244 
is indigenous, as well as in many other parts of Europe 
and Asia. Albiflora, the old double white, is a native of 
Siberia, and was introduced at about the same period. 
From a limited number of species, several hundred hy- 
brids have been produced, many of which are very beau- 
tiful, but scarcely superior to the species, yet necessary 
to keep alive the interest in the genus. One or two her- 
baceous species have been found in Oregon and Califor- 
nia, but are inferior to the European species. Moutan 
and its varieties are natives of China and Japan, princi- 
pally on Mount Ho-an, where it is reported they grow to 
the height of ten feet. The native species is purple, but 
there are white, pink, pale purple, and mottled varieties. 
There have lately been raised some very beautiful varie- 
ties of the Tree Peeony. The shrubby species were first 
introduced in 1794. 2 
UMBRELLA CHINA TREE. 
4. genus of tropical trees found in the Southern States. 
== It is known technically as Melia Azedarach, and has 
many other names, such as Pride of India, Holy Tree, 
Hill Margosa and China Berry. It is from thirty to fifty 
feet high, with bipinnate leaves, and large bunches of 
fragrant, lilac-colored flowers, which are succeeded by a 
fruit about the size of a cherry, with an external pulp 
and a hard nut within. The Arabic name, Azedarach, 
implies a poisonous plant, and the fruit is generally con- 
sidered so.. The root is bitter and nauseous, and is used © 
as an anthelmintic. The tree is supposed to possess feb- 
rifugal properties, and a decoction of the leaves is used 
as a remedy for hysterics. The ease with which it grows 
is somewhat offset by the readiness with which its— 
branches are broken by the wind. Its wood makes ~ 
