JAPANESE MEDLARS. _ 79 



was certainly known to the ancients, tliough it ma}' be 

 difficult to prove that it corresponded to their Silphiurn 

 and that Asafoetida was their "Laser". Silphium was 

 once much used in medicine; and even toda\- Asafoetida 

 is said to be an important ingredient" of the curry with 

 which rice is served in India. In Franrc soup-plates were 

 sometimes rubbed with Asafoetida to flavour the soup. 



The gre\'-leaved, evergreen tree Jiriobotria or Pho- 

 tinia japonica, which bears the "Japanese medlars", is 

 so common in the gardens of the Riviera that we greet 

 it as an old friend at La Mortola. The sub-acid flavour 

 of these fruits is familiar to most of us : they are about 

 the size of plums, and the better sorts when quite ripe 

 are very palatable. The tree appears to be indigenous 

 to China, and according to Rein was brought to Eng- 

 land b\- Sir Joseph Banks in 1787, together with other 

 useful and ornamental plants. It is now to be met with 

 all over Itah', and even on the Lake ol Geneva. 



Those who know the gardens oi the Riviera must 

 have noticed Phoiinia serridata, a small tree related to 

 the Eriobotria. The tlat, white panicles of flowers shine 

 out among the big, laurel-like leaves. At a distance 

 the tree looks like our flowering Elder, and at the first 

 glance one would hardly take it for one of the Rosaceae. 



Another interesting plant which one ma^- make ac- 

 quaintance with at La Mortola is the Qiiillaja sapoiiaria, 

 a stateh" tree with small, stiff leaves, also belonging 

 to the Rosaceae. Its bark, which we obtain from Chile 

 under the name of Panama wood, is rich in saponinc, 

 lathers in water like soap, and is commonly used as 



