62 



0. P. W. Clh-rthu. ■ Plate XXIX 



Taiitariiidiis iiidica. 



TAIIARIXD. 



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 1 ke. It bears one crop a 

 year, the season var3'ing somewhat according to tlie location and 

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

 wood, which is yellowisli-white, witli occasional red streaks in it ; 

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

 linear, dark brown in color, and from 3 to 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 delicious, 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. 



