TRAVELS IN 
l6o 
to the ground. So that the Gordonia lafianthus 
may be faid to change and renew its garments 
every morning throughout the year; and every day 
appears with unfading luflre. And moreover, after 
the general flowering is pafl, there is a thin fuc- 
eefiion of lcattering bloffoms to be feen, on fome 
parts of the tree, almoft every day throughout the 
remaining months, until the floral feafon returns 
again. Its natural fituation, when growing, is on 
the edges of fhallow ponds, or low wet grounds on 
rivers, in a fandy foil, the neareft to the water of 
any other tree, fo that in droughty feafons its long 
ferpentine roots which run near or upon the furface 
of the earth, may reach into the water. When, 
the tree has arrived to the period of perfect mag- 
nitude, it is fixty, eighty, or an hundred feet high, 
forming a pyramidal head. The wood of old trees 
when fawn into plank is defervedly admired in ca- 
binet-work or furniture ; it has a cinnamon coloured 
ground, marbled and veined with many colours : 
the inner bark is ufed for dying a reddifh or forrel 
colour; it imparts this colour to wool, cotton, 
linen, and drefTed deer fkins, and is highly efleemed 
by tanners. 
The Zamia pumila, the Erythryna coralloden- 
drum, and the Cactus opuntia, grow here in great 
abundance and perfection. The firft grows in the 
open pine forefls, in tufts or clumps, a large co- 
nical flrobile difclofing its large coral red fruit, 
which appears Angularly beautiful amidfl the deep 
green fern-like pinnated leaves. 
The Erythryna corallodendrum is fix or eight 
feet high; its prickly limbs ftride and wreathe about 
with Angular freedom, and its fpikes of crimfoa 
flowers have a fine effect amidft the delicate foliage. 
The 
