146 PEACTICAL EOEESTET. 



purea), found in a forest in Germany. Crested-leaved {F. var. 

 crestata). Copper-leaved {F. var. cuprea). Silver-leaved (F. var. 

 fol argentea). Golden-leaved (F. var. fol aurea). Cut-leaved 

 {F. var. incisa). Fern-leaved {F. var. heterophylla). Oak-leaved 

 {F. var. guercifolia). Weeping Beech (F. var. pendula). These 

 are aH hardy in our Northern States, and are propagated by 

 grafting on stocks of the common American or European beech. 



The F. antarctica is a deciduous species, native of the region 

 about the Straits of Magellan and Patagonia, S. A., where it 

 grows to a large tree sixty or more feet in hight. Iieaves smaU, 

 and fruit not much larger than buckwheat. F. betuloides is 

 indigenous to the same region, but has smaller and evergreen 

 leaves. A smaU tree, twenty to thirty feet high. I do not 

 know that any attempts have been made to introduce these spe- 

 cies, but it is likely that they would succeed in the United 

 States. 



Fagus obligua is another evergreen species, native of the 

 Andes, S. A., and F. Cunninghami is a large evergreen tree in 

 New Zealand. 



Mcus, Tour. — Fig. 



This is an extensive genus of evergreen trees and shrubs of the 

 easiest cultivation, aU native of tropical or subtropical countries, 

 extending entirely around the world. The Ficus elastica is the 

 well-known India rubber tree, and the celebrated Banyan Tree, 

 of India, is the Fimis Indiea, the juice of which is used by the 

 Hindoos to cure the toothache, and the bark is considered an 

 excellent tonic. Ficus carica furnishes the well-known figs of 

 commerce. There is nearly or quite one hundred species, of 

 which three are natives of the United States. 



Flcns anrca, Nutt. — Small-fruited Kg. — Leaves smooth, oblong, 

 entire, narrowed, but rather blunt at both ends. The figs are 

 about the size of peas, produced in pairs, close to the stem, and 

 of an orange-yellow color when ripe. According to Dr. Blodgett, 

 the discoverer of this species, it is parasitical on other trees, but 

 by destroying its supporters it at length reaches the ground, 

 and then takes root in the earth, and becomes a large tree. 

 Key West, Florida. 



F. breTifolia, Nutt. — Short-leaved Fig. — ^Leaves about two 

 inches long, by one and a half broad. Figs about the size of 

 smaU cherries,, on the ends of the twigs, light purple or red 

 when ripe. A small and rare tree, at Key West, Florid? 



