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 ftiould 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 ourfelves,
feeing how clofe other different fpecies of Conifers which are acknowledged to be diftindt come
to each other, we accept them, for practical purpofes, as diftindt fpecies. Phibfophically viewed, we regard
the Cedar of Lebanon and the Atlantic Cedar as varieties of the Deodar, on their way to become fpecies,
but which have as yet only reached different ftages on the road.
Geographical Dijlribution.—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 wifti a more detailed note of the various localities in the above diftrict
where it has been obferved, will find full information on the fubjedt in Major Madden's paper above cited.
Hijlory.—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 H indoos under the name of Devadaru (derived from deva, a deity,
and dam, timber). The exact application of this term has formed the fubject of much learned and
antiquarian difquifition, many trees competing for the divine cognomen; but it feems to be admitted, by
o-eneral confent of thofe who are qualified to give an opinion on the fubjcct, 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 Pirns 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
amiments 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 (hould 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 flirine,
next to the Company's rupee, which is everywhere the moft facred and all-fufficient."—Madden, loc. cit.
we nowadays truft an iota more to its virtues, though all the qualities afcribed to it by the antient hymnifts
were authoritatively fettled to belong to the Deodar, and to the Deodar alone. Neverthelefs, we fhall
probably be right if we accept the generally received opinion, that the Dcvadara and the Deodar arc one
and the fame thing. Another antient notice of the tree is that of Avicenna, who, 800 years ago (vide
Royle's Hindoo Medicine), mentioned it under the name of Duidar, as an Indian pine, yielding a kind of
turpentine.
The firft modern knowledge which Europeans had of it was through the Hon. W. Leflie Melville,
who, in 1831, brought feeds of it to this country. Thefe he fupplied to the Horticultural Society's Gardens
at Chifwick; to Lord Grenville, at Dropmore; to Mr Lambert; and to his own relative, Lord Leven and
Melville of Melville, in Fifefhire. In a letter written in 1841, he records the date: he fays,—" Mr Paxton,
in his lift, I believe, antedates the introduction of this tree; at leaft it was in April 1831 that I landed with
my feeds, and if any older plant can be ftiewn, I have no claim to it." Mr Froft tells us that he was
affured by his predeceffor, the then gardener at Dropmore, that one or more of the trees in the Dropmore
grounds were planted in 1829; but we imagine that this muft be a miftake, and we have no doubt that it is
to Mr Leflie Melville that the introduction of the Deodar is really due. Thriving trees, the oldeft in
Britain, remain at moft of the above places, as well as in their neighbourhood, raifed from fome of the feeds
beftowed by thofe who had received them; as, for inftance, in the manfe garden at Monzie, near Melville;
at Bury Hill, from feeds fent to Mr Barclay by Mr Lambert, &c. Dr Watfon (brother of Mr Sheriff
Watfon, of Aberdeen) came home with Mr Leflie, who gave him fome of the feed. Thefe were grown at
Liberton; and the only one which furvived is now in our nurfery at Bangholm, a mutilated fpecimen, it
having been injured in the tranfplantation. The next envoi of feeds was in 1832, when fome were fent
from India by the late Lord William Bentinck : thefe were fown at Welbeck, but only feven vegetated.
The valuable qualities which the tree was reputed to poffefs, combined with its beauty, which was
patent to all eyes and could not be difputed, immediately rendered this tree a univerfal favourite. Its
renown fpread, and ten years later (1841) the Right Hon. T. F. Kennedy, who was then at the head of
the Board of Woods and Forefts, dreading an infufficient fupply of Oak in future years for the purpofes
of the Navy, and believing (what every one faid) that the Deodar was as hardy, ftrong, and durable as
the Oak, with the advantage of growing much more rapidly, took counfel with the Earl of Auckland, then
Governor, and the Court of Directors of the Eaft India Company; and they came to the conclufion that it
was an object of national importance to fecure the introduction and growth of this tree in large quantities
throughout Britain. To this end, Mr Kennedy, on his part, obtained from the Directors very large
quantities of feeds (the rapid tranfit of the overland mail fecuring their arrival in good condition), the rearing
of which was intrufted to four of the principal nurfery men in Britain—viz., Meffrs Glendinning of Chifwick,
Skirving of Liverpool, Waterer of Knaphill, and ourfelves. Seeds were alfo fown in the Royal Forefts,
more efpecially in the New Foreft, and an immenfe number of young plants were raifed. Some of thefe
were killed by the froft, but a large quantity ftill remain, which have been planted out and are doing
well. A much more extended introduction, however, was contemplated than even the Royal Forefts could
afford room for. The Eaft India Board fent large quantities from their Botanic Garden at Saharumpore
(near the foot of the Himmalayas), which they fupplied gratuitoufly to every one who would pay the coft of
carriage. And not only this, but they took a liberal ftep, which did more to fecure its wide-fpread introduction
than any exclufively governmental effort could have done : they imported large quantities, which they
diftributed gratuitoufly to the principal nurferymen in England, leaving them to make their profit from
them, and fo to fpread them abroad in the ordinary way of trade. The refult has been that thoufands of
young plants are now flourifhing in all directions throughout Britain ; and thus one of the nobleft of
purpofes, that of permanently increafing the wealth and beauty of one's country, has been rapidly accomplifhed.
Dr Lindley thus celebrates the important fact at the time: " It is no longer as a folitary fpecimen
to be viewed in fome rare collection, that the Cedar of the Himmalayas has reached our fhores; but
thoufands and thoufands are in the poffeflion of many of the great landed proprietors of Great Britain, and
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