and a quarter of an inch wide, with a long narrow point. 
The four outer divisions, besides being more spreading and 
recurved, are narrower than the four innér ones, which 
appear to lap over one another, so as to enclose the filaments, 
unless near the point where they open a little and become 
recurved. Filaments one inch and a half long, very slender, 
deep pink, with pale yellow anthers. Style rather longer 
than the filaments, split at the point into five roundish oblong 
pale stigmas. Ovary roundish, oblong, slightly curved, and 
together with the tube an inch long, brownish green. 
‘ The flowers are of short duration, but open in succession 
for a considerable time. The plant delights in a rich loamy 
soil mixed with charcoal, and is easily multiplied by means of 
its leaves, or bits of its stem. Like most others of its tribe it 
requires a warm temperature, and plenty of light. 
“In the beginning of September the plant produces an 
abundance of beautiful little berries. They are shaped like a 
very small egg—the largest of them scarcely averaging the 
size of the common sloe— with the dried remains of the flowers 
attached to the point of each. The skin is smooth and glossy, 
semi-transparent, and of a deep purplish crimson, with several 
minute scales, but without any of those small spines which 
render the fruit of the prickly pear and other cacti so trouble- 
some. The inside consists of a soft mucilaginous pulp, some- 
what paler than the skin, having numerous small dark-brown 
seeds irregularly imbedded in it, and possesses ‘a sweetish, 
with something of a sub-acid flavour, by no means unpleasant 
to the taste. Where novelty is an object, it would almost be 
worth while to cultivate this plant for the sake of its fruit, 
not that I think it will ever become of sufficient importance 
to rank as an auxiliary to the dessert, but for the purpose of 
ornamenting the varied productions of the cook and confec- 
tioner, I believe it will be found extremely useful, and on 
this account I venture to recommend it to the notice of such 
as are interested inthese matters. The plant is of the easiest 
culture, and sets its fruit more readily than any other species 
I know. On the one at this place I counted nearly eight 
dozen ripe fruit, although the plant does not much exceed two 
feet in height. It had a very pretty appearance and was 
quite as ornamental in its fruiting state, as it was when in 
blossom in the spring.” 
