DAT 



DAT 



red about the plants. The former should have 

 a dry warm aspect where the land is poor, but 

 the latter succeeds in such as are more cool : 

 these plants are sufficienily hardy to succeed in 

 the open air, when the winters arc not very 

 severe. 



The last sort is raised by sowing the seeds 

 procured from its native situation, on a u;enlle 

 hot-bed in the autunui or spring, and when the 

 plants are of sufficient growth removing them in- 

 to separate pots, to be placed under the protec- 

 tion of the srreenhouse. It is much more ten- 

 der than the other sorts. 



The first and second kinds are highly orna- 

 mental plants in the clumps, borders, and other 

 conspicuous parts near the house, the former 

 flowering early, and where many arc together 

 affording a fine fragrance. 



The other sorts,"though more tender, are cu- 

 rious, and afford an agreeable variety in assem- 

 blage w ith others of similar growth, either in 

 theborders or among potted plants. 



DATURA, a genus affording plants of the 

 herbaceous flowery annual kind. I'liorn Apple. 



It belongs to the class and order Pentandria 

 Monosryiiia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Liir'tdcE. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed, oblone perianthium, tubular, bellied, five- 

 cornered, five-toothed, horizontally deciduous 

 near the base, the remaining circular part per- 

 manent : the corolla one-petallcd, funnol-form : 

 tube cylindric, almost longer than the calyx : 

 border erect-expanding, live-cornered, five- 

 plaited, almost entire, with five acuminate 

 teeth : the stamina consist of five subulate fila- 

 ments, length of the calyx : anthers oblong, 

 compressed, obtuse: the pistillum is an ovale 

 germ: style filiform, straight: stigma thickish, 

 obtuse, two-plaited: the pericarpium is a some- 

 what ovate capsule, two-celled, four-valved, 

 seated on the base of the calyx : receptacles 

 convex, large, dotted, affixed to the dissepi- 

 ment: the seeds numerous and kidney-form. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . D. Slramonmm, 

 Common Thorn-apple ; 2. jD. Talulu, Blue 

 Thorn-apple; 3. D. fastuota, Purple Thorn- 

 apple; 4. D. Metel, Hairy Thorn-apple; 5. D. 

 arl'orea, Tree Thorn-apple. 



The first has the stem from one to six feet in 

 heitxht, according to the soil, but seldom more 

 than two feet, round, smootlj; dividing into 

 many strong, Irregular branches, which are hol- 

 low, covered with a fine down: the leaves from 

 the forking of the stem and branches, single, 

 scarcely six" inches Icmg, pctioled, pointed, deep 

 green on the upper surface, paler beneath and on 

 the edges, with strong vibs or nerves, unequally 



sinuated and toothed about the edge, extendintr 

 iuriher down the petiole on one side than on ili» 

 other : the petioles round, downy, shorter than 

 the leaves, above faintly channelled : the llowcis 

 single from the axils, on short peduncles, up- 

 right (first from ihe forks of the branches, and 

 afterwards near the extremities), of a whitish co- 

 lour, succeeded by oval prickly c.ipsules, termed 

 thorn-apples. It is a native of America. 



Tlie second species rcsendiles the common 

 sort, but is twice the size : the stem is purjilish 

 with white dots, divided at an acute angle, 

 smooth and even: theleaves more finely tooilad, 

 and, if they be flatted, cordate: the flowers piile 

 blue, or purple, succeeded by erect spinous c;i|i- 

 sules. 



The third rises with a fine pr)lished purple 

 stalk four feet high, dividing into 6e\eral 

 branches: the leaves are large, smooth, sinua- 

 ted, on prettv long foot-stalks: the flowers are 

 produced at the divisions of the branches; they 

 have large swelling tubes, which spread very 

 broad at the top, their brims having ten angles, 

 each ending in a long slender point, are of a 

 beautiful purple on their outside and a satiny 

 white within; some of them single, others with 

 two or three flowers standing one within an- 

 other, and some double, having four or five pe- 

 tals within each other of equal length, so as ti> 

 appear a full flower at the brim; they have au 

 agreeable odour at first. It is a native of the 

 East Indies. 



The fourth species has a strong stem tlireu 

 feet high, dividing into many woolly branches: 

 the leaves have only two or three shght inden- 

 tures on their edges : the flowers have long 

 tubes, which extend beyond the bifid calyx, then 

 spreading out very broad where the brim is 

 divided mto ten obtuse angles ; they are of a 

 pure white above, but the tubes have a tincture 

 of green within : they are succeeded by roundish 

 fruit closely covered with thorns. It is a na- 

 tive of Asia, &c. 



The fifth rises with a woody stalk to the 

 heisht of twelve or fourteen feet, dividing into 

 several branches. Leaves oblique, six inches 

 long, two inches and a half broad in their widest 

 part, growing narrower at each end, downy, 

 on Ion"' fcotsialks, w hieh stand nearer to one 

 side than the other, 'fhe (lowers come out at 

 the divisions of the branches; they h.ivc a loose 

 tubidar calyx near four inches long, which 

 opens at the top on one side like a spathc ; the 

 tube of the flower is narrow; but above, it 

 swells very laiee, near six inches in lenjjili, then 

 spreads open ai the brim, wher. it is div;deil in- 

 to five angles, which tenninate in very lonff 

 points; they are white, with some longitudinal 



