128 CITLTIVATION OP THE SUNFLOWER* 



plate moves,- even under a greater prelFure, and he paper^s 

 preventing the glafs from being foiled, would be fufficient to 

 produce this efTedj even if the greater prelfure alone did 

 not occaiion a more powerful effect than can be obtained 

 from common machines. 



IX. 



On the Cultivation of the Sunjioxuer, and its Advantages *4 



the fun-flower | jh£ funfiower, helianihus annuus L, is faid to have been 

 recommended to ^- • _,, r - 



cukivators. brought to Lurope from I'eru. There iare two fpecies, one 



annual, tlie pther. perennial:, of thefe the latter is only orna- 

 mental, but the annual is of luch ufe in agriculture, that it 

 dei^rves to be made known to our readers. 



The feeds are white, gray, or blackidi ; but this difference 

 of cOiQur is entirely accidental, as feeds of either colour pro- 

 duce the others reciprocally. There are two varieties, how- 

 ever, that appear to me permanent, the funflower with a 

 fmgle ftem, and that with a branchy flem, which is lefs 

 corarppn. 



The feed fliould be fovved in fpring, when nothing is to bs 

 apprehended from the froft, that would deftroy the young 

 plants., The ground (liould be well broken and manured, if 

 you. would have an abundant crop. You may fow broadcaffj 

 and afterward thin the plants: but it is better to dibble tha 

 feed, placing two in a hole, the holes a foot dltlant, Und the 

 rows two feet afunder. If both feeds germinate, -the weaker 

 plant (hould be pulled up. The plants (hould be weeded, and 

 tiie earth dug up between the rows at a proper time. The 

 height of the plant will be from fix to nine feet: the fialks ar« 

 large, fome of them being feven or eight inches in circum- 

 ference near the ground. It flowers in July or Auguft, and 

 the feeds are ripe in Autumn, at the fame time with Indian 

 corn. Rainy feafons deftroy many of the plants : the foot of 

 the flalk rots in the ground, the leaves fuddcnly dry up, the 

 ilalk breaks of at the root, and the plant dies. A few funihiny 

 days flop the progrefsof this difafter. 



Seeds, 



have tsVo va- 

 rictfts. 



Method of cul- 

 tivatio/i. 



Rainy feafons 

 bad. 



La JPecihff Pb.ilofophique, No. 26. June, 1803, p. 607, 



The 



