ALYSsoN HORTUS JAMAICENSIS. 17 



pation of bugs.* Prerner asserts, that a simple decoction of aloes communicates a fine 

 brovva colour" to wool. Fabroni, of Florence, h is extracteJ a beautiful violet colour, 

 which resists the acids and alkalis, from the juice of tlie fresh leaves of the aloe exposed 

 to the air by degrees. The liquid first becomes red, and, at the end of a certain period, 

 turns to a beaulTful purple violet, which adheres to silk by simple immersion, without 

 the aid of acids. 



Upon the whole, as the aloe is so useful and so hardy a plant, growing in the poorest 

 soils and in the driest seasons, while the manufacture is so simple and so cheap, it is to 

 be regretted that its cultivation has not been more attended to m this island. 



See Bastard Aloe. 



Ai.PiNiA See Wild Ginger.. 

 Alsines See Chickweed. 



ALYS30N ALYSSUM. 



Cl. 15, OR. 1. Tetradynamia siliculosa. NaT. or. Siliqiiosa. 



This name comes from a Greek word, signifying madness, as the herb was believed 

 tahave the virtue of curing madness-. 



Gen. Char. Calyx oblong, four-leaved; corolla four-petalled, cruciform, with the 

 clavvs the length of the calyx; the stamens are six, tne length of the calyx, two 

 rather shorter and denticulated ; anthers erect and expanding; the pistilium has 

 a sub-ovate germen, style simple; the peritarpiuni a sub-globular emarginate 

 siiUcle, with a biiocular stylus, having an elliptic partition; the seeds are fewj 

 orbicular, ana afHxed to fililorm receptacles. Two species of this genus have been 

 introduced. 



I . INCANUM. 



Stem erect, leaves lanceolate, hoary, entire, flowers in corymbs, petals bifid. 

 Hoary madwort grows to the height of two feet, having woody stalks, which divide 

 into several branches toward the top. At the extremit , of every slioot the dowers are 

 pi-oduced in round bunches, which are small and white. Tiie silicie is entire, oval, and 

 full of brown seeds. 



2. IIALI.MIFOLIUM. 



Stems procumbent, perennial, leaves luncedinear, acute, quite entire. 

 Sweet madwort spreads itself upon the ground. The root is long, wane, and woody ; 

 stalks numerous, seven or eight inches long, rougn, anU or a gL;_yiiu green colour. 

 The leaves are oblong, narrow, punctated, and very rougii to tiie loucu. At the ex- 

 tremities of Its branches it produces very pretty tufts ot small yciio-visli while flowers. 

 Both these plants are propagated from seeds. The nanimlonum grovvs very luxuriant- 

 ly in this island in almost any soil or situation. 



D AMBROMA. 



* M. S"cnl(ff, in tlip Trnnaactinns of l!ie Imperial AcaHemj of Sciences at PftersbnrL'li, saji, th:it he has repeat- 

 dlv eipeneci td tiat ioliaint; more fpvedil^' or elfcctuallj ileiltuys bugs tlijii llie uilj pi>,Kle luul reuwiu; tu wska lu 

 >bicb htiraigs tuvc been packed. 



