CHAP. C. 



C;^RTICA'CE/E. MACLU^H^. 



363 



woody fibres, terminating in a tuberculated surface, 

 and contains numerous seeds (or nuts, as tliey are 

 botanicaily termed), and a considerable quantity o 

 sweetish milky fluid, which, when exposed to the 

 action of the air, coaguhites like milk. The sap of 

 the young wood ami 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 Philadelj)hia, whose widow now carries on the 

 business, and still possesses the original tree. About 

 1818, seeds were sent to England by M. Correa 

 de Serra (See Gard. Blag., i. p. 3.56.) j 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, 183G,that he had tasted some of the fruit which had ripened 

 at Lyons ; and that it was scarcely so good as that of the vl'rbutus f/^nedo. 

 Fruit has also been ripened at Clairvaux, near Chatellerault [Recncil Indiist., 

 2d ser., tom. ii. 183G, p. 50.) ; and at Montpelier. (See Algemeine 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, (ofwhicliT^. 1227. isa view, and/^. 1228. a section; both of the natural 



1 226 



X 



1227 







size ;) measured 9 in. round one wa}', and 9iin. the other. It weighed I5oz. 

 when gathered. The colour was of a greenish yellow, and the taste insipid, 



4u 3 



