THE CAROB TREE. 



Ceratonia Siliqua L. LEGUMINOSAE. 



Maltese= Harruba. lte\\*n.=zCarrubo. Yrznch=Car 



The Carob tree is native of the warmer regions 

 of the Mediterranean, not far from the sea, and is met 

 with wild or half-wild or self-sown in ravines and rocky 

 places in these Islands where its cultivation has been 

 largely extended during the last century. It is an 

 evergreen tree of low spreading habit, often attaining 

 large dimensions with a trunk measuring 4 metres in 

 girth at the base. The tree grows best on the red 

 soils overlying the calcareous Globigerina beds, but 

 grows well also on the porous upper coralline formations, 

 and on the hard limestones of the lower coralline beds. 

 The Maltese name "harrub" literally devastator, is 

 expressive of its habit of establishing itself in the 

 fissures of rocks and gradually pushing the rocks apart 

 or upheaving them to make room for itself, until it 

 reaches the underlying beds or pockets of rich red 

 soil. The carob tree thrives also on stiff clayey soils 

 provided they are well drained, but on these soils the 

 tree is never very prolific, and produces beans of 

 inferior quality. The best situations for this tree are 

 the terraced hill-sides looking towards the east or the 

 south. A situation exposed to the north or north-west 

 winds is unfavourable. In deep shady valleys the tree 

 assumes a tall and erect habit, and becomes quite 

 picturesque. 



The carob tree is polygamous, certain trees bearing 

 only unisexual female flowers, others only male flowers 

 with abortive pistil, and in others the flowers are 

 hermaphrodite and perfectly bisexual. The flowers are 



