100 PLACES OF GROWTH. 



its use was taught by the Hindus when they pro- 

 pagated their religion, in the ceremonies of which 

 it is frequently employed." 



The sandal-wood tree is most usually found 

 in hilly districts and rocky situations ; and, when 

 growing on low land, is of a degenerated qua- 

 lity. This latter circumstance js known to the 

 Chinese ; for, at Singapore, a Chinese merchant 

 observed, that the sandal-wood found growing 

 on the rocky mountains contains the greatest 

 quantity of oil, and is of more value than that 

 which grows in low situations and rich soil, as 

 the latter is found to have degenerated. On 

 asking him from whence he derived his infor- 

 mation, he stated, " from Chinese books." At 

 the Friendly Islands they use the wood for 

 scenting their cocoa-nut oil, and a piece of the 

 wood is considered a valuable present by the 

 chiefs ; they procure it occasionally from the 

 Fidji Islands, and call it Ahi Fidji. The tree 

 will not thrive at Tongatabu. The species found 

 at the island of Erromanga (New Hebrides) has 

 ovate, entire, smooth, petioled leaves, of a light- 

 green colour above, whitish and distinctly veined 

 underneath ; some of the leaves varied by being 

 pointed. It is a tree of irregular and slow 

 growth; it attains the height of about eight feet 

 without, and thirty feet with branches, and 



