CHAP. Lxxiv. j?bena^ce;e. J)I0SPY^R0S. 1195 



the woods of Hyrcania, and the whole coast of the Caspian Sea, and Mauri- 

 tania; where it grows to the height of from '20ft. to 30 ft., and sometimes much 

 higher. It flowers in July, and ripens its fruit in October. The leaves are 

 of a beautiful dark glossy green above, and, when mature, and exposed to 

 the air, assume a purplish hue beneath : they do not change colour in 

 autumn, but drop off simultaneously with the first attack of sharp frost. 

 It was cultivated by Gerard, who says that it grows beautifully near 

 Lyons, in France ; and that he planted " in the garden of Barne Elms, neere 

 London, two trees ; besides there groweth another in the garden of Mr. 

 Gray, an apothecary of London, and in my garden likewise." Gerard adds 

 that this plant " has been reputed for the lotus of Theophrastus : " but 

 Dr. Walsh (see Gard. Mag., vol. i. p. 294.) says that the i)iospyros jLotus 

 is not described by the ancients ; and Dr. Sibthorp and others, particularly 

 Mr. Hogg (Journ. of Bot., vol. i. p. 203. ; and Gard. Mag., vol. x. p. 391.), 

 consider the Celtis australis, or nettle tree, as the true Lotos of the Lo- 

 tophagi. The ZJiospyros iotos ripening its fruit freely in the south of 

 France and Italy, seeds have been readily procured ; and the plant has 

 never been rare in British collections ; but, as it is somewhat tender, there 

 are few large specimens of it. It grows at the rate of 1 ft. or 18 in. a year, 

 for the first ten years, especially if the soil in which it is planted is free and 

 loamy, and rich rather than poor. According to Dr. Walsh, the Z)ios- 

 pjros jLotus was originally brought to Constantinople from the country be- 

 yond the Caspian Sea; whence its name of the date of Trebisonde. The 

 fruit is sometimes brought to the market at Constantinople, under the name 

 of Tarabresan Curniasi; and in that part of Europe it appears to grow 

 much larger than either in Britain or in Italy, being nearly the size of a 

 walnut ; it is however austere, and unfit for the table, unless as a conserve. 

 In the neighbourhood of London, it bears fruit in abundance; but these are 

 extremely austere, and seldom larger than a small cherry. Were it considered 

 desirable to cultivate the diospyros for its fruit, superior varieties might be 

 easily procured from the East, or by selection from seedlings, and conti- 

 nued by grafting. The wood of this species is white, light, and of very 

 little use. 



Statistics. In the environs of London, the oldest trees are at Syon, where there is a curious spe- 

 cimen (aportrait of which is given in our last Volume), only 15 ft. high, but with a head 39 ft. in 

 diameter. In our garden at Bayswater, there is a tree which, in ISo."), was 10 years planted, and 16ft. 

 high. In 1834, this tree ripened fruit for the first time; and on this day, July 12. 1836, it is covered 

 with thousands of blossoms. In Messrs. Loddiges's arboretum, and in the garden of the Horticultural 

 Society, are several trees which have grown at nearly the same rate. In Cheshire, at Eaton Hall, 

 a tree, M years planted, is 13 ft. high. In Ireland, at Louth, a tree, fi years planted, is 10 ft. high. 

 In France, in the neighbourhood of Paris, the tree attains the height of from 20 ft. to 30 ft., and 

 ripens fruit; but there is a specimen in the Jardindes Plantes which has attained the height of '1.5ft. 

 In the Botanic Garden at Toulon, there is one which, in 48 years, has attained the height of 

 30 ft. In Germany, at Vienna, at Laxenbourg, in 12 years it has attained the height of 10 ft. In 

 Italy, at Monza, in 24 years it has attained the height of 35 ft. In Russia, in the Crimea, it h;is 

 attained the height of between 30 ft. and 40 ft. ; the tree being frequent in that country. 



Commercial Statistics. The price of plants, in the London nurseries, is 2s. 

 each, and seeds 2s. a packet; at Bollwyller, 1 franc; and at New York, 1 

 dollar. 



t 2. D. viRGiNiA^NA L. The Virginian Date Plum, or Persivwn. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., 1510. ; Don's Mill., 4. p. 39. 

 Si/)ionume. Guaiacnna Catesb. Car., 2. t. 76., Pluk. Aim., 244. f. 5. 



Engravings. Mill. Icon., 126. ; Wats. Dendr. Brit., 1 146. ; Park. Par., 570. t. 569. f 6. ; and the plates 

 in our last Volume. 



Spec. Char., S^c. Leaves ovate-oblong, acuminated, glabrous, shining above, 



and paler beneath, reticulately veined. Petioles short and curved, and, as 



well as the branchlets, downy. Leaf buds glabrous. Flowers quadrifid, 



rarely quinquefid. Flowers pale yellow (Don^s Mill., iv. p. 39.) A tree, 



growing to the height of 20 ft. or 30 ft. in the neighbourhood of London, 



but much higher in the United States, whence it was introduced in 1629. 



It flowers in July, and its fruit is ripe about the time the tree drops its 



leaves in Noveml)er. 



