G. P. W. Collection PLATE XXVIII. 



Tamarlndns indica. 



TAMARIND. 



The name is derived from Tamar, Arabic for Date, and Indus, 

 Indian ; thus literally meaning Indian Date. It is a native of the 

 Indies, Egypt and Arabia. The tree is never leafless, and the 

 foliage is graceful, pinnated and acacia-like. It bears one crop a 

 year, the season varying somewhat according to the location and 

 elevation. It yields a handsome, hard and close-grained furniture 

 wood, which is yellowish-white, with occasional red streaks in it; 

 the heart-wood is dark brownish-purple. The pods are thick, 

 linear, dark brown in color, and from 3-6 inches long. The seeds 

 vary in number. The pulp surrounding the seeds has a pleasant 

 acid flavor, and when made into syrup, forms the basis of a delici- 

 ous cooling beverage. This pulp is called the fruit, while the pod 

 is spoken of as the shell. The Tamarind is propagated from both 

 seeds and cuttings, and is undoubtedly one of the noblest of our 

 tropical trees. 



