THE ACACIA. ^ 



these characteristics will generate in the mind of the observer 

 that kind of esteem which, growing into admiring regard, at 

 length ripens into the purest affection. 



Of such a sentiment as this, we are told, the modest ab- 

 original native youths of America, when they have formed a 

 feeling of the highest delicacy, which they cannot express in 

 words, make the Acacia their token in representing their 

 reo-ards to the fair maiden of their choice,— the maiden, fair 

 to them as the fairest of England's daughters to the youth of 

 our sea-girt isle, — and she, not less sensible of the homage 

 than the accomplished belles of our saloons, receives it with 

 the blushful ingenuousness of the pure maiden of all lands. 



The timber of the Acacia is highly valued in North 

 America. It is close-grained, of great hardness, and is 

 finely veined, and thus it commands the preference of the 

 cabinet-maker before all other native trees. It is very in- 

 corruptible,— a striking quality of the purest love, — so much 

 so, that gate-posts in use at Baltimore retained their fresh- 

 ness for nearly a hundred years. It has also great density 

 and toughness, so that we are not surprised to be told that 

 the American Indians use it for bows, as we do the yew; 

 it is stated that their arrows are tipped with its thorns. 



The generic name Robinia was given to the Acacia in 

 honour of Jean Robin, herbalist to Henri Ouatre. The son, 

 who held an appointment at the Jardin de Roi, was the 

 first who cultivated the R. Pseiuiacacia in Europe, where 

 it was introduced in 1640. 



The Acacia is a great ornament of our shrubberies in 

 k the spring, which pleasant season it seems to prolong 



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