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fan ; as it expands, it bends outwards, concsaling the calyx. The 

 next row is somewhat like the " crown" of the passion flower, 

 consisting of a number of whitish threads tipped with pink. 

 The third and innermost row is cup-shaped with the margin bent 

 inwards and divided into numerous pinkish teeth. Within this, 

 come the stamens, about 20 in number, cream-coloured with the 

 points of a pale claret colour. The fruit is soft, somewhat like a 

 pomegranate ; the rind contains so much tannin that a kind of 

 ink is made from it in Africa. (Myrtacece). 



84. JNEPHELirM Lit-chi, Camb. — The Litchi Tree is a native of South 



China, and was first known in Pekin in the third century of our 

 era. It was introduced into Bengal in the 18th century, and is 

 now on account of its delicious fruit cultivated in India almost as 

 extensively as the mango. The fruits are at their best when just 

 picked, when they look like bright pinkish strawberries, and the 

 pulp is then deliriously bitter-sweet. The edible portion is the semi- 

 transparent jelly-like pulp or ' aril' which envelopes the seed, and 

 is enclosed by a thin reddish brittle shell. The dried fruit is ex- 

 ported to Europe, but in this state bears no resemblance to the fresh 

 berry. The tree is propagated by layering. (Sapindacece.) 



85. Olea europ^ea, Linn. — The olive is cultivated for the olive-oil and 



for pickling olives. The best oilis obtained by passing the ripe fruit 

 through a mill which bruises the flesh but does not crack the 

 stones. The mass is then put into bags under a screw-press. 

 Inferior qualities of oil are the result of boiling the cake ob- 

 tained thus from the press, and again pressing it. The pickling 

 olives are unripe fruit rendered less bitter by soaking in water 

 to which lime and wood-ashes are sometimes added, and then 

 boiling in salt -and- water flavoured with aromatics. The wood is 

 used by cabinet-makers. {Oleaceoe.) 



86. Oreodoxa regia, H. B. K — "The American Palms," says Set- 



mann, " may be said to have been anxious to appear to the best ad- 

 vantage, when they were about to form the acquaintance of those 

 who were about to seek a new world in the west. They placed 

 on the very threshold of their native country several representa- 

 tives, which, in elegance and majesty of form, are equalled by 

 few, and surpassed by scarcely any of the whole order of palms. 

 Even ere the anxious voyager has set his foot on shore, he has 

 already perceived their graceful foliage fluttering in the breeze, 

 and waving, as it were, a hearty welcome to the newly-arriving 

 stranger. Since the time when Columbus first discovered the 

 "West Indian Isles to the present day, these palms have been seen 

 and admired by all who possess an eye for the beautiful." 



The palms referred to are the Royal Palm of Cuba ( Oreodoxa 

 regia) and the Cabbage Palm of the West Indies ( Oreodoxa 

 oleracea J. ( Palmw), 



87. Pachira aquatica, AubJ. — A tree with large handsome flowers, 



belonging to the same family as the Silk Cotton Tree and the 

 Mahoe. It is a native of tropical South America and some of the 



