neighbourhood of Xalapa : hence its appellation ; 

 the J and the X, in the Spanish language, having 

 the same sound, and being interchangeable. 



Our old herbalists, two centuries ago, were well 

 acquainted with this plant, and * dwell with great 

 marvel thereon.' Parkinson calls it the 'Meruaile 

 of the World,' and mentions, amongst others, one 

 that he possessed with blossoms of a pale purple or 

 peach colour. 



It has obtained the appellation of the four-o'clock 

 plant, from the flowers usually opening about that 

 time in the afternoon. In cool or gloomy weather, 

 however, they continue expanded during the next 

 day ; otherwise the warmth of the sun, early in the 

 morning, closes them to open no more : when even- 

 ing again arrives, we find our plant with fresh em- 

 bellishments, as gay as before. 



The Marvel of Peru is usually cultivated as a 

 half-hardy annual ; but it is far better to take up 

 the roots on the first approach of frost, and lay them 

 in dry sand, in a cellar, till the last week in March ; 

 when they may be replanted in the borders for flow- 

 ering. As the roots, when thus put out into the 

 borders, will sometimes remain in the ground a 

 considerable time before they vegetate, it is pre- 

 ferable to plant them in deep pots of soil, and place 

 them in a hotbed till they have grown an inch or 

 two : they may then be turned out, with the balls of 

 soil unbroken, into the situations in which they are 

 intended to flower. If seedlings are desired, raise 

 them in a holbed, as early as is convenient, that 

 they may blow before the sharp autumnal nights 

 prevent it. 



Hort. Kew. 2, v. 1, 382. 



