134 ORNAMENTAL GARDENING 
ment of mosquitoes, sand burs, land crabs and all the pests and 
vermin of Florida in order that I might live in a land where-the 
royal poinciana flaunted its splendid blossoms to the sky. 
Dillenia. A genus of beautiful Oriental tropical trees having 
large leaves and handsome flowers. JD. indica is sparingly culti- 
vated in lower Florida but is greatly subject to root knot, and 
I have never succeeded with it on that account. 
Eriodendron, Silk Cotton Tree. A genus of very large, rapid 
growing trees from the tropics of the Old and New Worlds. E£. 
anfractuosum becomes an enormous tree in the West Indies; its 
trunk is usually smooth and bulging, and in a young state it is 
variegated with light and dark green. It is perfectly at home in 
lower Florida in pine or hammock land. 
Erythrina, Coral Tree. A genus with thorny stems and tri- 
foliate leaves, bearing brilliant red flowers in long racemes. In 
certain districts a borer greatly injures the branches and in some 
cases destroys the flowers. There is a good deal of similarity 
among many of the species but FE. crista-galli is quite distinct. 
In the north this is almost herbaceous, being bedded out in 
summer and dug up and wintered in a cellar. At Fort Myers I 
saw a fine tree of this fifteen feet high. It would be hardy 
throughout the state; the rest are tender. 
Eucalyptus. A large genus of trees which has its metropolis 
in Australia. Quite a number are cultivated in South Florida 
and in some cases specimens are already reaching considerable 
size. In many instances the trees have proper leaves; in others 
they have only phyllodia, which are leaf-like expansions that are 
alike on both sides and hang vertically. Most of the trees are | 
brittle and break badly in high wind. 
Euphorbia. Some of the species are weeds, others are shrubs 
and still others are trees. E. havanensis has triangular branches 
which are variegated and furnished with spines, and it is much 
used in Cuba for hedges. E£. tiriculli has round stems and very 
rudimentary leaves, a most curious tree. E. sanguinea has a 
dense crown of deep, metallic purple foliage. These species are 
tender. 
Ficus. An immense genus of trees, shrubs and vines from the 
warmer parts of the earth, which furnishes many ornaments for 
