AMARANTH. S65 



to 1564, which he calls Amaranthiis Piirimrem, 

 and says it is called in English " Purple Veluet 

 Floure, or Flour Amour." 



The leaves of most of these species of Ama- 

 ranth are used as culinary plants in hot countries, 

 and the seeds of several of them were sent to 

 this country for the same purpose ; but as they 

 are neither so hardy as spinach, or so agreeable 

 to the palate when cooked, they have long since 

 given place to that esculent vegetable. 



The greater number of the Amaranths being 

 annual plants of hot countries, require the assist- 

 ance of the hot-bed to forward the young plants. 

 The seed should be sown in February, on a hot- 

 bed covered with good rich light earth, and when 

 of a proper size to remove, they should be plant- 

 ed out into a second hot-bed, and treated in the 

 same manner as Balsams and other tender annual 

 plants until the time of removing them into the 

 open garden. 



