Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon View Large Images

Lexicon Cape Cedar _____________________________________________________ Widdringtonia wallichii (see Wikipedia), previously Widdringtonia cedarbergenis (see SANBI), also Widdringtonia juniperoides (Smith 1966:411). Also Clanwilliam cedar (Palgrave 1983:59), Afrikaans sederboom (Smith 1966:411), Clanwilliamseder (Palgrave 1983:59) A large widely branching tree up to 18m high. The species is exclusively confined to the Cedarberg Range. Formerly the trees studded the whole of their native habitat, but have been ruthlessly despoiled, now severely threatened due to over-harvesting and fragmentation of populations, thereby compromising the viability of the gene pool. James ALEXANDER (1836) relates that one tree cut down measured 11,8m in girth, and gave 300m of planking. He also referred to the destruction of the trees. The timber is beautiful, slightly yellow to whitish, works well, takes a fine polish, and was once found suitable for furniture and cabinet-making, as well as for ship and house-building, being durable on account of its resinous nature and thus keeping out insect larvae, as well as moisture. The doors, pews and carved alter of the Parish Church of St John-the-Evangelist of Clanwilliam, as well as the appointments of the Courthouse there are fine examples of its use. The timber was also in demand for the construction of mills in the Cederberg region, being used for the wooden doors sills and shutters as well as for the construction of the waterwheel and mill parts, adding to pressure on harvesting and now scarcity of the tree. These mills are almost identical in manufacture and the principle upon which they worked. There are names and dates etched into the grain feeder boxes. They are all constructed of Clanwilliam Cedar. It is a characteristic of these mills that they were (before there was electricity) combined with other functions where water was utilised to generate power, to run sawmills, to power a black smith shop or just to generate alternating current for lighting as at Kromriver. It is possible that the many functional uses of these mills is what preserved them into the early 20th century . All, however, have been allowed to fall into disrepair by mid-century. There were a number of operating mills in the area, namely Matjiesvlei, Groot Rivier Watermill (Mount Cedar), Nuwerust, Kromrivier Watermill and Watermill at Dwars Rivier (Cederberg Wine Cellars), all in close proximity to each other. Derelict mills include those at Watermill at Matjies Rivier. A replica of the Watermill at Dwars Rivier, based on that at Bo Vlei, is at the Kleinplasie Museum Complex, housing the original milling machinery, but with a replica waterwheel. All the telephone poles from Piquetberg to Calvinia were once of Cape cedarwood. The resinous gum which exudes from the trunk becomes hard and yellow and was used at one time for making plasters and as a varnish. The gum was also formerly employed as fumigations in the folk treatment of gout, rheumatism, or oedematous swellings. This vast exploitation, in addition to the ravages of fires as well as environmental changes have driven this timber to virtual extinction. [Extracted and edited from Palgrave 1983:59 and Smith 1966:411 and supplemented with text by Len Raymond on the The Heritage Portal] Books linked to this entry Smith, Christo Albertyn, Phillips, Edwin Percy (Editor) & Van Hoepen, Estelle (Editor) . 1966. Common names of South African plants (Botanical Survey Memoir No. 35). Pretoria: Department of Agricultural Technical Services. Botanical Research Institute pp 411