422 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



to SO feet. It is a native of most countries bordering on the 

 Mediterranean. The flowers are yellow, and have a very 

 foetid odour; the pods contain much mucilage of a sweet 

 nature, of which a syrup is made, and are by some supposed 

 to be the " Locusts" that John the Baptist lived upon in the 

 wilderness, the tree being called St. John's Bread. They 

 are also supposed to be the "husks" mentioned in the 

 Parable of the Prodigal Son. The pods have for some years 

 past been imported into this country for feeding cattle, and 

 form part of the patent horse food ; they are also sold in shops 

 as SAveets for children. 



Algaroba. This is the name of the pods of several species 

 of Frosojns, which are found to extend from Chili northward 

 to Western Mexico. They are small trees, seldom exceeding 

 20 or 30 feet in height, very prickly, and generally with 

 contorted branches ; often having hooked spines. The wood 

 is hard and extremely durable. P. dulcis and P. horrida are 

 natives of Peru, where they cover extensive plains. The 

 pods are used as food, but more especially for feeding cattle, 

 being similar to the Locust tree pods of Europe. 



Tamarind {^Tamarindus indica). A moderate-sized tree, 

 native of India, Arabia, and Egypt, and has become indi- 

 genous in the West Indies, and other tropical countries. It 

 has winged deciduous leaves, and flat pods, about 4 or 6 

 inches in length, which contain a sweet pulp well known as 

 preserved tamarind. 



Manna {Alhagi maurorum). A dwarf, thorny, scrubby 

 plant, native of the deserts of Western Asia. It, with other 

 allied species, produces a kind of manna, which exudes and 

 hardens like drops on the leaves, and is collected by shaking 

 the bushes. 



Gum Tragacanth {Astragalus tragacantha). A native of 

 the same desert countries as the preceding, and abundant in 

 Mount Lebanon. It is a harsh, spiny, low shrub. A gum 

 exudes from the stem, which is used in the arts as a sub- 

 stitute for glue, and for stifl'ening crape. The principal 

 supply comes from the Levant. 



