THE TAMAEISK. 



Tam'arix a/n'gliea Wetb. 



With our moist climate and generally fertile soil, it is 

 only the sandy sea-shore, more or less permeated by 

 saline or brackish water, which in its vegetation shows 

 us any parallel to the desert areas of other climes. 

 Sea-holly, Sea-kale, the yellow Horn-poppy, and other 

 fleshy plants covered with a blue-grey bloom of wax, 

 flourish amid the shingle ; Tamarisk bushes may 

 wave their feathery branches along the margin of 

 the beach; and the short turf of the neighbouring 

 down will be diversified with stunted Furze and 

 a variety of low-growing flowering plants. Henry 

 Patmore, a young poet "dead ere his prime," well 

 expressed the spirit of our southern coasts. 



" The tamarisks bowed their heads , compelled 



By no ungentle force ; 

 The breeze a sunny fragrance held, 



Mingled of sea and gorse ; 

 And on the turf the daisies shone : 



The heaving turf's desire 

 Was plainly to be trodden on." 



The Tamarisks are members of the small Order 

 Tamarisci'neos, one of doubtful affinities but of wide 

 geographical r-'nge. They are shrubs or small trees 

 with whip-lik - twiggy branches, minute scale-like 

 leaves and spikjs of small blossoms, growing on the 

 sea-shore, or 1" sandy places, from Japan and China 

 19 1*5 



