AMERICAN ALOE, 



O R, 



AGAVE AMERICANA. 



l^ZnT'^? " ' "'"""" ''"^"°" '' "^^'"S brought from South America into Spain. 



In 1690 the Aloe is represented to have flowered at Lambeth, and two other plants in 1T14, atHamp- 



Lmi?er 1 7Q0 "; . Z '"" "'"' ""' ^P^-"^^*-" -^ ^aken flowered in the month of Sep- 



tembe , 1790 at Sm.th s nursery, at Dalston, near Hackney. It was supposed to be about 70 years 

 old at which tune. It displayed its .c«;;e, or trunk, arising from the center of the leaves, increasing 

 with astomshuig rapidity, until it reached nearly the height of 30 feet, resembling the mast of a ship 

 and there projected from its summit, at proportionate distances, 13 great branches, at each of whose 

 extremities were found from 80 to 100 Jou^ers, on proper peduncles, or flower-stalks, of different 

 engths, that each flower might have its due position as to light and heat, exciting in each beholder 

 the Idea of a vast chandelier. Had these flowers possessed the brilliancy of the Cereus, or Torch- 

 rhis tie, the resemblance indeed had been exact; although in themselves these ave but little claim to 

 beauty, yet they exhibit remarkably well the Fistl/hm in the center of the flower, with the Germen 

 inferior, that is beneath the Corollcc, which is monopetalous, and sexfid, or divided into six segments 

 which are united at their base, and are of a greenish-yellow colour. Perhaps in warmer cLates' 

 wJiere they are natives, these flowers might possess greater splendor, for lilies are styled bv Linnaeus 

 the beaux and belles of the vegetable world. Or has Nature rather chosen to give them the cha 

 racters of funereal pomp, and therefore, rightly avoided all flippancy of colouring: for the Agave 

 or American Aloe, when arrived at maturity, the scape, or stem, supporting the flowers, with the 

 flowers themselves, derive their nourishment from the succulent leaves beneath, and as these advance 

 «iose decay, and finally, the seeds being perfected, the stygma, style, corolla, and anthers, with their 

 filaments, even the peduncles, and the scape, with its branches, perish.* 



Having been favoured with the following complimentary lines on the representation given of the 

 Agave, I am happy in having permission to lay them before my readers, who are the best judges 

 how far my humble endeavours may merit the Poet's commendation. J ^ ' 



Nurs'd by a lengdi of rolling years 



Her stately form Agave rears. 



Protracting still with wise delay. 



The glory follow'd by decay. 



Till, nrg'd by time's resisdess date. 

 Nobly She braves her destined fate, 

 And, conscious of the approaching doom. 

 Bursts forth impatient into bloom; 

 While, rich from all their curving stems. 

 Profusely shoot the golden gems; 

 Then fading 'midst admiring eyes, 

 The vegetable Martyr dies. . . . 

 But, flow'riug thus at THY command, 



Unchang'd her finish'd form shall stand ; 

 And glorying in perennial hloom, 

 Shall Miile through agea yet to come. 



Db. Shaw. 



rightly tapped, from three to four hundred gallons of sap n,ay be Ircted whTch ^al hT f "7 T ^ ""'t °' ■ """'■ °' '"''""■ •'^'''=" 



pulp, which serves all the purposes of soap The ligneLs stem is made us^ of 1, ^h '". 7'"' °' '^ ""^'^ ''°"'"& '^'^'"''^ '° » 



distils from the flowers, when collected, i^a most elcaeio:srme;ris:hm"alV:rir:.s:fr::^ '"' ''' '-" ^■'''' ^^'"-'^ 



