The Opuntia. 293 



The tree producing this fruit is a native of southern 

 China, from which country we receive our supplies. It 

 is very generally cultivated throughout the Malayan 

 Archipelago, where it is esteemed not more for its bounty 

 than for the beautiful appearance. The stature is about 

 twenty feet ; the leaves are abruptly pinnate, the leaflets, 

 (two or four pairs,) about three inches in length, laurel-like 

 and shining; the foliage, as a whole, dense, rich, and 

 handsome. The flowers are but trifling, but being 

 produced in large panicles, at the extremities of the 

 twigs, when the bunches of fruit are ripe, depending 

 elegantly, the ensemble is enchanting. The Chinese birds 

 are of the same opinion, so that the trees have to be 

 protected with nets. Some idea of the appearance may 

 be gathered from that of the arbutus. The litchi was 

 introduced to this country by the celebrated Warren 

 Hastings, and is now not uncommon in greenhouses 

 where space can be spared for curiosities. 



THE OPUNTIA (Opuntia vulgaris). 



IN late autumn there comes to England, chiefly from the 

 Azores, and countries touched by the Mediterranean, a 

 fruit commonly called the "Indian fig" or "prickly pear," 

 and sometimes the " Barbary pear." It is easily recog- 

 nized, being about the size of an ordinary breakfast-egg, 

 but more barrel-shaped, the summit remarkably depressed, 



