152 THE LEECHEE TREE. 



green pigeons, and the timid hare gambolling at the other 

 end. Such is the collection to be found in a mango tope. 

 And then, there hangs the mango in all its golden rich 

 ness among the thick, glossy, dark green leaves. And 

 there, too, may arise a more holy remembrance, viz., 

 that that grove had been planted by order of the sick old 

 man on his death-bed for the improvement of his country, 

 and in compliance with the desire of his Shaster (Hindoo 

 bible) ; and who will say that that good act which gave 

 shelter to so great and varied a number of God s crea 

 tures, and fruit to man, did not bring, on that feeble old 

 man, God s mercies. 



For America, the mango trees would be the greatest 

 acquisition. They would be the best possible trees to 

 line the streets of its young progeny of Babylonian cities. 

 They would be a tree in the private gardens to which the 

 owner would point with pride, and watch with the greatest 

 vigilance, and send a few fruit to his long -respected neigh 

 bor with the greatest complacency. For the farmer and 

 the fruiterer, the tree would be a source of great profit, 

 and every family could add new luxuries to their table 

 mango fool, mango pickles, and mangoes themselves in 

 season. 



But poor indeed must the mango still appear from my 

 description of it, to what it really is ; and I submit that 

 Americans ought to make some exertions to procure it, 

 to see, to taste, and to pronounce on its qualities. 



THE LEECHEE TREE, OR LITCHEE, 



Is a shady and large tree, some 40 feet high, orna 

 mental, and bears the fruit of that name. It is a deli- 



