THE HEATH FAMILY. 



325 



■was introduced in 1818 ; there are now two fine plants of it at 

 Kew. It is not quite hardy in the neighbourhood of London, 

 but is so in Cornwall and J ersey ; it has a spl endid appear- 

 ance when in blossom, and the scarlet flowers contain a 

 quantity of honey, which in its native country is made into 

 jelly. Others of the Sikkim species attain a large size, even 

 to the height of 40 feet. 



Azaleas, Yellow Azalea (Azalea pontica). A native of 

 Pontus in Asia Minor, and first introduced to this country 

 about seventy years ago ; the original plant is still growing at 

 Kew. Its flowers are fragrant, but are, as well as the leaves 

 and honey, of a poisonous nature. It is believed that the 

 honey from this plant was the cause of the illness of the 

 Greek soldiers in the retreat of the ten thousand. The white 

 and red Azalea {A. indica) is a native of China. They live in 

 the open air in this country, but make a poor appearance 

 compared with the splendid specimens grown in the green- 

 house, and as seen at horticultural flower-shows. 



Kalmia latifolia. A native of North America, is a beau- 

 tiful flowering hardy evergreen shrub. In its native country 

 the honey from its flowers is poisonous, and the flesh of game 

 feeding on the berries is also poisonous. In 1790, great 

 mortality took place at Philadelphia, ascertained to be 

 caused by eating honey from, and game that fed on Kalmia 

 berries, which led to a pubhc proclamation prohibiting the 

 use of either honey or game. 



Andromeda.. A beautiful genus of evergreen shrubs ; 

 several species, natives of North America, form ornamental 

 bushes in this country. A. polifolia^ a native of, and abun- 

 dant in bogs in the north of England and Scotland, is said to 

 be poisonous to sheep. 



Strawberry Tree {Arbutus Unedo). A native of Southern 

 Europe and North Africa, and is much cultivated in this 

 country as an ornamental shrub. The fruit, when ripe, re- 

 sembles the Strawberry, but is not very palatable. Eat one, 

 as the word unedo implies, and it will be enough. In severe 

 winters it is often killed to the ground. It has become 



