202 MONCECIA. 



which are treated in the usual manner, live a century, or more- 

 The bark is taken off in large sheets from the standing trees, 

 and is flattened by pressure, or by beating the convex sides. 

 Both sides are afterwards burned, or charred, in order to close 

 the transverse pores. The effect of this may be seen in 

 large pieces of cork, but not in bottle corks, as they are cut 

 in the longitudinal direction of the bark. Cork has many 

 uses, besides that of forming stoppers. The Greeks made 

 sandals of it, and the Venetian ladies, at one time, wore cork 

 heels to their shoes, so high as to raise their heads above 

 those of the men. Poor people in Spain lay broad plates of 

 it by their bed sides, to defend their feet from the floor, and 

 sometimes they line the inside of their houses with this 

 bark. 



GENUS Arum. Dragon-root. The origin of this name is 

 doubtful. The genus consists of many species, some of 

 which are tuberous rooted perennials, while others are her- 

 baceous annuals. All of them are singular looking plants. 

 The species best known in this country is the Indian Turnip, 

 ( Arum triphy Hum,) which grows in swamps and damp woods, 

 and flowers in May. The leaves are ternate, or in threes ; 

 scape a foot high, supporting a large, curiously formed flower, 

 which is sometimes green, and sometimes elegantly striped. 

 Within the flower, which is a spathe, there is a club shaped 

 spadix, of a dark greenish, or sometimes blackish color. The 

 root is globular, and exceedingly acrid to the taste when green, 

 but becomes mild by drying or boiling. 



ORDER VIII. MONADELPHIA. Stamens united into a 

 single body. 



GENUS Areca. Cabbage tree. Name, from A reec, which is 

 the Malabar name of this tree, when old. When young, it is 

 called Paynga. This is a tree of the Palm kind, which in 

 the West Indies grows to the height of forty feet. The es- 

 culent species, (Areca oleracea,) which is the only one grow- 

 ing in the West Indies, produces its edible part on the top of 

 the tree. This consists of the tender leaves before they are 

 unfolded. The sheathes of the leaves are closely pressed 

 together below their expanded, or green parts, forming a 

 white, and nearly solid mass. This being cut off, and the 



How is cork prepared for use after it is taken from the trees ? What 

 is said of the Arum genus ? 



