204 MELIA AZEDARACH, 



farm is valuable, consisting principally of rich 

 arable land ; the Nepean river also running by 

 the estate, is a valuable acquisition for sheep- 

 washing, &c. The summer was more ad- 

 vanced at this part of the country than further 

 in the interior. Strawberries and cream was not 

 an uncommon dish, and the fruit was very abun- 

 dant this season. Green peas were also in large 

 quantities, and the gardens bloomed with Eng- 

 lish, and the more delicate, but evanescent 

 China varieties of roses, and in such profusion, 

 that one might have died of " roses in aro- 

 matic pain." Pinks, stocks, and other European 

 flowers, caused the atmosphere to teem with fra- 

 grance, and charmed the eye. At some farms, the 

 beautiful rose-tree, covered with its carnation- 

 tinted blossoms, adorned the verandahs ; the 

 white and pink Hobmia was attractive from the 

 exquisite beauty imparted by its pendulous clus- 

 ters of blossoms and the ornamental growth of 

 the tree. 



But another, combining beauty of growth with 

 fragrant flowers, must not be omitted : it is the 

 " white cedar" of the colony, and is indi- 

 genous to this country, as well as most parts of 

 India : it is the Melia azedarach of botanists. The 

 tree is deciduous, and was now covered by pen- 

 dulous clusters of lilac-coloured blossoms, adding 



