sun-flowJ':k. sts 



These numerous llorets arc surrounded by a 

 ray of petals, whose office is to protect the whole 

 of the interior assemblage of flowers, as the 

 houses of a city are surrounded by a wall. This 

 flower is placed in the third order or division of 

 the class Syngenesia, and which order is named 

 Polygamia Frustranea, because the florets of the 

 margin next the petals are neuter, that is, con- 

 taining neither stigma or anthers, and which is 

 expressed by the term Frustranea, fwmfnistra, 

 to no purpose. The florets of the disk or centre 

 of the flower are bisexual, containing a pistil 

 headed by a divided stigma, termed bipartic, 

 and which is surrounded by five anthers. Each 

 of these florets is succeeded by a seed ; and so 

 numerous are the florets in a large single Sun- 

 flower, that Barchin tells us, he has known them 

 contain 2362 seeds in one flower. The more 

 double this flower becomes the less seed it pro- 

 duces, as it becomes double by the change of the 

 tubular into ligular florets, Hke the petals in the 

 ray, only smaller. 



The seeds of the Sun-flower when peeled have 

 a taste similar to sweet almonds, and from their 

 oily nature they are exceUent food for fattening 

 domestic poultry ; but it is with difficulty they 

 can be preserved from the ravages of the sparrow. 



