18 MOXADELPHIA. 



the petals are white. The stamina are fifteen in num- 

 ber, with long twisted antherae, and their filaments 

 unite at tlie base 3 among these are five club -pointed 

 bodies twice the length of the others, and much stouter 

 than the filaments j and as they are the only internal 

 parts that appear without forcibly opening the iiower, 

 it has the appearance, v. hen superficially obsened, of 

 being pentandrous. It is propagated in England by 

 seeds imported from India: in the winter it requires 

 a stove, but may be reniovcd hito a green-house in 

 the "lun^mcr. 



OllBFIl 8. 



pcLYAN- COMMON COTTON. This is an herbaceous 



!i!l!f ' plant, a native of the East Inu'.cs,. grow ing to about 



*tHi!:ina Du- three teet hiirh. The whole -plant is downy, and 



::>< rous and ^ -11 



i.a.raute. whilst young, odorous. The blossom is ot a pale yel- 

 low, with five red spots at the bottom : and its seeds, 

 which are ripened in September, are immersed in fine 

 white cotton: the cotton, which is prcdaccd in China, 

 of which the cloth called Nankin is made, is said to 

 be tinged with red in its vegetable state, which is sup- 

 posed to be the cause of its washing better than any 

 cloth thiit v.e can manufacture to imitate it. Few 

 plants are more useful than this : it furnishes clothing 

 to the four quarters of the world : and the seeds are an 

 article of food to the inhabilants where it is cultivated. 



