. 
I cularly valuable for planting singly on lawns, and as an 
avenue tree. For the latter purpose, it probably surpasses 
j any other that has yet been introduced. The wood of the 
j Deodar, Mr. Loudon remarks in his Arboretum Britannicum, 
“has a remarkably fine close grain, capable of receiving a 
very high polish ; so much so, indeed, that a table formed 
of the section of a trunk nearly four feet in diameter, sent 
by Dr. Wallich to the late Mr. Lambert, has been compared 
to a slab of brown agate.” It is also stated that the wood of 
the Deodar has been found perfectly sound in places where 
it has been known to have stood upwards of 200 years. The 
Deodar, like the cedar of Lebanon, will grow in almost any 
soil and situation. That it is, indeed, admirably adapted for 
planting in all parts of this country, is amply proved by the 
noble specimens which are to be seen growing so luxuriantly 
in the lloyal Botanic Garden at lvew, and in the Garden of 
the Horticultural Society of London at Chiswick, as well as 
at the country seats of many distinguished amateurs of gar¬ 
dening, and more particularly at Elvaston Castle, Dropmore, 
Panslianger, and Heckfield Place. It is, therefore, to be 
hoped that our large landed proprietors may be induced to 
recognise the beauty and value of this, perhaps, best of 
trees; and that the day is not far distant when oiu - hill sides 
will be covered with it and other exotic conifers, the great 
beauty of which will produce a most pleasing and an impor¬ 
tant change in the landscape scenery of Great Britain. 
The Mount Atlas Cedar (C. elegans) resembles, in its 
habit of growth and general appearance, the cedar of Leba¬ 
non, except that its leaves are much whiter; which pecu¬ 
liarity has probably given rise to its being frequently called 
the Silver cedar. The wood of this species is said to be very 
valuable. 
The Villa Gardener, originally written by the late Mr. 
Loudon, and now re-edited by his widow, has one of 
those long title-pages which no one ever reads, and 
which, like the tiresome symphony to an agreeable song, 
every one skips over. The last simile is peculiarly 
applicable, because if the title-page of the book is need¬ 
lessly prolix, the book itself is excellent. It teaches us 
how to lay out and arrange the grounds of a suburban 
villa residence “ from one perch to fifty acres and up¬ 
wards.” But it does more than this, for it gives plans 
for structures from the aristocratio conservatory down 
to the humble hen-roost, and lists of trees and plants 
suitable for every locality from a plantation to a par¬ 
terre. The whole is profusely illustrated with plans, 
which may bo consulted with advantage by the gar¬ 
dener, as well as by ladies and “those who know little of 
gardening and rural affairs,” for whom the hook is espe¬ 
cially intended. We have marked many passages which 
we should like to extract, all characterised by the ster¬ 
ling good sense, and all told in that plain intelligible 
form, that were the author’s especial excellencies, but 
we must confine ourself to this one, upon the too much 
neglected form and position of a house :— 
As the cubic form is known to enclose more space with the 
same quantity of walling ami roof than any other, so it is an 
established rule, that a house square in the plan is prefer¬ 
able in all that regards comfort, habitableness, and economy 
of heating, keeping clean, and in repair, to one which is irre¬ 
gular in its plan. The next best form to a square is that of 
a parallelogram ; and the worst form that can be adopted is 
that of a long, narrow, irregular building. A square house 
is more compact within, and, from its form, it is warmer in 
winter and cooler in summer than any other; it is more 
easily heated; it has less space occupied by passages, and is, 
consequently, more easily cleaned; and, externally, it exposes 
less surface to the atmosphere, and is, consequently, more 
easily kept in repair than any other. When economy is the 
main object, therefore, a square house ought to be chosen; 
| and, that it may combine architectural beauty with economy, 
