NORTH INDIA WOOD 319 



to some extent, of certain other tropical trees as Brownia yrandiccps and 

 Saraca hidea and decUnata. In the latter case the young leaves are mottled 

 pale gray or almost white. 



The tree thrives in the moist low country up to 1,600 feet, and requires deep, 

 rich, and well-drained soil. It does not seem to flourish near the sea, and is 

 rarely met with about Colombo. It produces seed very scantily anywhere, a 

 pod or two (which are flat, brown, 6 to S inches long, containing one to three 

 large flat seeds) occasionally being all that can be obtained. 



The genus Cassia furnishes many a beautiful, flowery tree species 

 more or less widely spread over India, to the delight of the visitor. 

 It is impossible here to do more than describe (briefly and inade- 

 quately) a few of the more attractive varieties. 



The most interesting is, perhaps, Cassia fistula^ the Indian 

 laburnum, but also known by several other English and native 

 vernacular synonyms. This is a rather small, upright tree and one 

 of the most beautiful objects in the north Indian forests, where it 

 prefers a dry or well-drained soil. When in full bloom, it suggests 

 its common name, bearing masses of yellow flowers in pendant 

 racemes. The blooms are, with the frangipani, much used as temple 

 offerings wdiile the astringent bark is used in medicine and for tan- 

 ning. Another remarkable character of this iaburnumlike shrub is 

 its fruit — black, cylindrical pods that grow to a length of 20 or 

 30 inches, the pulp of which is a well-known laxative. 



Although originally a native of South America, Cassia grandis, 

 or the horse cassia, is found in north India. It is a spreading tree 

 that attains a height of 40 to 50 feet, bears a profusion of pale pink 

 flowers during the dry months, February and March (when it is 

 completely deciduous), and in June produces numerous thick, coarse- 

 skinned curved pods with an offensive odor. 



A more attractive example of cassias is C. muUijuga — a slender, 

 quick-growing tree — indigenous to South America. It is in full 

 bloom during August and September and is practically smothered 

 with immense branches of bright yellow flowers, suggesting, as 

 Macmillan says, a glorified tree calceolaria. It grows everywhere 

 fairly well, but prefers a dry soil and climate. 



Finally, during May and June a moderately sized, deciduous pink 

 cassia {Cassia nodosa, so named because of its knotted stems) bears 

 in great profusion lovely, bright-pink, rose-scented flower sprays. 

 It is a native of Bengal and, like all the cassias, produces large 

 pods — cylinders 12 to 15 inches long. 



Trees that take kindly to all tropical and semitropical countries 

 and to some temperate areas are several species of J acaranda. I have 

 seen many examples in both the New and Old World, including 

 India, Ceylon, and California, although these trees are originally 

 South American. 



