62 



ted state it is now again receiving attention. It is well known 

 by its cleft, seven-lobed leaves of a dark-green hue, and wide 

 spreading branches. The wild fig, although rare may be found 

 here and there springing up out of or at the foot of old walls. 

 Of late years the fig-tree has been subject to a peculiar fungoid 

 gro\vth on the underside of its leaves, as well as to a scale insect 

 both of which have materially injured its cultivation, hut 

 formerl}- Bermuda was famed for the excellence and abundance 

 of its figs. 



Ficus Elastica. Roxb. (India rubber tree.) This tree is 

 closely allied to the fig, but assumes such enormous and 

 fantastic growth that it is an object of special admiration. It 

 branches out from the roots into numerous sturdy boughs, 

 clothed with long, thick, leathery leaves; four to six inches 

 long, and half as broad, of a dark shining green. The young 

 buds are of a reddish-brown tinge at the tip, especially in the 

 Spring when the tree sheds a large portion of its leaves per- 

 haps more noticeable from their size than other leaves, yet the 

 new growth either forcing off the matured leaf or supplying 

 its place before the latter is shed, fills up the gap. The small 

 green flowers are produced on the leaf axil, and are followed 

 bj' a small fruit very like in shape and taste to a fig. Children 

 eat the fruit eagerly. Some very large specimens of this tree 

 are in the grounds at Mount I^angton; one very large one is in 

 the Par la Ville Garden, on Queen Street, Hamilton; various 

 other shrubberies possess large trees of the species. 



Madura Xanthoxylon. Endi. (tamarind plum.) A few 

 specimens of this West Indian tree may be seen in several pri- 

 vate grounds — but it is rare. 



Natural Order, Platanaceae. 



Platanus Occidentalis. Linn, (plane tree.) A few of these 

 trees are scattered about the islands, several tall ones growing 

 near Spanish Point. A large tree grows on the north side of 

 St. Peter's Church, at St. George's near the vestry door. 

 Leaves, five-angled and sharplj' toothed. Flowers are gather- 

 ed into dense balls, followed by a round globose seed on a long 

 stalk, remaining in position long after maturity. 



