ACACIA FARNESIANA. 



SWEET-SCENTED bAbOOL. 



NATURAL ORDER, MIMOSE^. 



HE accompanying plate exhibits what is, perhaps, hardly a 

 garden flower, but as it is very well known, and is certainly a 

 picturesque object, it may undoubtedly be classed among our 

 familiar flowers. 



It is a small thorny jungle tree, but during the cold season, when in 

 blossom and covered with its soft bright yellow down-like flowers, it is 

 much to be admired. Ferminger describes the flowers as " tassel-like, 

 and of the size and form of a bullet." 



The delightful aromatic fragrance of these flowers is one of the 

 charms of having it in a hedge, and even after the flowers have been cut 

 some time the scent remains. It somewhat resembles the odour of 

 wallflower. 



Roxburgh's description of this shrub is as follows : " Shrubby ; 

 thorns, stipulary ; leaves, bipinnate ; pinnae, from four to five pairs ; 

 leaflets, from ten to fifteen pairs ; spikes, axillary ; long-peduncled, 

 round ; colollebs, polyandrous ; legumes, turgid, with two rows of seeds 

 inclosed in pulp." 



The natives make use of this plant medicinally, considering the bark 

 efficacious in cases of fever and debility. 



The blossoms and fine bipinnate leaves remind us of another species 

 of the Mimoseae, viz., the " Sensitive Plant," so well known in this 

 country from the difficulty of eradicating it if it once takes root in a 

 garden. The tassel-like flowers, however, of this are pale pink. 



The subject of our plate is constantly planted on the banks of tanks ; 

 its foliage is so light and pretty that it makes a great addition to the 

 otherwise ugly and barren sides. 



The flowers are soon destroyed by wind or rain, but when in full 

 blossom fresh ones appear to burst open in such rapid succession that 

 the blaze of colour is perpetual and unvarying. 



The different species of Acacia are so numerous that it would be 

 futile to attempt to enumerate them. Many are natives of Australia, 

 where, I hear, they are remarkable for the exquisite beauty of their 

 flowers and foliage. 



In Ootacamund a few of the above varieties are found to thrive well, 

 but they are not suited to the climate of the plains. 



The few that are indigenous to India are not attractive or pleasing, 

 being chiefly wild jungle bushes. 



