annual, rarely perfecting its seeds with us, is not ve 
common. Its seeds, however, are often imported from 
the warmer parts of Europe, and from the East Indies, 
These are contained singly in a stony involucre or calyx, 
which incloses the female flower, and never opens till com-. 
mitted to the earth; the style, however, is exserted, and 
a pedicle supporting the ake of male flowers issues with 
it from the bottom of the involucre. This stony calyx, 
which, when ripe, is very like a drop of white porcelain, 
with a bluish tinge, is generally supposed to be the seed 
itself. Its shape, round at bottom and pointed at top 
= a drop of liquid, readily suggested a name for the 
ant. : 
- It is said to be cultivated as an esculent, and that a 
coarse bread is made of the seed; but the principal use to 
which it is put is to make necklaces or rosaries, which gives 
occasion to old Parkinson to make a rude remark in his 
usual quaint language. It is said to grow spontaneously 
in Candia, Rhodes, and in Syria, as well as in the Eas 
Indies. With us it must be treated as a tender annual, and 
raised in the spring in a hot-bed, to afford any chance o 
its producing perfect seeds. 
: unicated by Joun Waxxer, Esq. of Arno’s Grove, 
in May last, at which time the involucre was changed from 
a green to a brightish purple. 4 
