eS Se 
CHAP. C. URTICA‘CEA. MACLU‘RA. 1363 
woody fibres, terminating in a tuberculated surface, 
and contains numerous seeds (or nuts, as they are 
botanically termed), and a considerable quantity o 
sweetish milky fluid, which, when exposed to the 
action of the air, coagulates like milk. The sap of 
the young wood and leaves is also milky, and soon 
dries on exposure to the air. It is insoluble in 
water, and contains a large proportion of caout- 
chouc. This tree is found on the banks of the 
Red River, and in deep and fertile soil in the adja- 
cent valley. The Arkansa appears to form its 
northern boundary. It was first introduced into 
the gardens of St. Louis, on the Mississippi, from 
a village of the Osage Indians; whence it obtained 
its popular name of the Osage orange. It was 
afterwards planted in the nursery of Mr. M‘Mahon 
at Philadelphia, whose widow now carries on the 
business, and still possesses the original tree. About 1226 
1818, seeds were sent to England by M. Correa 
de Serra (See Gard. Mag.,i. p. 356.) ; and, subsequently, plants of both sexes 
were imported by the London nurserymen. 
Properties and Uses. The fruit, when ripe, is of a golden colour, and on 
the tree has a splendid appearance ; but, though eatable, it-does not appear to 
be any where used for human food. M. Le Roy, nurseryman at Angers, in- 
formed us, in June, 1836, that he had tasted some of the fruit which had ripened 
at Lyons; and that it was scarcely so good as that of the A’rbutus U‘nedo. 
Fruit has also been ripened at Clairvaux, near Chatellerault (Recued Indust., 
2d ser., tom. ii. 1836, p. 50.); and at Montpelier. (See A/gemeine Garten- 
Zeitung, Nos. 36. and 37., for September, 1836.) An Osage orange sent 
to us by Dr. Mease of Philadelphia, from Mrs. M‘Mahon’s Nursery, in Jan. 
1830, (of which fig. 1227. isa view, and fig.1228. a section; both of the natural 
size ;) measured 9 in. round one way, and 9} in, the other. It weighed 15 0z, 
when gathered. The colour was of a greenish yellow, and the taste insipid, 
4u 3 
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