648 A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Island*. 



for making bailing dishes for boats. For this purpose it is only 

 necessaiy to saw them into two equal parts. They are veiy durable 

 for this use. 



The tree itself is not a handsome one, for it usually grows in a 

 rather straggling and irregular shape. The huge fruits, about the size 

 and shape of a large football, distributed irregularly on the branches, 

 give the tree a very curious appearance. The leaves are clustered. 



There are many very old trees of this kind on the islands, some 

 of which have been repeatedly bent and broken, or partly uprooted 

 by former tempests, but having again taken root, some of them have 

 become very picturesque. It seems to be very tenacious of life. 

 The old tree at Walsingham, known as " Tom Moore's Calabash 

 Tree," has been mentioned above (p. 440). It is not so large as 

 many others and has lost some of its larger branches in severe 

 tempests. 



Fiddlewood Tree. ( Citharexylum quad rang ala re Jacq.) 



Plate LXX. 



This tree, which belongs to the Verbena-famWy (Verbenacese), has 

 become thoroughly naturalized and is now the most common decidu- 

 ous tree on the islands. It often grows wild in the cedar thickets, 

 where its light green foliage contrasts strongly with the dark green 

 of the cedar. It spreads both by means of its numerous seeds and 

 by suckers from the spreading roots. 



The first tree planted is said to have been the large one, about five 

 feet in diameter, that stands in the lawn in front of the old house at 

 Paynter's Vale ; it was planted about 1830-32. (See plate lxx.) 

 All others on the islands are believed to be descendants of this tree. 

 It lost some of its larger branches in the great hurricane of Sept. 12, 

 1899. This tree is native of the West Indies and Guiana. 



Sweet Bay Tree ; True Laurel. (Lauras nobilis L.) 



Not uncommon in old gardens. This is the classical laurel of the 

 Old World. 



India-rubber Tree. (Fiats elastica Roxb.) 



This tree is said to have been introduced from South America in 

 1820. It is easily propagated and grows rapidly. Several large 

 trees are notable, especially one near Flatts Village. The largesl 

 one in Hamilton, over 12 feet in circumference, blew down in the 

 1899 hurricane. Native of Asia. 



