. A history of the vegetable kingdom; embracing the physiology of plants, with their uses to man and the lower animals, and their application in the arts, manufactures, and domestic economy. Illus. by several hundred figures. Botany; Botany, Economic; 1855. 506 HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. wood, that in such situations it is always found in the state of a very small tree, or a large bush. But when suffered to reach its full growth, it attains to the height of from eleven to fifteen feet up to the branches. Its trunk, which is of an irregular shape, is about a foot and a half to two feet i
. A history of the vegetable kingdom; embracing the physiology of plants, with their uses to man and the lower animals, and their application in the arts, manufactures, and domestic economy. Illus. by several hundred figures. Botany; Botany, Economic; 1855. 506 HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. wood, that in such situations it is always found in the state of a very small tree, or a large bush. But when suffered to reach its full growth, it attains to the height of from eleven to fifteen feet up to the branches. Its trunk, which is of an irregular shape, is about a foot and a half to two feet in diameter. Its bark, when old, is scabrous, but when young smooth and ash- coloured. The wood of this tree is remarkably white and close grained, in appearance resem- bling ivory. The leaves are oval, pointed, toler- ably smooth, and of a pale green colour; they are very numerous, and when full grown, from six to ten inches long, and from three to four inches broad. To cause a greater production of leaves, it should be cut low as the mulberry trees are for feeding silkworms, and like them, the oftener it is cut down the greater is its dis- position to increase. Many shoots issue from the old stumps, and in the space of one year these shoots grow to various heights—from one to ten feet, according to the nature of the soil and season. The leaves fall at the commence- ment, or during the colder part, of the year. In March, or the beginning of April, the young leaves together with the ilowers first make their appearance. Towards the end of April, those which were earliest in unfolding attain to their full size. This period was found by Dr Eox- burgh to be the most favourable for gathering the leaves; about this time also it ceases flower- iug, and many of the seed vessels become per- fectly formed, though the seeds do not ripen until January or February. The leaves remain in a fit state for gathering until about the end of August, when they begin to acquire a yellow, rusty tinge
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