ALMOND AND APPLE TRIBES. 179 



prussic acid, which is a deadly poison; and the 

 fruit, too freely indulged in, brings on dangerous 

 complaints ; so that the plum season is frequently 

 a time of sickness. Perhaps the most wholesome 

 of these fruits is the peach, and it certainly is the 

 most delicious. Our common laurel,* notwith- 

 standing its name, which would naturally lead you 

 to suppose it a member of the Laurel tribe, belongs 

 to the Almond "tribe, and partakes strongly of its 

 poisonous qualities. This tribe, and several which 

 follow, are nearly related to the EOSE tribe, as 

 you might guess by the blossoms, which much re- 

 semble, on a smaller scale, those of the wild rose. 

 The APPLE tribe has a similar likeness and relation- 

 ship ; and how beautiful are its clusters of rose-like 

 blossoms at this season !" 



" Yes," said Mary, looking towards the orchard ; 

 "the trees are quite white with blossom, and are 

 prettier than anything we have in the garden yet." 



" This useful tribe contains the apple, pear, 

 quince, medlar, service, mountain-ash, hawthorn, 

 &c., all the species being trees or bushes of the 

 northern hemisphere only. Another small tribe 

 (of which the common burnet,f and the lady's 



* Cerasus laurocerasus* f Sanguisorba offlcindlis. 



