The morning call., 1893-01-15
Let the roses plead for me-.
THE CEDAR OF LEBANON
A Tree Suitable for Northern Lawns
and Parks.
Garden and Forest.

Garden and Forest.
The cedar of Lebanon has stood for gen.
erations throughout Christendom az the
type for all that is majestic and regal in
forest tree. 1t has in modern times been
questioned whether the timber with which
Solomon rebuilt the temple was that of the
cedar. but however this may be the trees
are always associated in the public mind
with stately religious ceremony, and the
groves of Lebanon have been objects Of
veneration by pous pilgrims for centuries.
The position which the tree holds in Chris
tian literature Is well exemplifed by the
following passage from the Spirit Of the
Hebrew Poetry" by Isaac Taylor, who, In
describing the Lebanon ranges and their
trees, says: "ln ancient times these rich
slopes and valleys were mautled with cedar
forests. and the cedar, in its perfection,
is as the lion among the beasts and the
eagle among the birds. This majestic tree,
compared with others OF its class. has
more of altitude and volume than any of
them. IL has more OF outrageous ampii-
tude; especially it has that tranquil aspect
OF venerable continuance through centuries
which so greatly recommends natural OBJ
jects TO speculative and imaginative tastes.
The cedar of Lebanon, graceful and SER
viceabe while 1t lives. has the merit OF pre-
pairing in its solids perfume which CON-
mends it when dead to the nOblest uses.
This wood invites the workman's tool for
every Ingenious device, and Its 0doriferous
substance is such as to make 1t grateful
alike In palaces and in temples" AS
matter of fact, it would be difficult to ex-
aggerate the impressyeness of this tree,
even If it were not dignifed and almost hal
lowed by association.
In volume 2. page 148, we have already
given figure Of one of the old trees on
Mount Lebanon, and in the same issue is
an Illustration of pair of matchmaking
old specimens, such as are to be found in
many of the stately pleasure grounds of
England, where this cedar has been more
generally planted for the last 200 years
than any other foreign tree. In connection
with the pictures, some account was
given of the remnants Of the Lebanon
forest, as described by Sir Joseph Hooker.
and the illustration of page GOT shows one of
the nine groups which remain IN one of those
elevated valleys. Only 400 of the trees sur
viyed at the time of Sir Joseph's visit, and
unless the seedlings are protected fror fire
and from sheep and goats, these particular
forests will In course of time become extinct.
The largest trees remaining are some forty
feet in gIrth and the smallest ones eighteen
inches. Other groups of this cedar have been
discovered since the visit of Sir Joseph
Hooker, and, in fact, Cedrus atlantiea, which
is found in Algiers and Cyprus, and Cedrus
deodara of Himalayas, differ very little In
botanical characters from true c. libani. al
though they are quite distinct In appearance
known reason the cedar OF Lebanon has
never been a favorite with American
planters, although IL is hardy IN tire latitude
Of New York, and the few specimens here
which have attained the age of fifty years
ana upward are noble trees.