p I p 



p I p 



lindiical : the berries are very small, and lodged ' 

 ina pulpy matter: like those of Blaek Pcpp.'r they 

 are lirst green, and become reel when ripe ; they 

 are hottes'. to the taste in the immature state, 

 and are therefore gathered whilst green, and dried 

 ill the sun, when they change to a blackish 

 < v r dark gray colour. It is a native of the East 

 Indies. 



The fourth species has a dichotomous stem, 

 spotted, attaining the height of a fathom : the 

 leaves oblong-cordate, not roundish-cordate : 

 the spikes straight, short, solitary, and not ag- 

 gregate, long, and nodding. It is a native of 

 the islands of the South Seas. 



It has the property of intoxicating when 

 ehewed. 



The fifth is a shrub: the stem about five 

 feet high, sending out several side branches 

 which have protuberant joints: the leaves six 

 inches long and five broad near their base; thev 

 have five veins springing from the footstalk, the 

 middle one going in a direct line to the point ; 

 the two side veins diverge towards the edges of 

 the leaves in the middle, but approach again at 

 the top ; the surface of the leaves is full of small 

 veins, which form a sort of net-work : the spikes 

 come out from the side of the branches opposite 

 to the leaves ; they are slender, and about five 

 inches long, a little bending in the middle, and 

 arc closely set with very small herbaceous 

 flowers. It is a native of Jamaica. 



The sixth species has the stems several, shrub- 

 by, round, knobbed at the joints, smooth, an 

 inch and more in thickness, branched, ash-co- 

 loured, upright, eight feet high : the branchlets 

 green, the thickness of a quill, spreading very 

 much : the leaves alternate, on short petioles, 

 in a double row, a little shorter at the inner 

 base, deep green above, rugged backwards, 

 rough-haired when examined by a glass ; un- 

 derneath pale green, villose but not rugged ; 

 quite entire, netted with numerous veins, many- 

 nerved if the principal veins be considered as 

 nerves ; they are about half a foot in length, and 

 have little taste or smell : the stipule lanceolate, 

 acute, converging, smooth, striated, caducous: 

 the peduncles alternate, opposite to a leaf, soli- 

 tary, erect, round, somewhat villose, half an 

 inch long : the spikes solitary," slender, yellow- 

 ish, two or three inches in length, towards the 

 origin of the branchlet bowed, so closely co- 

 vered with minute fructifications, that it is scarce- 

 ly possible to detect their structure even with a 

 microscope. It is called Spanish Elder in Ja- 

 maica, where it is a native. 



The seventh is annual : the stalks are succu- 

 lent, seven or eight inches high : the leaves an 



inch and half long, and three quarters of an inch 

 broad : the spikes of flowers come out at t! i 

 end of the stalks, are slender, about an inch 

 long, ami straight : the flowers are very small, 

 and sessile, appear in July, and are succeeded bv 

 very small berries, each containing a small 

 seed like dust. It is a native of South Ame- 

 rica. 



The eighth species sends out from the root 

 many succulent herbaceous stalks almost as large 

 as a man's little finger; they are jointed, and 

 divide into many branches, never rising above a 

 foot high, but generallv spread near the ground, 

 putting out roots at each joint, propagate very 

 fast, and soon cover a large space of ground : 

 the leaves are very thick and succulent ; they are 

 about three inches long and two broad, very 

 smooth and entire : the peduncle comes out at 

 the end of the branches ; this is also very suc- 

 culent, and the whole length, including the 

 spike, is about seven inches : the spike is 

 straight, erect, and about the size of a goose- 

 quill, closely covered with small flowers which 

 require a glass to be distinguished ; the whole 

 spike much resembles the tail of a lizard. It is 

 a native of South America, flowering from 

 April to September, 



Culture. — All these plants may be increased 

 by seeds, procured fresh from the countries 

 where the plants grow naturally, which should 

 be sown upon a good hot-bed in the spring, 

 and when the plants come up and are fit to 

 transplant, be each put into a separate small pot 

 filled with light fresh earth, and replunged into 

 a hot-bed of tanner's bark, shading them every 

 day from the sun till they have taken fresh root, 

 when they must be treated in the same way as 

 other lender exotic plants, admitting fresh air to 

 them daily in proportion to the warmth of the 

 season, to prevent their drawing up weak ; and 

 when the nights are cold the glasses of the 

 hot-bed should be covered with mats. 



They all require the constant protection of a 

 hot-house. 



As the stalks of most of them are tender when 

 young, they should not have much wet, which 

 rots them ; and when water is given it must be 

 with caution, not to beat down the plants ; for 

 when that is the case they seldom rise again, af- 

 terwards. 



In some of the sorts they may be raised from 

 layers or cuttings. 



In the after-management of the plants, they 

 must be plunged into the tan-bed of the bark- 

 stove in the autumn, and during the winter be 

 sparingly watered: they require the same warmth 

 as the Coffec-trec. In the summer a large 



