212 POLYGAMIA. 



TUn wood of this species is heavy and close grained, and is 

 in general use for chairs, tables, &c. The curled maple, so 

 much esteemed in cabinet work, for its waved or shaded sur- 

 face when polished, is a variety of this species. 



ORDER II. DIGECIA. 



GENUS Fraocinus. Ash tree. Name from the Greek, 

 jphraxiSj a separation, in allusion to the facility with which 

 this wood splits. The English name comes from the Celtic 

 CBSC, a pike, because the shafts of pikes were made of this 

 wood. The genus contains thirty or forty species, and several 

 varieties. In North America we have nine species, among 

 which the White Ash, (Fraxinus Americanus,) is the most 

 valuable. This tree grows to the height of eighty or ninety 

 feet ; stem straight ; branches opposite, and bark of a light 

 ash color. In the perfect flowers the calyx is four parted ; 

 corolla four petaled ; stamens two ; pistil one ; samara one 

 seeded. In the pistillate flowers, which are on a distinct tree, 

 the stamens are wanting ; in other respects they are as above 

 described. 



GENUS Fiscus. Fig. Fiscus is the Latin name of this 

 plant. The genus embraces about fifty species, all natives 

 of warm climates, and many of them differing from each other 

 in nearly every respect. The flowering of this genus is 

 quite peculiar. The green fruit is a hollow calyx, or recep- 

 tacle, in which the flowers are contained. In most of the 

 species, the stamens and pistils are on different plants, and the 

 seeds, therefore, could not be perfected in any of the species, 

 were it not for the help of certain minute flies, which in their 

 search for honey carry the pollen from the anthers of one 

 flower to the stigmas of another. This wonderful provision 

 displays at once the care and beneficence of the Creator; 

 for while on the one hand it insures the perpetuity of several 

 plants of great importance to man, on the other, it allows the 

 pleasure of existence to a tribe of insects which appear to 

 be designed for this very purpose. 



The figure, 204, represents the section of a Fig.j204. 

 common fig in its green state, showing the situ- 

 ation of its flowers. As the fruit grows, this 

 cavity is pushed outwards, or filled up, so that 

 when ripe, no remains of it are visible. 



The common Fig, (Ficus carica,) and one 

 other species, have three, or five lobed leaves; 



