temple. The Cypress (also called Cedar by the ancients) the Pinus Halepensis and the tall fragrant Juniperus of the Lebanon, with its fine red heart-wood, would have been far more prized on every account. On the other hand, that the grove has, within the historic period, increased and diminished in extent, owing to secular changes in the climate, cannot be doubted, which it is remembered, that no seedling has come to maturity (though thousands annually germinate), since the birth of trees the youngest of which is 18 inches in girth; and that the whole grove presents such a disparity in the ages of its trees, that only about 15 exceed as many feet in girth, and 385 fall below 12 feet girth. Upon this point I have collected some curious corroborative evidence, from the works of old travellers.
The nearest point to the Lebanon at which Cedars have been found, is the Bulgar-dagh chain of the Taurus in Asia Minor, and from that point forests extend eastward to Pisidis, in long. E. 32°, westward to long. E. 36° and northward to the Anti-Taurus, in lat. 40° N.; growing at elevations of 4000 to 6400 feet above the sea. The Lebanon may be regarded as a branch of the Taurus, and is 250 miles distant from the Cedar forests upon that chain. Between individuals from the Lebanon, and the common Asia Minor form, there is said to be no appreciable difference, by those who have examined both: but there are two distinct forms or varieties in the latter country; one having shorter, more stiff and glaucous or silvery foliage than the other; this is the Silver-cedar, C. argentea, of our gardens. Northern Syria and Asia Minor form one botanical province; so that the Lebanon grove, though so widely disconnected from the Taurus forests, can be regarded in no other light than as an outlying member of the latter.
C. Atlantica. At a distance of 1400 miles from the Cedar forests of Asia Minor, and separated by the whole breadth of the Mediterranean sea, are those of Algeria. These form the prevalent arboreous vegetation throughout the eastern province of Constantine, which borders on Tunis, and they also abound on the eastern Atlas ranges; though whether they extend to the greater Atlas and into the kingdom of Morocco is not known. They characterize the upper mountain zone (5200—7200 feet), and approach within twenty miles of the sea. The African Cedar differs from that of Lebanon in having a perfectly erect, rigid leader, and straight stiff ends to the branches, all which, in the Lebanon plant, droop more or less. In the African, the cone is generally smaller, the leaves shorter and more glaucous, and the scales and seeds triangular in form (instead of quadrangular.) There are two forms of Cedar in Algeria, as in Taurus, and characterized by the same differences in each country, vis.: a greener longer-leaved, and a more silvery shorter-leaved variety. Nevertheless it is generally easy to distinguish the Atlas Cedar from the Lebanon one, and in beds of young plants the differences are very marked, though it is always possible to pick out deceptive specimens.
