ally very familiar with all forms of the cone. The largest of these he considers remarkably large ;
the middle-sized ones a fair average type of cones. He informs us that, although picked from many
hundreds, both larger and smaller could
be found. " A glance at them, however,"
says he, "will be enough to convince
you that on an average they are
much smaller than cones of C. Libam;
and I consider this to be a fair and
constant character to distinguish the two
species. Instances may be adduced, of
course, where cones of C. Libani are
the smaller of the two, but such cases
are exceptional, and cannot be depended
upon. They are to be found, even
in forests, much more different in size:
I have seen, for instance, walnuts smaller
Group oi cones of calms Aiianiictt. than common hazel-nuts without my
opinion of the relative size of the two being thereby affe&ed in the least." The scales are smaller
than those of the others, and triangular, instead of being somewhat quadrangular [figs. 5 and 6].
The seeds, figs. 7 and 8, are considerably
shorter than, but shaped as fc X (
those of the Deodar; that is, the wing V
slopes gradually from the seed on the Vf i;,;/
outer edge. (See comparative sketch ^ ^ g
under the article Cedar of Lebanon.)
In other respects we see no difference between this Cedar and the other two.
M. Cosson, who explored the botany of Algeria, and was familiar with the Cedar which grows there,
unites, in his " Indications of Geographic Botany," the Cedar of Algeria and the Cedar of Lebanon,
con; iidering them to belong to the same species.
«The Cedar of Algeria," says he. "only differs from the Cedar of Lebanon by its leaves being ordinarily shorter. As to the form and si/
of the cones, they furnish no distinftive character : for the Cedar of Algeria is only a variety of the Cedar of Lebanon, of which latter we hav
received authentic specimens from Lebanon and Taurus. Our view is confirmed by the opinion of Messrs Antoine and Kotschy, who equally refe
the Cedar of Algeria to the Cedar of Lebanon, and we have seen specimens of that variety colleaed in the Taurus by MM. Kotschy and lialans;
The Cedar of Algeria appears under two forms : one, the most widely spread, is characterized by its shorter leaves generally arched, and almos
connivent, and, above all, by their glaucous silvery hue {Cedrus argenlea, Renou, Annal. Forest., iii. pi. 2); the other is characterized by the leave
being a little longer, generally straight, divergent, and green (Cedrus Libani, var. Renou, loc. til., pi. 1). The study of the Cedars in the differer
forests of Algeria has brought us to consider the C. Libani and argenlea of Renou as only
ications or sub-varieties due to local circumst
in fact, «enerally, the young trees and the sheltered individuals have green and straight le
while the leaves, on the contrary, are glauco
connivent in the adult trees, and those exposed to the influence of wind and heat. We ought to add that sometimes we have found the two
kinds of leaves growing together on the same plant. Under the influence of the local conditions just mentioned, the Cedar presents itself under
two very different aspects. During its youth, or in ravines, it often affects the pyramidal form, whili
and spreads out like a pyramid. The Pinus Halepensis, which equally appears under these two stat
and which, h
and Taurus, is found growing next the Cedar, shews the little importance that ought to be attached
commonly crowns itself
Algeria and in Lebanon
M. Decaisne, however, contends for the distinctness of C. Atlantica as a species ; and in a paper in
the Revue Horticole, 1853, quotes a letter from M. Jamin, Director of the Nursery of Biskra, in which
he gives the following information :—
M. P. jamin
Cosson, " Rapport su
ronage du Ministère de la
Voyage Botanique ei
rre," in Annal. Scùita
e de Philipsville à Boskra, et dans les Monts Aures, entrepris
"M. P. Jamb, to whom I had applied for information concerning the Atlas Cedars, writes, under date of Dec. 18, [S5r, that he has just
returned from a jonrney of ttt days to Batna, Lamhcssa, and the Peak of Tongour. taken for the express purpose of obtaining information concerning
the tree, and that he had visited carefully the latter locality in company with the keeper of the forests. He there found two species of Cedar.
The peak on which they grow is about tSoo metres above the sandy soil which borders it. The more remarkable plants found at the foot of the
mountain by M Jamin were,as might have been anticipated, Mediterranean species Cedar, began to appear at thrcc^nartcrs up the slope of Tongour,
where they produce a mngoiSeent e(Ml, and form a thick forest up to the very sammit of the peak. 1. is aot nn.ommon to hud specimen,
,0 metres high and , 1 metres in diameter at the butt. The two specie, live together, but they are distinguished at first sight. The Silver Cedar
(C A » M covered with ripe cones ; on that of Lebanon (C. 4 / ™ ) they were more behind, and How,,, were still visible on »me of
the branches The habit of the Silver Cedar (C. MimHa.) is that of the Silver Fir; it i, pyramidal, and it, foliage i, silver,; while that of the
Cedar of Lebanon (C. AfAaui, is dnrk green, and it, bm.ehe. hori.ontal, a, . , all know. The number of trees Is estimated a. ,0.000, th.
finest are on the northern face of the peak. M. Jamb, . . . many dead of old age or struck by lightning. While he was writing, the ground
was covered two metres deep with snow; nevertheless, AsfiAnMu* alius and lulms, Ranunculus JUb,[lotus, violets, and a Rtlama (Sfart.um
uwuospirnium), were already in flower in sheltered places."
We are very much disposed to agree with M. Decaisne as to the distinctness of the Cedar of Lebanon
from that of Algeria, and with M. Cosson as to the two forms found in the latter country being only
varieties of the latter" Under the Cedar of Lebanon we have shewn why we think the Cedar in the
Himmalayas should be more divergent from the original type than that of the Cedar of Algeria, which
lives in a climate more similar to that of Lebanon. Still, even in the latter, the constant difference in the
cones and seeds, as well as the habit, induces us to regard them as separate species. But we cannot go
further, or reckon the two varieties of the Algerian Cedar as more than two different forms of the same
thing ' They are found growing together, and the young plants introduced into this country shew no
appreciable difference.
A note relating to the Cedars of Mount Ciga inserted in the AnnaUs Forestieres (1S44, p. 1)
informs us that one" of the largest Cedars on that mountain was 29! metres from the base to its first
branches. Its trunk measured i| metres in diameter at its base (nearly 15 feet in circumference), and 67
centimetres at its upper end.
Geo™,fhia,! Distribution.-^ Cedar is confined to the north-east of Africa. It »bounds on the
Eastern Atlas ran-re, and forms the prevalent arboreous vegetation throughout the eastern province of
Constantino, which borders on Tunis; but we do not know whether or how far it extends westwards into
the Greater Atlas, and into the kingdom of Morocco. It charat9erizes the upper mountain zone (5200
to 7200 feet), and approaches within twenty miles of the sea.
Although the occurrence of this Cedar in the Mount Atlas range has been long known, it was not
until 1S53 that the expedition of M. Jamin, and more especially of M. Cosson, gave us the reliable information
which we now possess as to its range in the eastern part of Algeria.
It was in that year that M. Cosson made his botanical exploration through the greater part ot Algeria
the results of which are published in thz Annates des Sciences Natureltcs for 1855. Ills exploration's
were confined to the province of Constantino and eastern part of the Atlas range, lying between
,6- '3' and 34 40' N lat, and 3' 21' and 4 34 E- W of Paris, but regarding it he gives full details
and a map of the localities, which wc have reproduced in our Map Plate, in describing the Cedar of Leba-
„on in so far as it relates to the Cedars. He divides the distrifl into four regions : ,, The Mediterranean
re"ion• 2 the region of high plateaux; 3. the mountain region; and 4, the Sahara, or desert region.
The mountain region again he divides into three principal zones; viz., r, the lower zone; 2 the
middle zone (which do not concern us); and 3. the upper zone. This zone is characterized above
all by the forests of Cedars ; its upper part, often treeless, recalls the chancers of Alpine vegetal,on by
the presence of perennial plants disposed in compa* tuft, " The Cedar, which ,„ the province of Constantine
forms almost exclusively the forest vegetation of the upper mountain zone, occupies a surface of
some thousands of hectares. It exists also in other parts of Algeria. I. is met with m the cham of Djurdjura,
but in these more abrupt mountains there are only some slopes favourable to its development A
forest of Cedars of a certain extent covers the upper part of the mountain of Am Telazit above Bhdah
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