12 



poisonous. Some years ago the medical authorities of New 

 York caused all ailanthus trees gracing the residential streets 

 of the city to be cut down, attributing numerous cases of illness 

 to the proximity of the bloss mis to bedroom windows. May 

 and June. 



Natural Order, Meliaceae. 



Melia Azedarach, Ivinn. (Pride of India.) A large tree, 

 valuable for shade and the beauty of its flowers in summer. 

 It grows thirty feet or more high, with dense green foliage, 

 leaves twice pinnate leaflets, three to six pairs, lance sliaped 

 and a terminal one, long pointed. Flow^ers lilac, followed by 

 j'ellow berries which hang till the follo^\dng Spring. It is one 

 of the few deciduous trees here. Origiualh- introduced as an 

 ornamental street tree, it has become fairly naturalized, being 

 common around country houses. 



Swietenia Mahagoni. lyinn. (mahogany). Comparatively 

 few^ of these solid looking, massive-trunked trees, some tw^enty 

 feet or more in height, are on the island. One fine specimen 

 may be seen at "Palmetto Grove," the Flatts. Ivefroy says a 

 few young trees were to be met with when he was Governor of 

 Bermuda. The tree at Palmetto Grove used formerly to be 

 pointed out to visitors as one of the sights of Bermuda; other 

 specimens may now be seen at " Seamount," in Victoria Park, 

 Hamilton, and in the garden of the Hunter property, on Queen 

 Street, St. George's. 



There is also at Mount I^angton, a satin wood tree (S. 

 chloroxylon), and one Banyan tree is to be found in the Trini- 

 ingham grounds at Ingle wood, but neither of the two can be 

 considered as taking to Bermuda. 



Natural Order, Illicineae. 



Ilex Cassine. Ivinn. A shrub with small shining oval leaves, 

 introduced from Virginia. It has established itself and has be- 

 come fairly naturalized, especially near the Flatts, and back 

 of Prospect. Flowers small, white, followed by a berrj- used 

 in Bermuda for Christmas decorations, which has led to its 

 being given the false name of " Christmas Holly," although it 

 bears no resemblance. I. cassine, however, is properly a holly. 



