14 



found in a wild state throughout the Island. After this little 

 digression the visitor should continue along the main drive. 



The main drive here runs parallel with a hedge of Negro 

 Peach, Sarcocephalus esculentus, which screens off a piece of 

 private land jutting into the Garden. Before the hedge of 

 Negro Peach was planted, this piece of land, sold previous to 

 the Government obtaining the site for the present Garden, 

 marred considerably the grounds at this point. 



Opposite this hedge and next to the tree of Sterculia alata 

 already mentioned, is a tree of Jacaranda mimosaefolia, which 

 bears a profusion of blue bell-shaped flowers on the young 

 shoots, as well as on the older branches. A little further on is 

 Peltophorum Linnaei, native of Jamaica, from which the 

 orange-coloured dye-wood, known as Brazilleto wood is 

 obtained ; and the Malayan and Australian Cedrela Toona, 

 the wood of which is largely used in Australia for all kinds of 

 furniture and ornamental work. 



A striking object close to the corner, on the opposite side 

 of the road, is the Assam Rubber tree, Ficus elastica, with its 

 large shiny leathery leaves and bright-red bud sheaths. In 

 localities which suit this tree, it reaches 100 feet or more in 

 height, and throws down from its branches thread-like roots, 

 which on reaching the ground thicken enormously, finally 

 perhaps, equalling, or even exceeding the main trunk in 

 diameter. This tree is familiar to most visitors as the India- 

 Rubber tree so commonly grown as a decorative plant in 

 England and elsewhere. N< xt is a fine tree of Ficus altissima 

 from Tropical Asia, and behind on the lawn is Ficus Vogelii, 

 a native of West Africa. These trees, along with other latex 

 yielding trees, are not at the present time tapped to the same 

 extent as formerly, the World's chief supply of rubber now 

 being the Para, obtained from Hevea brasiliensis, a tree native 

 of Brazil, and cultivated on a large scale in the Middle East. 

 Over in the corner, behind the rubber trees, will be found : 

 Dolichandrone platycalyx, a tree native of East Africa, with 

 handsome yellow flowers ; and Myroxylon sonsonatense, a 

 relation of the tree yielding Balsam of Tolu, Myroxylon 

 Toluifera. Behind these trees is a hedge of Duranta Plumieri, 

 extending almost to the drive, where, at the corner, there is a 

 specimen of Sterculia sp. 



