374 FLORA HISTORICA. 



who eats them with the greatest avidity, leaving 

 the receptacle like an empty honeycomb. 



In the United States of America the Sun-flower 

 is cultivated on a large scale, for the purpose of 

 preparing oil from the seeds, which is good-tasted 

 and fit for salads, and all the purposes for which 

 olive-oil is used. The whole plant, and parti- 

 cularly the flower, exudes a thin, pellucid, odor- 

 ous resin, resembling Venice turpentine. 



For ornamental purposes the seed should be 

 saved from the largest and most double flowers, 

 which will be found on the top of the principal 

 stem, those on the side branches being smaller, 

 and frequently have abortive seeds. When the 

 seeds are ripe, the heads should be cut off with 

 a part of the stem, and hung up in a dry airy 

 place for a few weeks, when they may be rubbed 

 out and put into bags or boxes until the time of 

 sowing, which is during the month of March. 



The seed should be sown on a bed of common 

 earth, and when the plants are about six inches 

 high they may be removed, with a ball of earth 

 to their roots, and planted where they are to 

 flower; but we prefer setting the seeds where 

 they are to remain, as the plants are generally 

 finer than those that have been removed. 



This showy flower is a general favourite with 



