THE Cedar of Lebanon is a Tree which grows to a prodigious Size, and of a pyramidal Figure, whose Branches are adorn'd with little, narrow, green Leaves, and the Fruit like our Pine-Apples. It is from the Trunk, and the large Branches of this Tree, that there flows, during the great Heats, without any Incision, a sort of white Resin, very clear and transparent, which we call Cedar-Gum, of which the largest Trees yield not less than six Ounces a day. Here are likewise, during the hot Season, little Bladders made by the scorching of the Sun; which being pierc'd, afford a clear white Liquor, like Water, of a strong penetrating Smell, and is of the Turpentine kind: And when the Tree ceases to produce any more of that, being cut, there flows an unctuous Matter, which, drying as it runs down the Tree, is what we call Resin of Cedar, which is very rare in France, as well as the other Productions of this Tree. This Resin is of a very fine yellow, bright and transparent, and of a very grateful Odour.
Of the Lesser Cedar.
The Lesser Cedar is a Tree of various Sizes, commonly crooked, bearing long sharp-pointed Leaves, always green, especially in Winter; after which come Berries of the Bigness of Holy-Oak, or Knee-Holm; green at first, but red when they are ripe. The Trunk being cut, there issues forth a very clear transparent Gum, which is the true Sandarac; but as we very seldom have it among us, we use the great Juniper Gum instead of it, which I shall describe hereafter.
They make of this Wood, by the Assistance of the Retort, a black Oil, which being rectified, is call'd Oil of Cedar; but as these Trees are not very common, we content ourselves with the great and lesser Juniper. The true Oil of Cedar is admirable for curing Tetters and Scabs in Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and other Beasts: But as these sorts of Oils are too dear, we will institute in their Place clear Oil of Pitch, which, upon that Subject, is call'd Oil of Cedar, as you will find in the Chapter of Pitch.
Cedrus Magna, five Libani Conifera, or, according to Tournefort, Larix Orientalis, fructu rotundiore obtuso, is a Species of the Larch Tree, or a very large, thick, streight Tree rising Pyramidal, whose Bark is all of a Piece, the Wood very hard and durable, so that it is said never to decay; the Leaves are small, streight and green, dispos'd in Clusters along the Branches, putting forth in Spring-time, and falling at the Approach of Winter; the Flowers and Fruit as before described.. There runs a Sort of Gum from the Tree, without Incision, hard, and as it were in Grains like Mastick, from whence it frequently is call'd Mastick-Cedar: The Wood is us'd in fine Joyners Work, and Turners Ware. The Tear that flows from the Tree, is improperly call'd a Gum, because it is the purest resinous Part of the Tree, and is digestive, detersive, consolidating, strengthening, good against Gangrenes, and proper for Dislocations and Fractures.
There is another Sort of Cedar call'd Cedrus Baccifera, the Cedar that bears a Berry, or Cedrus minor, the lesser Cedar, of which there are three Kinds; the first is call'd the Phoenician Cedar, or Cedrus Folio Cupressi major fructu slavescente, the great Cypress-leav'd Cedar, with the yellow Fruit; the Trunk and Branches whereof are crooked and knotty, the Wood reddish, yielding a Smell like the Cypress; the Leaves narrow and sharppointed, harder than those of Juniper, and more prickly, green all the Year as the Cypress: The Shells or Husks are made up of several little Scales, at the Bottom of which grow several Bags or membranous Vesicles, full of Dust; the Fruit arises upon the same Foot or Stalks with the Husks, but divided into Cells, which are Berries, that turn yellow when ripe, are a little fleshy, odoriferous and of a grateful Taste; each of them containing three woody Kernels that are hard, hollow on their Backs, and flat on the other Side, each Kernel having an oblong Seed; there comes from the Trunk of the said Tree in the hot Countries, a Gum call'd Varnish.
The second Sort is call'd the Lycian Cedar, or Cedrus Folio Cupressi media majoribus baccis, the middlemost Cypress-leav'd Cedar, with the great Berries; this Tree differs from the former, in that it is lower, and the Berries are much bigger.
The third Sort is call'd, Cedrus Hispanica procerior Fructu maximo nigro. The tall Spanish Cedar, with the great black Fruit; it is much higher than the rest, and the Berries a great deal bigger, of a black Colour: These Cedars grow in Italy, Spain, Provence, and Languedoc; they remain always green and yield Abundance of Oil; the Wood is sudorifick, being used in Decoction: The Berries are proper to strengthen the Stomach, and assist Digestion. The Oil is drawn after the common Method, by a Retort, being black, and passes for the true Oil of Cedar; it is good for all Sorts of Scabs and Deafness, and may be inwardly given in Hysterick Cases. Dose from two Drops to six.