the woods of Hyrcania, and the whole coast of the Caspian Sea, and Mauritania; where it grows to the height of from 20ft. to 30 ft., and sometimes much higher. It flowers in July, and ripens its fruit in October. The leaves are of a beautiful dark glossy green above, and, when mature, and exposed to the air, assume a purplish hue beneath: they do not change colour in autumn, but drop off simultaneously with the first attack of sharp frost. It was cultivated by Gerard, who says that it grows beautifully near Lyons, in France; and that he planted "in the garden of Barne Elms, neere London, two trees; besides there groweth another in the garden of Mr. Gray, an apothecary of London, and in my garden likewise." Gerard adds that this plant "has been reputed for the lotus of Theophrastus:" but Dr. Walsh (see Gard. Mag., vol. i. p. 294.) says that the Diospyros Lotus is not described by the ancients; and Dr. Sibthorp and others, particularly Mr. Hogg (Journ. of Bot., vol. i. p. 203. ; and Gard. Mag., vol. x. p. 391.), consider the Céltis austràlis, or nettle tree, as the true Lòtos of the Lotophagi. The Diospyros Lòtos ripening its fruit freely in the south of France and Italy, seeds have been readily procured; and the plant has never been rare in British collections; but, as it is somewhat tender, there are few large specimens of it. It grows at the rate of 1 ft. or 18 in. a year, for the first ten years, especially if the soil in which it is planted is free and loamy, and rich rather than poor. According to Dr. Walsh, the Diospyros Lòtus was originally brought to Constantinople from the country beyond the Caspian Sea; whence its name of the date of Trebisonde. The fruit is sometimes brought to the market at Constantinople, under the name of Tarabresan Curmasi; and in that part of Europe it appears to grow much larger than either in Britain or in Italy, being nearly the size of a walnut; it is however austere, and unfit for the table, unless as a conserve. In the neighbourhood of London, it bears fruit in abundance; but these are extremely austere, and seldom larger than a small cherry. Were it considered desirable to cultivate the diospyros for its fruit, superior varieties might be easily procured from the East, or by selection from seedlings, and continued by grafting. The wood of this species is white, light, and of very little use. Statistics. In the environs of London, the oldest trees are at Syon, where there is a curious spe cimen (a portrait of which is given in our last Volume), only 15 ft. high, but with a head 39 ft. in diameter. In our garden at Bayswater, there is a tree which, in 1835, was 10 years planted, and 16 ft. high. In 1834, this tree ripened fruit for the first time; and on this day, July 12. 1836, it is covered with thousands of blossoms. In Messrs. Loddiges's arboretum, and in the garden of the Horticultural Society, are several trees which have grown at nearly the same rate. In Cheshire, at Eaton Hall, a tree, 14 years planted, is 13 ft. high. In Ireland, at Louth, a tree, 6 years planted, is 10 ft. high. In France, in the neighbourhood of Paris, the tree attains the height of from 20 ft. to 30 ft., and ripens fruit; but there is a specimen in the Jardin des Plantes which has attained the height of 45 ft. In the Botanic Garden at Toulon, there is one which, in 48 years, has attained the height of 30 ft. In Germany, at Vienna, at Laxenbourg, in 12 years it has attained the height of 10 ft. In Italy, at Monza, in 24 years it has attained the height of 35 ft. In Russia, in the Crimea, it has attained the height of between 30 ft. and 40 ft.; the tree being frequent in that country. Commercial Statistics. The price of plants, in the London nurseries, is 2s. each, and seeds 2s. a packet; at Bollwyller, 1 franc; and at New York, 1 dollar. † 2. D. VIRGINIA'NA L. The Virginian Date Plum, or Persimon. Identification. Lin. Sp., 1510.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 39. Synonyme. Guaiacana Catesb. Car., 2. t. 76., Pluk. Alm., 244. f. 5. Engravings. Mill. Icon., 126.; Wats. Dendr. Brit., t. 146.; Park. Par., 570. t. 569. f. 6. ; and the plates in our last Volume. Spec. Char., &c. Leaves ovate-oblong, acuminated, glabrous, shining above, and paler beneath, reticulately veined. Petioles short and curved, and, as well as the branchlets, downy. Leaf buds glabrous. Flowers quadrifid, rarely quinquefid. Flowers pale yellow (Don's Mill., iv. p. 39.) A tree, growing to the height of 20 ft. or 30 ft. in the neighbourhood of London, but much higher in the United States, whence it was introduced in 1629. It flowers in July, and its fruit is ripe about the time the tree drops its leaves in November. Variety. ↑ D. v. 2 dúlcis Prince's Cat. for 1829, Foreman's Sweet Persimon, is characterised as having sweeter fruit than the species. Description, Geography, &c. The persimon is readily distinguished from the European date plum, by its leaves being nearly of the same shade of green on both surfaces; while those of the latter are of a dark purplish green above, and much paler, and furnished with somewhat of a pinkish down, beneath. The leaves of the persimon vary from 4 in. to 6 in. in length; and when they drop off in the autumn they are often variegated with black spots. The size of the tree varies as much as that of the leaves. In the vicinity of New York, it is seldom more than 30 ft. high; but in the southern states it attains the height of 60 ft., or more, with a trunk 18 in. or 20 in. in diameter. The tree is found in a wild state in North America, from 42° N. lat. to Louisiana. It is common in the state of New Jersey, and still more so in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. When it was brought to England is uncertain; but it has been in cultivation, though not very common, since the time of Parkinson. The fruit of this species is so abundant in the southern states of North America, that one tree often yields several bushels. The fruit, when ripe, is about the size of a bullace plum, reddish, and furnished with 6-8 oval stones, which are slightly swollen at the sides, and of a dark purple colour. The fruit is not palatable till it has been softened by frost, when it becomes sweet, though still astringent. It adheres to the branches, long after the leaves have dropped; and, when it falls, it is eagerly devoured by wild and domestic animals. In Virginia, the Carolinas, and the western states, the fruit is sometimes gathered up, pounded with bran, and formed into cakes, which are dried in an oven, and kept to make beer. For this purpose, they are disolved in warm water, and hops and yeast are added to the mixture. The fruit itself, bruised and fermented, yields an ardent spirit, which is said to become excellent when it acquires age. The wood of the tree is greenish in the softer parts; but the heart-wood is brown, hard, compact, and strong and elastic, but liable to split. At Baltimore, screws and mallets have been made of it; at Philadelphia, shoe-lasts; and, in Carolina, wedges for splitting trees. Michaux says that he was assured by the coachmakers in Charleston, that they had employed it for the shafts of chaises, and found it preferable to the ash, and all other species of wood, except the lance-wood of the West Indies. The farmers in Virginia assert that grass grows more vigorously beneath the persimon than beneath any other tree; and this fact is attributed to the speedy decay of its leaves, which form an excellent manure. A greenish gum exudes from the tree, but in very small quantities, and no use has yet been made of it. The inner bark, which is extremely bitter, is said to have been employed with success in intermittent fevers. In Britain, and throughout Europe, it is cultivated solely as an ornamental tree. It is propagated by seeds, and seems to prefer a soft black soil, rather moist, and a sheltered situation. Statistics. The largest tree of this species, in the neighbourhood of London, is in the arboretum at Kew, where it is 40 ft. high; at Syon, there is a tree 17 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 10 in., and that of the head 20 ft. In Bedfordshire, at Ampthill, there is a tree, 85 years planted, which is 25 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft., and of the head 30 ft.; the soil loamy, on a clayey subsoil. In Berkshire, at White Knights, a tree, 24 years planted, is 18 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 8 in., and of the head 14 ft. In Staffordshire, in the Handsworth Nursery, a tree, 10 years planted, is 12 ft. high. In Worcestershire, at Croome, a tree, 20 years planted, is 20 ft. high. In France, the tree attains about the same height as the Diospyros Lòtus, in the neighbourhood of Paris, and ripens its fruit. In Germany, in the neighbourhood of Vienna, there are old trees of this species, between 30 ft. and 40 ft. high. In Italy, at Monza, a tree, 24 years planted, is 40 ft. high. In North America, in Bartram's Botanic Garden, there is a specimen 80 ft. high. Commercial Statistics. Plants, in the London nurseries, are Is. 6d. each, and seeds 1s. per packet; at Bollwyller, 1 franc each; at New York, plants of the species are 50 cents each, and of a variety named Foreman's sweet persimon, 75 cents each. 3. D. (v.) PUBESCENS Pursh. The downy-leaved Virginian Date Plum. Identification. Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept., 1. p. 265.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 38. Synonyme. D. virginiana var. Michx. Arb. For. Spec. Char., &c. Leaves oblong, acute, downy beneath. Petioles long. Fruit few-seeded. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 38.) A tree, a native of North America, in the lower counties of Virginia, Carolina, and Georgia; where it grows to the height of from 20 ft. to 30 ft., and flowers in April. It was introduced by Lyon, in 1812. Michaux makes this only a variety of D. virginiana, occasioned by difference of climate; which, he observes, exerts an extraordinary influence on the developement of all trees that are common to different parts of the United States; but Pursh considers it a distinct species; not only on account of the difference in the structure of the fruit, but in the shape and downiness of the leaves. There are plants in the Horticultural Society's Garden, and in the arboretum of Messrs. Loddiges; judging from which, we feel inclined to agree entirely with Michaux. App. I. Other Species of Ebenacea. In the catalogue of Messrs. Loddiges for 1836 are the names Diospyrus angustifòlia, D. fértilis, and D. lucida; but we have not seen the plants. The plants bearing these names in the Horticultural Society's Garden appear to be only varieties of D. virginiana. D. Mabòla Roxb., Bot. Mag., t. 1139., is cultivated as a fruit tree in the Isle of France. The fruit is about the size of a quince, of a pink colour, with a fleshy rind, firm white pulp, and agreeable flavour. Embryopteris Kaki L., D. chinensis Blume, Konis or Kaki, Kampf. Aman. t. 806., is a native of Japan, where it is an evergreen fruit tree, growing to the height of 12 ft. or 15 ft. It was introduced in 1789, and, both in France and England, is kept in green-houses; but it would probably live against a conservative wall in a favourable situation. The sweetmeat known in France by the name of figues-caques is made of this fruit. CHAP. LXXV. OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER OLEA CEÆ. DISTINCTIVE Characteristics. Flowers hermaphrodite, sometimes diœcious. Calyx 1-leaved, divided, permanent. Corolla hypogynous, monopetalous, 4-cleft; sometimes 4-petaled. Petals connected by pairs to the middle of the filament, rather valvate in æstivation; sometimes wanting. Stamens 2, alternating with the segments or petals of the corolla. Anthers 2-celled; cells dehiscing lengthwise. Ovarium simple, guarded by no glandular disk, 2-celled; cells 2-seeded. Ovules pendulous, collateral. Style simple, or wanting. Stigma bifid or undivided. Fruit drupaceous, baccate, or capsular, often 1-seeded by abortion. Seeds with dense copious albumen. Embryo middle-sized, longitudinal, straight. Cotyledons foliaceous, half free. Radicle superior. Plumule inconspicuous. Leaves opposite, simple, rarely pinnate Flowers racemose or panicled, terminal or axillary, with opposite unibracteate pedicels. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 44.) Trees and shrubs, natives of both hemispheres, and for the most part deciduous. Some of them are timber trees: medicinally, for the most part, they are bitter. One genus, the O'lea, produces a valuable oil; and from others (the O'rnus and Fraxinus) is obtained the sweet purgative manna. The Syringa supplies some of our most beautiful deciduous shrubs, and the Ligustrum and Phillýrea some useful evergreens. We have arranged the genera containing hardy species in the three following sections. As most of the species of this order may be grafted on one another, it is probable their flowers might be reciprocally fecundated; in which case, some curious hybrids might be produced between the privet and the lilac, the privet and the olive, the lilac and the ash, &c. The generic characteristics under the following sections are taken from Don's Mill, iv. Sect. I. OLE IN E. Sect. Char. Corolla short, monopetalous, campanulate or urceolate, 4-cleft. Stamens 2, with short filaments, and erect anthers. Fruit drupaceous. LIGU'STRUM Tourn. Corolla funnel-shaped, having the tube exceeding the calyx. Stamens enclosed. Style very short. Stigma bifid. Berry globose, containing two chartaceous nuts, PHILLY'REA Diosc. Stigma thickish. CHIONANTHUS Lin. Stamens enclosed. ated 1-seeded nut. Corolla short, campanulate. Stamens a little exserted. Sect. II. SYRI'NGEÆ. Sect. Char. Corolla funnel-shaped or campanulate, 4-5-parted. Stamens 2, short. Fruit capsular, 2-celled. SYRINGA Lin. Calyx tubular, short, 4-toothed. Corolla funnel-shaped, with an elongated tube, and a 4-parted limb. Stamens enclosed, style filiform. Stigma thickish, bifid. Capsule oblong, 2-celled, 2-valved; dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds solitary, compressed, with membranous margins. FONTANE SIA Labill. Calyx 4-parted. Corolla of 2 petals. Stamens elongated, and stigma bifid. Capsule papery, indehiscent. Cells 1-seeded Sect. III. FRAXINIE E. Sect. Char. Flowers polygamous. Calyx 4-parted or wanting. Stamens 2, short. Anthers dehiscing externally. Stigma nearly sessile, bifid. Fruit 2-celled, compressed, winged at the top, usually 1-seeded. FRAXINUS Tourn. Flowers polygamous. Petals wanting. O'RNUS Pers. Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamous. Petals 4. Samara 2-celled. Samara l-celled. Sect. I. OLE'INE. LIGU'STRUM Tourn. THE PRIVET. Lin. Syst. Diándria Monogynia. Identification. Tourn. Inst., t. 367. ; Lin. Gen., No. 9.; Schreb. Gen., No. 23.; Gærtn. Fruct., 2. p. 72. t. 92.; Juss. Gen., p. 106.; Lam. Ill., 1. t. 7.; Lindl. Nat. Syst. Bot., 2d edit., p. 308.; Don's Mill, 4. p. 44. Synonymes. Troëne, Fr.; Rainweide, Ger. Derivation. Said to be from ligo, to tie; in reference to its flexible branches. Gen. Char. Calyx short, tubular, 4-toothed. Corolla funnel-shaped, with the tube exceeding the calyx, and the limb 4-parted. Stamens 2, with short filaments, inserted into the tube of the corolla. Style very short. Stigma obtuse, bifid. Berry globose, containing 2 chartaceous, 1-seeded nuts. Albumen hardish. Embryo inverted. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 44.)-Shrubs, with opposite leaves, and terminal, compound, thyrsoid racemes of white flowers; generally subevergreen. Natives of Europe, and some parts of Asia, Africa and North America, and readily propagated by cuttings in common soil. • ■ † ↑ 1. L. VULGARE Trag. The common Privet. Identification. Trag. Hist., 1005.; Lin. Sp., 1. p. 10.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 44. Synonymes. L. germánicum Bauh. Hist., 475.; Prim, or Prim-print; Troëne, Puine blanc, Fr.; gemeine Rainweide, Ger.; Ligustro Olivella, Ital. Derivation. This plant was anciently called prim, or prim-print, from its being used for verdant sculptures, or topiary work, and for primly cut hedges. Puine blanc seems to imply a "little white shrub," from the whiteness of the blossom of the privet; which is alluded to by Virgil, and other poets, but which soon vanishes, and changes to brown, when exposed to the direct influence of the sun. The German name is combined of rain, green, and weide, a willow; alluding to its being supple like the willow, and nearly evergreen. Olivella seems to signify the little olive. The common English name of Privet may have been given to it from its being frequently planted in gardens to conceal privies. Engravings. Engl. Bot., t. 764.; Curt. Lond., t. 300.; Ed. Fl. Dan. t. 1141.; Schmidt Baum., 3. t. 147.; Lam. Ill., 1. t. 7.; Bull. Herb., t. 295.; Mill Ic., 162.; Baxt. Brit. Fl. Pl., vol. 2. t. 119.; and our figs. 1019, 1020. Spec. Char., &c. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, glabrous. Ra cemes compound, coarctate. The flowers are sweetscented, white at first, but soon change to a reddish brown. Berries dark purple, almost black. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 44.) A shrub, indigenous to Britain; growing to the height of from 6 ft. to 10 ft., in a wild state; and flowering in June and July. Varieties. L. v. 2 leucocarpum. The white-berried Privet. L. v. 5 sempervirens, L. itálicum Mill., and L. v. 6 variegatum. The variegated-leaved Privet. L. v. 7 angustifolium. The narrow-leaved Privet. Description. The common privet is a much-branched twiggy shrub, with 1020 the bark of a greenish ash colour, dotted with numerous prominent points. The leaves, in exposed situations, and on poor soils, are deciduous; but in sheltered situations, and more especially when the plant is cultivated in gardens, they remain on throughout the winter. When the plant is found in woods and hedges in the Geography, and History. The com- plains; and it is also found in the north of Africa, in the west and east of Asia, including Japan and the Himalayas; and in North America, from Canada to Virginia. In England, it is very common in woods and hedges; and, in Scotland, it is found as far north as Forfar. It is also indigenous in Ireland. It is almost always found on good soils, more or less loamy or calcareous, and moist. It is believed to have been known to the Greeks (see p. 18.), under the name of phillyrea; and it undoubtedly was so to the Romans, it being mentioned both by Virgil and Pliny; the latter stating that the berries were given to chickens to cure them of the pip. It is described by Gerard as growing naturally in the hedgerows of London gardens, and in every wood in all the countries of Europe, except Poland. In this last particular, however, he is mistaken; as, according to Schubert's Catalogue, p. 107., the plant is found wild in the neighbourhood of Warsaw. In British gardens, the privet has been held in high estimation, for several centuries, for its use in making hedges; either alone, or mixed with the common thorn, and as affording a screen for concealing objects. Properties and Uses. The leaves of the privet are bitter and astringent; notwithstanding which they are eaten by cattle, sheep, and goats, but not by horses. The wood is white, hard, and, when of sufficient size, well adapted for the purposes of the turner. The berries, which ripen in autumn, and remain on the trees during winter, are excellent food for blackbirds, thrushes, |