SOME BOTAA^IC GARDENS ABROAD. 171 



thousands of jjilgrinis who come to worship it especially during 

 the full moons of June and July. Figure 33 shows this tree as 

 it aj)peared when the writer visited it in the beginning of tliis 

 year. 



Of other interesting trees growing here we may mention 

 Pierocarpus ind.icns, a valuable timber tree, Treculla africana, 

 the West African bread fruit tree, S try chinos Nux vomica, 

 from the seed of which strychnine is obtained, the Baobab tree 

 {Adansonia digitata) from tropical Africa, the Chian turpentine 

 tree {Pistacia terehinthicus) from the Mediterranean, the Ton- 

 quin bean tree (Dipterix odorata) which supplies a fragrant oil 

 used in perfumery, the Balsam of Tolu (Toluifera halsanmm), 

 the Kola nut tree (Cola acuminata) from West Africa, the 

 seeds of which are so widely used as a stimulant in aerated bev- 

 erages. Of ornamental trees, Lagerstroemia flos regiriae is prom- 

 inent through its masses of mauve flowers, the satin wood of Cey- 

 lon {Chlovoxylon Sivietenia) is as handsome as it is useful on 

 account of its valuable timber, Jacaranda mimosaefolia, with its 

 elegant foliage and pretty blue flowers, stands out conspicuously 

 by the side of Schizolotium excelsum, with its beautiful yellow- 

 flowers borne before the leaves have appeared. 



Peradeniya Garden is comparatively poor in coniferous 

 trees, but some big specimens grow here, especially of the Is'orfolk 

 Island pine {Araucaria Coohii), and the Kauri Pine of ISTew 

 Zealand (Agathis rohusta). Many economic plants besides 

 those already referred to are found throughout the garden. The 

 Shea Butter tree (Butyrospcnnn Parkii), of Western tropical 

 Africa, gives a vegetable fat used by the natives as butter and 

 largely exported from Africa to be used in soap manufacture; 

 Caesalpinia coriaria produces the divi-divi pods, containing a 

 large percentage of tannin; Styrax benzoin,, the Benzoin tree 

 of Sumatra, gives the resinous substance known as benzoin some- 

 times used in medicine, and throughout the Orient in incense; 

 Murrya Koenigii, or the Curry-leaf tree, affords aromatic 

 leaves used for flavoring the different curries of India ; Termin- 



