THE ACACIA 131 



styling it the " tree of trees," and prophesying that it 

 was destined speedily to replace most of the hard- 

 wood trees in cultivation, and that " the time would 

 come when the Locust-tree would be more common 

 in England than the Oak." Ignoring the fact that the 

 Robinia was already well known in England under 

 the name " Acacia," not only to botanists but also 

 to nurserymen, he popularised the American name 

 " Locust," and obtained so large a sale for it, though 

 at a price more than six times its ordinary market 

 value, that he not only imported the seed by tons, 

 but even bought up plants raised from English seed 

 to sell again at fancy prices. 



Confused in the 17th century with the Acacias 

 of Egypt and Arabia, which it resembles mainly in 

 foliage and fruit, and by the American colonists 

 with the Carob-bean, Locust, or St. John's-bread, of 

 South Europe (Cerato'nia Si'liqua L.), whence its 

 French name, " Carouge des Americains," this tree 

 was named by Linnaeus after its introducer, and in 

 reference to this confusion, Robinia Pseudacacia, 

 the Robinia, or False Acacia. 



All three trees belong to the great Family Legu- 

 minosce, the Pea and Bean tribe ; but the Pea-shaped 

 blossoms of the Robinia, which are generally white, 

 as distinguished from the small, many-stamened, 

 yellow, bottle-brushlike flowers of the true Acacia, 

 have given to the former the popular names of 

 White Acacia, or "Acacia blanc," White Laburnum, 

 and Silver Chain. We are, however, quite unable 

 to explain the name Whya-tree, which is recorded 

 as applied to this species in East Yorkshire. 



