A M O 



A M O 



never scalded, but even- root is picked, washed, 

 and scraped separately, and then dried in the sun 

 and air vcrv caretuUy. 



In order to preserve this root in svRip, it is 

 dug w hen the shoots do not exceed five or six 

 inches in height. Being picked and washed, 

 thev are scalded till tender : then put into cotd. 

 water, scraped and peeled gradually : this ope- 

 ration lasts tliree or tour davs, during which 

 time the roots are constantlv kept in water and 

 tViquentiy shifted. They are then put into jars, 

 and covered with a thin svrup, which alK-r two 

 or three davs is shifted, and a richer put on ; this 

 is sometimes again removed, and even a l''iurth 

 put on ; but it seldom rer,uires more than three 

 svrups. The shitted svnips are diluted, and ter- 

 inented into a sniidl pleasant liquor, calkd cool 

 drink, which is in much use. 



Citlture. — These plants are easily propagated 

 bv parting their roots; which should be pertorm- 

 ed in the spring, before thev put out new shoots; 

 as thev should not be transplanted in sunnner, 

 when they arc in tuU vigour, nor do they succeed 

 well when thev arc removed in autumn, as they 

 remain long after in an inactive state ; and dur- 

 ing that time, if wet stagnates about the roots, 

 it often causes them to rot and be dcstrovcd. 

 \\'hcn the roots are parted, they should not be 

 divided into too small pieces, especially if they 

 are designed to have flowers ; as until the roots 

 have spread to the sides of the pots they rarely 

 put out flower-stems, for which reason they 

 sho\dd not be planted in over large pots. 



They thrive best in a light rich earth, such as 

 is met with in the kitchen-garden ; with this the 

 pots should be filled within two inches of the 

 tops, then the roots placed in the middle of the 

 pots, their crowns upwards, the pots being ira- 

 mediatelv tilled up with some of the same rich 

 earth : after this thev should be plunged into a 

 hot-bed of tanner's bark, and be sparingly w ater- 

 td, until their stalks appear above ground, when 

 they will recjuire a greater share of moisture, 

 especially during the warm sumnicr months ; but 

 in autunni the waterings must not be often, or 

 in great quantitv at a time ; and during the win- 

 ter season, when the roots are inactive, but very 

 little should be given them. The pots w ith these 

 roots should constantly remain plunged in the 

 tan-bed, as when they are taken out and placed 

 on the shelves in the stove, the roots tre<iuently 

 decay from the shrinking of their fibres. 



In the above method of culture, both these 

 plants have been found to multiply rapidly, and 

 produce fine larec roots. 



In the West Tndies, the Ginger plant is found 

 to sueeeid best in such soils as are rich and 

 cool; but in those that arc of a more clayey na- 



ture the rrots shrink less in scalding. The 

 lanils intended tor the culture of tlris plant are 

 first well cleared and hoed, then slighilv trench- 

 ed over. In this way they are made leady for 

 planting, which is performed in March or April. 

 The plants flower about September, and when 

 tf.c stems ari fullv decayed the roots are taken up. 

 This is usually in January or ribruary. 



AM(M{i'HA, a genus comprising a hardy de- 

 ciduous liowcnng shrub of tall growth, and of 

 the Bastard Indigo kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Diadelfi/iia 

 Dccutuir'ia, and ranks in the natural order of I'a- 

 pilionacccp, or lA-^iimiiiosfr. 



Its characters are : that the calvx is a one- 

 leal^dperinnthium, tubulous, cylindrical, andiiir- 

 binate : the mouth erect, five-toothed, obtuse, the 

 t\\ o upper teeth larger than the others ; perma- 

 nent : the corolla composed of one ovate, con- 

 cave petal, scarcely larger than the calyx, erect, 

 inserted into the calyx, between the two larger 

 and upper teeth, and placed at the upper side of 

 it : the stamina have filaments very slightly unit- 

 ed at the base, erect, unequal in length, longer 

 than the corolla : the antherse are simple : the 

 pistillum has a roundish germ, subulate style, of 

 the length of the stamina, and simple stigma : 

 the pcriearpium is a legume, lunulatc, reflex, 

 larger than the calyx, compressed, more reflex at 

 the tip, one-celled, and tubercled ; the seeds are 

 two, oblong, kidney-shaped. 



There is only one species, which is the A.fru- 

 iicosa, Shrub Amorplia or Ba.-tard Indieo. 



It is a plant that rises w ith niaiiv irrcaular stems 

 to the height of twelve or fourteen feet, with very 

 long winged leaves, in shape like those of the 

 Common Acacia. At the extremity of the same 

 year's shoots the flowers are produced in long 

 slender spikes, they are small aiid of a deep ] urplc 

 colour; make their appearance the bei/mniug of 

 July, but the seeds do not ri|ii n in this cTimatc. It 

 grows naturally in Carolina, where a coarse sort 

 of indigo was made from the young shoots, which 

 occasioned itsobtainmg the name Bastard Indigo. 



Culture. — ^This shrub is generally propagated 

 by seeds, which are annually received tr(>m dif- 

 ferent parts of America ; as it is found in ma- 

 ny of the nortiiern colonies. Thev usually arrive 

 about February, and should be sown as soon as 

 possible afterwards in a light soil. And it may 

 also be propagated by !a\ ing down the young 

 branches, which in one yeai make good roots, 

 and may then be taken oft', a«d planted either in 

 the nursery, or the places where they are dcsicn- 

 ed to remain. But if thty aie put into a n-.-rser^-, 

 they should noi remain there n'.ore than one 

 year : for, as the phuits make large shoots, they 

 do not remove well when thev have remaniei 



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