256 



tJNITED STATES. 



small and make but little appearance, and are suc- 

 ceeded by round, hard berries, about the size of a 

 small pea, of a yellow colour and sweet taste when 

 ripe. The juice of the fruit is said to give ease in 

 violent dysenteries. 



Acacia* Robinia, pseudo acacia, or false acacia, 

 is a native of the middle states. It is commonly 

 termed locust tree. 



It grows best in warm sandy land, and becomes fit 

 for timber in about twenty five years. The greatest 

 use made of the trees, is for ship tunnels, ship tim- 

 bers, fence posts, mill cogs, and fire wood ; or if 

 "worked into posts to be set into the ground for garden 

 fences and other inclosures, they are superior iij 

 point of durability to almost any known wood. The 

 acacia is ornamental as a flowering tree. The blos- 

 soms unfold in June, and perfume the air to a consi- 

 derable distance with their sweet and fragrant odour. 

 It is so easily cultivated, that on Long Island we often 

 see large pieces of land entirely overgrown with 

 artificial woods of these trees. As our commerce 

 and manufactures improve, the demand for this va- 

 luable timber will increase ; farmers on whose lands 

 the acacia will grow, ought to begin immediately the 

 cultivation of the trees. 



The multiplication of this tree has seldom been at- 

 tempted by seeds, but almost constantly by young trees 

 sprouting up from the wounded roots of the old one. 

 The readiness of the roots of the parent tree, to ve- 

 getate, soon after the incumbent sward is broken up 

 by the plough, surpasses that of any other tree ; for 

 in soils favourable to their growth, the farmers are 

 obliged to grub with great labour to prevent ^them 



