12 LA MORTOLA. 



belonging to the Celastraceae, has, on the contrary, flourished well ; 

 the leaves of this bush are used in South Arabia and in Abyssinia 

 instead of tea ; on gathering fresh leaves the writer was enabled 

 to recognise and demonstrate the absence of caffeine, and the pre- 

 sence of a minute quantity of some alkaloid. Carica Papaya, L., 

 cultivated in tropical countries under the name "melon -tree," 

 needs only to be mentioned to remind one of the property of 

 its milky juice in making tough meat tender : it possesses also 

 valuable medicinal qualities. The discussions concerning the 

 native country of this " melon-tree" may be considered settled by 

 the results of A. de Candolles learned investigation, " Origine des 

 Plantes Cultivees," 1883, P- 2 34- According to this author, Carica 

 Papaya is indigenous to the lands and islands of the Gulf of 

 Mexico. Cinnamomum Camphor a, the camphor-tree of Japan and 

 Formosa, was just beginning to open its insignificant blossoms in 

 the end of April ; the strong smell of the leaves when rubbed 

 proved the production of camphor even in this climate ; this plant 

 is, however, no rarity in gardens throughout Italy. Cydonia 

 sinensis, Thouin, was introduced into the south of Europe more 

 than fifty years ago with great success : those in this garden pro- 

 duce fruit of astonishing size. Drimys Winteri, Forster, of the 

 natural order Magnoliacese, grows all over the greater part of 

 South America, from the Straits of Magellan as far as Mexico ; 

 this tree furnishes the bark known as Winter's bark, but it is now 

 only of secondary pharmaceutical interest ; it was described by 

 Clusius as early as 1582. Three plants (Myrtacese) much culti- 

 vated in the tropics have just ripened their fruits Jambosa 

 vulgaris, De C. (Eugenia Jambosa, L.), Psidium Cattleyanum, 

 and Psidium pomiferum. Although not of great size, about an inch 

 and a quarter in diameter, these "guavas"have a very pleasant 

 taste, free from the volatile oil in which other Myrtaceae so 

 abound. Their taste is far more delicate than that of the 

 " Japanese medlar," the yellow plum-like fruit of the Eriobotrya 

 (Photinid) Japonica, Lindley. (Compare "Osterferien in Ligurien," 

 Buchner's " Repertorium fiir Pharmacie," Miinchen, xxv. 1876, 

 p. 24. English translation : " An Easter Holiday in Liguria," by 

 Professor Fluckiger, privately printed, 1877. This fruit does 

 not ripen even on the Riviera until after the end of April. The 

 fruit dealers of North Italy send for the first " Nespole di Giap- 

 pone " from Palermo too great an honour for this very ordinary 



