CEDAR. The great durability and fine grain of the cedar tree, to gether with its sur passing beauty, has given to this conifer an important place. There are several species which thrive in northern Africa, Asia Minor, and the Himalayas; and though no true cedars are native to North America, some of the African species have been introduced into the northern states and are highly valued as ornamental trees. The strong stately cedars of Mt. Lebanon, in Palestine, which for ages have been the theme of poets and artists, appear in the Scriptures as a symbol of power, prosperity, and long life. Though they grow to a considerable height their immense hori zontal expanse is often greater than the height. The trunk, which is bare of limbs, is of enormous girth.
The limbs, covered with dense dark foliage, rise tier upon tier, not unlike great black domes. These cedars (Cedrus libani) live for centuries, but they are gradually becoming extinct.
There are three species of conifers in North America which are mistakenly called cedars. These are the arbor vitae or white cedar, the Southern white cedar, and the juniper (see Juniper). Though they cannot compare with the true cedars in beauty or historical importance, their wood ranks high for building and manufacturing purposes.