L1LACE0US FLOWERS. O 



taken from its parent trunk, excepting it be done in 

 connexion with a small portion of the liber, or inner 

 bark, and be then ingrafted into the trunk of a similar 

 species of plant. 



In the bulb, all the nutritious, or cellular'part, is 

 carried inwards by the circulation to the support 

 of the bud or embryon plant, after which the coats 

 shrink, and at length turn into those brown scaly 

 coverings, destitute of moisture and of life, which we 

 observe around the Tulip and the Onion. 



The Lily and the Tulip, which we have chosen to 

 examine because of the conspicuous size of the flow- 

 ers and their parts, are, however, deficient in one of 

 the constituent parts of a perfect flower, namely, the 

 calyx, which is that outer green part of the flower, 

 usually divided into parts or small leaves, often five 

 in number, sustaining and embracing the corolla at 

 the bottom, and enveloping it entirely before opening, 

 as you may have remarked in the Rose. The calyx, 

 which accompanies so many other flowers, is wanting, 

 in the greater part of the liliaceous tribe ; as the 

 Tulip, the Hyacinth, the Daffodil, the Crocus, and 

 Snowdrop, &ic. and even in the Onion, Leek, Sic. 

 which are likewise, generally speaking, also lilia- 

 ceous, though they appear so very different at first 

 sight. In the whole of this tribe you will perceive 

 that the stems are simple and unbranched, the leaves 

 entire, never cut or divided ; observations which 

 confirm the analogy of the flower and fruit in this 

 family, by the prevailing similarity in the other parts 

 of the plant. By bestowing some attention upon these 

 particulars, and making them familiar by frequent ob- 

 servation, you will be in a condition to determine, by 

 an attentive inspection of a plant, whether it be of 

 the liliaceous tribe or not ; aud this without knowing 

 1* 



