372 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



grows to a large size ; the wood is of a beautiful 

 dark colour, finely curled, easily worked, susceptible 

 of a high polish, and therefore much valued as a 

 timber-tree. 



In a paper read to the Horticultural Society, Mr. 

 Cattley of Barnet, gives an account of a previously 

 undescribed species of guava. The fruit is nearly 

 spherical, of a fine deep claret colour, growing at the 

 insertion of the leaves, and contains from twenty to 

 thirty seeds, inclosed in a pulp, which is sweet, and 

 slightly acid. Independently of the value and beauty 

 of the fruit, this is a highly ornamental plant, may 

 be propagated freely by cuttings, and bears at the 

 age of eighteen months. It is understood to have 

 come from South America, and has an external texture 

 resembling the fig: its internal consistence and fla- 

 vour bear a considerable resemblance to those of the 

 strawberry. With proper treatment, it is one of the 

 most free growing of all the tropical fruits. 



This guava, which has received the name of 

 Psidium cattleyanum , promises to become a very 

 valuable addition to stone fruits; and, both for its 

 appearance and its flavour, merits attention. There 

 is a specimen in one of the hot-houses belonging to 

 the Horticultural Society, which is as thriving and 

 elegant a tree as can well be imagined. The tree is 

 about ten feet high, and trained something in the 

 fan shape, till the outside branches have a width of 

 sixteen feet. The bark of the tree is of a soft ash 

 colour, with a very slight trace of brown, and smooth, 

 but not glossy. The leaves are beautiful and vigo- 

 rous, and, when we last saw it (18th May), a great 

 profusion of well set fruit was in progress a greater 

 number, indeed, than we recollect ever to have seen 

 upon any other delicate hot -house tree. That the 

 fruit would, properly managed, come to the same 

 maturity in the average of situations, in this country, 



