i6o 
TRAVELS ffl 
to the ground. So that the Gordonia lafknthiB 
may be faid to cha?ige and renew its garments 
every morning throughout the year ; and every day 
appears with unfading luftre. And moreover, after 
the general flowering is pail, there is a thin fuc- 
cefnon of fcattering blofloms to be feen, on fome 
parts of the tree, almoft every daj^ 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 ether 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 dreffed deer-fkins, and is highly efteemed 
by tanners. 
The Zamia pumila, the Erythryna coralloden- 
drum, and the Cadtus opuntia, grow here in great 
abundance and perfedtion. The fir ft grows in the 
open pine forefts, in tufts or clumps, a large co- 
nical ftrobile difclofing its large coral red fruit, 
which appears fingnlarly beautiful amidft the deep 
green fern-like pinnated leaves. 
The Erythryna corallodendrum is fix or eight 
feet high, its prickly limbs ftride and wreathe about 
with lingular freedom, and its fpikes of crimfon 
flowers have a fine effedt amidft the delicate foliage. 
8 The 
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