JUDAS-TREE. 321 



these places by modern travellers, although 

 the ancients do not appear to have noticed 

 it. It grows naturally in Japan, and was cul- 

 tivated by Gerard, at Holborn, in 1596, who 

 does not mention it as a rare tree ; therefore 

 its introduction to this country most pro- 

 bably was much earlier than his time. 



The flowers of the Judas-tree are fre- 

 quently eaten in salads, from their having an 

 agreeable poignancy. The wodd of this tree 

 is beautifully veined with black and green ; 

 and, as it takes a fine polish, it would be an 

 acquisition to the cabinet-maker. There are 

 varieties of this tree with white flowers, and 

 also with flesh-coloured blossoms, but they 

 have not the beauty of the bright purple 

 kind ; and we possess so few trees that yield 

 a purple or blue flower, that it should be 

 cultivated more particularly on that account. 



These plants are propagated, by sowing 

 their seeds upon a moderately hot bed, to- 

 wards the latter end of March, or in a warm 

 sunny border ; and the young plants require 

 a slight protection from the frosts of the 

 following winter. 



We have introduced a species of this tree 

 from North America, called the Canada Judas- 

 tree, Cercis canadensis. It is also named the 

 Red bud-tree, from the colour of the flower- 



VOL. I. Y 



