B I RM A N E.MPI RE. |
flooded every year, that ■ vegetation affumes a vigour .and fubliraity
wholly inconceivable by the native of more temperate climates V.ever-
lafting verdure, .grace, and majefty of form, height and amplitude of
growth, are the dtftinguifhing attributes .of their trees, compared with
which the monarchs of our forefts fmk intowegetahles of an inferior
order : the fame exuberance of nature is cpnfpicuousintheir fhrubs and
herbaceous plants, in their bloffoms and their fruits, whofe- vivid brilliancy
of colour, Angularity of fhape, aromatic fragrance, add exalted
flavour, reduce to relative iufignificance the puny produce of European
Jummers. ƒ
Herd rifes in proud magnificence the white laadal- tree, whole fragrant
wood, .mixed with that of the aloexylum verum, alfo a of
thefe regions, is in high requeft through the whole eaft fonthe grateful
odour of its fmoak. The teak tree (te&ona theca) is at leaft equal even
to Britilh oak as a durable material for .fhipbuilding: the true jet black
ebony wood is. the produce of the ebenrixylum verum, one of."the. indigenous
trees of Cochin China. The fycamore fig, the Indian fig,'arid
the banyan tree itfelf a grove, by the . breadth of their leaves -andithe
luxuriance of their foliage, afford a moll delicious IheltieijHmpenetraiblf
even by the meridian ardour of an Indian fun. Mingled wkh thefe, and
emulating them in fize, are the bighorna- indica, the nauclea orientalise
corypha feribus, one of the loftieft of the palm trees, and eXcoecaria'
Cochinchinenfis, remarkable for thecrimfon under furfaCe of its leaves. -
Of the plants that are ufed in medicine or the arts fome of the mod
important-are natives of further India: the nature, of this work does not
admit of fpecifying the whole, but thofe of moft confequence are the
Following. The ginger and cardamom, two pleafant aromatics, are
found wild on the river fides, but are alfo cultivated in great abundance;
the turmeric, whofe principal ufe in Europe is as. a dying drug, is
largely ufed by the natives of the coaft to tinge and flavour their rice
and other food: the leaves of the betel pepper, ‘with the fruit of the
black and long pepper, and the fagaria piperita, are the moft favourite
of their native fpices, to which’ may- alfo be added three-or foufe kinds of
capficum. Among the various dying drugs may be diftinguilhed jufticia
9 » tin&otia,
m
CHAP. IV.- -NwlURAL GEOGRAPHY, ;■ 197
tinftoriS', yielding ajbeauüfhïéëflhln |e*‘f-meriridk' umbellata, gatriboge Botany.
arid earth am u$$ - alb ofrih'eèiM'ëHb w dyes^T^‘ïw wb'do« of the lawfonia
fpinofa and Oaefalpinia\,fapj5ah, ail^tte^lpd^^' the giitri remKcafled
dragori*s bloedtappeaf^W be ^rodik^hy1' federal1 ipecieU'of plants, and
twfcr of thefe, the dra'Cseriar ferfdaM and''calamus rotangj'are native's ofCo- 7 -
chirirChiria. ^Tbëfbarksfef the I ncS-iuriii’ami'd^yf^tèficurii,.IcalïCdfcodaga-
palaV arid that- of'the lariruStCulilayari, Yhep^uit' (ipif;thê- 'ftrychnqs nux-
vsörnïca; the c'affia ftfMul&j'rihfef tamarind', and title "bFoton tigknjm, the in-,
fpiffated juice of the altfèy'th#rêfirfof'the camphör and thèt óil’ of
the'.ricinus,-tareall qcoafibéalïy impdVtrid fijora1 tti^-ebuntry for the European
difpe»fabieS.,'‘-TM“cinha:me&i laurel grows in abhridaricjPbh'each
fidë'of'th'è Mafeyare pèh ifeftiM, and f&merimris|Ka§®ïi3ïs*lhid', accompanied
by'1th e' ri u ffrieg.i J 'Thè’fügaf11 briiribovfjfand' the fpikenard',’ theJ
thrêe mbft '‘celebrated plantsbóf the grafy-trmé,' arér'foüntf thMugh'pqt 't-f
theJ- w-hote? country1 the- fwoförinër int rich fwampS,* and.'the latter
<Jn dry hills. - rThe-Tweet potatoe-, '^pbm’32k, tubèrof3;''mad-appfe' arid
love-apple (folanbm melcmgena ancHycbnerficon), nymphiea nelUmbo,
gourde mriidns', water melons,‘and a profufipn-rifi other; sfeufent plants,
enrich this'favoured Country;» ah’ thefe'however reqüifè cultivation:
but'.the plantain, "the qhfcoa nut, and fago; palm, furhiftied by the
free unftiated bounty of mat urej''contribute mofb plentifully • to fatisfy
the, wantsu of; the inhabitants. ' Of riative -fruits they -pöffe'fs' a vrift
variety and caii Inexhauftibte abundance^-. The vine ’gro'ws wild in' the
■ fQrefts,’ but from the eXceflive heat and want of cultivation itsYrtiic is
far inferior to that of thé foutfr ©^Europe w to -compenfate however for
this deficiency,J'*they-have the lufetbus' rrfahgo^ the-pine'apple, the fa-’
fandus edulis (the li-tfbh’i of the Chinefö),'tBe'/rhaSgo'fteènspflum (gar-.
cinia mteiügoftanaj, jthe avérrhoa carambole, the cuftard^’ajp^jfe, the pa-
paw'fig, the orange, the lemon and lime, and a multitude pfothéf’ iët-. .
quifite fruits, whofe very names are fearcely known in Europe. The-
attempt to give' even a very faint idea by wórds of tne infinite multitude
of ornarifterital plants that CO Vér the Country would be wholly in
vain; a few have been introduced, into our hot-houfesj 'where they
continue a languid imperfect exifténeè, arid of which, faded and fickly ..
as they are, they conftitute the chief glory.
The