136 SYLVA AMERICANA. 



fruit of an inconsiderable size, which is ripe in the month of 

 July. This fruit is intensely acid, and is not abundant even on 

 the largest trees. 



The wood is fine-grained and of a reddish hue; but the 

 inferior size of the tree forbids its use in the mechanic arts. 



Wild Orange Tree. Cerasus Caroliniana. 



This beautiful species of cherry tree is found on the Bahama 

 Isles, and on the continent of North America it appears to be nearly 

 confined to the islands on the coast of the Carolinas, of Georgia 

 and of the Floridas. Except the margin of the sea, it is rarely 

 found on the main land, even at the distance of eight or ten 

 miles from the shore, where the temperature is five or six degrees 

 colder in the winter, and proportionably milder in the summer. 

 It flourishes best on a common garden soil. 



The wild orange grows to the height of 20 or 30 feet, and 

 ramifies at a small height, and forms a spacious and tufted summit, 

 which is owing, perhaps, to its growing upon open grounds instead 

 of being compressed in the forest, and forced to shoot upwards 

 in order to enjoy the light. The bark of the trunk is of a dun 

 complexion, and is commonly without cracks. Its leaves are 

 oval-acuminate, evergreen, smooth and shining on the upper 

 surface, and about three inches in length. Its flowers open in 

 May, are numerous, white and arranged in little bunches an inch 

 or an inch and a half long, which spring at the base of the leaf. 

 The fruit is small, oval, and nearly black : it consists of a soft 

 stone surrounded with a small quantity of green pulpy substance, 

 which is not eatible. This fruit persists through a great part of 

 the following year, so that in the spring the tree is laden at the 

 same time with fruit and flowers: This tree may be considered as 

 one of the most beautiful vegetable productions of this part of 

 the United States, and it is selected with the more reason by the 

 inhabitants to plant about their houses, as it grows with rapidity 

 and affords an impenetrable shade. 



The perfect wood is rose-colored and very fine-grained ; but 

 as this species is not extensively multiplied it is not much used : 



