ROSE ACACIA. 49 



This offspring of the New World has been 

 named rose acacia, from the colour, and not 

 from the form of its flowers, which, like those 

 of the common acacia, are formed like the 

 blossoms of the pea. These botanists deno- 

 minate papilionacei from papilio, a butterfly, 

 whose shape they are thought to resemble. 



In its native soil, the rose acacia grows to 

 the height of twenty feet, but with us it 

 seldom exceeds from six to ten feet ; and as 

 its wood is exceedingly brittle, if it has not 

 some support, the branches are often broken 

 or slipped off by the wind ere it reaches that 

 height. 



" Few self-supported flow'rs endure the wind 

 Uninjur'd, but expect th' upholding aid 

 Of the smooth shaven prop, and, neatly tied, 

 Are wedded thus, like beauty to old age, 

 For int'rest sake, the living to the dead." 



Cowper. 



This plant should always be found in the 

 fore ground of the shrubbery, where its 

 brilliant foliage, suspended on branches that 

 are clothed with hairs of a reddish brown, 

 cannot fail to excite our admiration ; and 

 although it seldom, if ever, matures its seed 

 in this country, it is by no means shy of 

 flowering, which it does in the early part of 

 June ; and often treats us with a second dis- 



VOL. I. E 



