10 



On the right-hand side of the main drive is a specimen of 

 Cestrum diurnum, a small tree greatly valued for its fine 

 display of sweet-scented white flowers ; and further on a 

 native tree known as Acoma St. Christ ophe, Sideroxylon 

 floribundum, valued on account of its timber. Looking to 

 the right across the lawn, which stretches in front of the 

 Convent, a fine group of palms will be observed ; and near by 

 them a single specimen of Sapium sebiferum, which yields a 

 tallow largely collected in China. The fruits, which contain 

 the seeds enveloped in fat, are steamed, beaten, and sifted. 

 The coarse tallow thus obtained is used by the Chinese for 

 making candles. Large quantities of the tallow are imported 

 into England for use in the manufacture of soap and candles. 



Beyond the bed of palms, and in front of the Convent are 

 specimens of Podocarpns sp.\ Denis dalbergeoides ; Sappan 

 wood, Caesalpinia sappan, which furnishes a red dye-wood ; 

 Terminalia Arjuna ; Mimusops Elengi, from the seeds of 

 which an oil is expressed the bark yielding a tonic and 

 febrifuge ; and Tecoma spectabilis, the latter being one of the 

 well-known Poui tree of Trinidad, which for a few days in 

 the dry season is a showy mass of bright yellow flowers. 



Proceeding along the course of the carriage road, the 

 following interesting plants will be found on the right : Ixora 

 macrothyrsa ; and Baikaea insignis, a tree of West Tropical 

 Africa probably the finest flowering tree in the Garden. 

 The flowers are 10 inches across when fully expanded, and are 

 remarkable as being the largest produced by any member of 

 the Leguminoseae. The petals are snow white, except the 

 lower petal or lip, which is lemon-yellow in colour. Also the 

 Bead tree, Elaeocarpus Ganitrus, of India, where the hard 

 stones of the fruit are commonly used for stringing into 

 rosaries, or for making necklaces, bracelets, buttons, heads of 

 pins, and similar articles. 



Conspicuous amongst the plants here is a fine group of 

 one of the Screw Pines, Pandanus utilis. The curious habit 

 of this set of plants with their characteristic spirally arranged 

 leaves and prop roots is well known. This particular species 

 is a native of Madagascar, and is largely planted in Mauritius 

 where its leaves are used for making sugar-bags. The dry 

 i ives are used for making hats in Dominica. 



