A M B 



A M E 



half high: the stcins arc hairv : ilie leaves Tfry 

 soft and piihcsceut; and, up^iiv Ijeiiip handled, 

 emit a strong odour : the spikes of (lowers arc 

 axiliarv: the raeenics close: the male flowers 

 subsessile : the spike not sitting on a long pe- 

 diniclc, as in the above sort. 



Cultiiru, — ^These plants are raised either from 

 seeds or cuttings, according to the kinds. The 

 soils most adapted to their culture are those that 

 arc of the more poor, but moist sort. 



'ihe plants in the first species are capable of 

 coming up and thriving well in the open air in 

 this climate; but when so raised do not pro- 

 duce good seeds, unless the season be warm : 

 therefore to have them good every year, it is 

 necessary to cultivate them in a diflerent man- 

 ner. Thcv sliould he sown on a moderate hot- 

 bed in March; and when the plants are come up 

 two inches high, be transplanted into another 

 moderate hot-bed, allowing each plant three or 

 four inches scpiare ; taking care to water and 

 shade them pretty well, untU they have taken 

 new root : thev slioidd afterwards have a large 

 share of fresh air every day, when the weather is 

 \varm, and frequent waterings, as they are thirsty 

 plants. When 'he plants arc grown pretty strong, 

 they may be taken up with balls of earth to their 

 roots, and be planted in large pots tilled with light 

 earth; and if thcv are then placed on a very mo- 

 derate hot-bed, till they arc perfectly rooted, it will 

 greatly forward their flowering. About the Lit- 

 ter end of May, they should be placed in the 

 open air with other hardy annual plants. 



The second species is capable of being propa- 

 cated either by cuttings or seeds; if by the for- 

 mer, they should be planted in a shady border 

 in anv of the summer months, and be fre(]uently 

 watered. In about a month or live weeks they 

 will generally have formed good roots, and should 

 tlien be taken up and potted; as when they are 

 left longer in the open ground they are apt to 

 grow too luxuriant, and not so soon recover 

 their removal. 



This sort is hardv enough to be exposed to the 

 open air in summer; and in winter, if sheltered 

 in a common greenhouse, it will live several years. 

 In mi'd \\ inters, the roots live in the full ground, 

 in a warm border, but in severe frosts the plants 

 are in danger of being destroyed. 



As the seeds, when sown in the spring, seldom 

 come up the same vcar, the autunm should be 

 preferied, as they will then come up in the fol- 

 lowing spring. 



As the third sort seldom perfects its seeds in 

 this climate,' unless the plants are brought for- 

 ward bv heat in the spring, they should be sown 

 in the autunm in a warm border; and when the 

 plants come up in the spring, be transplanted in- 



to atiotlicr warm border of poor ground ; a^wheu 

 thcv are put into rich moisi land, tiiey grow too 

 luxurianllv, and do not ijower till late in the 

 season. The best method to obtain good seeds 

 is to plant some of them in hme-nd)bisii. The 

 Seeds of this sort are also capable of rising spon- 

 tancouslv. This is not a plant that possesses 

 nmch bcaulv ; but it may be admitted into gar- 

 dens or other places for the sake of varii-tv. 



All these plants may be emploved for the pur- 

 pose of ornament in beds, or the borders of plea- 

 sure-grounds. 



AMKLLUS, a geinis comprehending peren- 

 nial exotic plants of the Star Flower kind. 



It Uclongs to the class and order Si/vgfiiesin 

 Pohigam'ia Super/Iiia, and ranks in the natural 

 order of Coinpositce O/tpniiliJhlire. 



The characters of which are: that the calyx is 

 common, imbricate and roundish: the scales 

 linear and pre-;sed dose : the compound corolla 

 is radiate: the coroUets hermaphrodite, verv 

 many in the disk : females very mauv in the ray, 

 proper; of the hermaphrodite tubulous, (ive-cleft : 

 female ligulate, lax, two or three-toothed: the 

 stamina in the hermaphrodites have five capil- 

 lary, short filaments: the anther is cylindrical and 

 tubulous : the pistilluni in the hermaphrodites 

 has an obovate germ : the st\le filiform, of the 

 len<j;lh of the stamina: the stign)a3 two, and 

 liiiform : females verv like the hermaphiodites : 

 no pcricarpium : the calyx unchanged : seeds to 

 the hermaphrodites solitary, obr)vate: down ca- 

 pillary : to the females verv like the others : the 

 receptacle chafl'y. 



The species cultivated are: 1. yl. lijchnllU, 

 Trailing Amellus, or Star Flower; 2. ^l. umhcl- 

 latiis, Umbellcd AukHus, or Star Flower. 



The first of these sjiecies rises with a round, 

 bushy, trailing stem, from two to three feet in 

 height, sending out branches on every side, ter- 

 minated by flower-stalks, each supporting one 

 violet-coloured flower, with a yellow disk, shaped 

 like those of the Aster ; and appearinir in .luly or 

 August. The leaves are (piite entire, sessile, 

 rouiihish. The peduncles terminal, with one or 

 two leaflets. It is a native of the Cape of (jood 

 Hope. 



The second has upright, simple, round, hairv 

 stems, two feet or at most tw o feet and a half 

 in height. 'Ihe leaves at first radical ; but after- 

 wards each stem is naked at bottom, pelioledaiid 

 wedge-shaped at the base; somewhat decurrent 

 and serrate, nerved, smooth, dark green, white 

 and soft beneath. The upper siim-leaves arc 

 on shorter petioles, and smalkr. 'i'he stem to- 

 wards the top is gcnerallv divided into three 

 branches ; each of which is subdiv ided into many 

 small flower-branches, forming a soit of umbel, 

 K ■.' 



