AMY 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL ; 



A M V 



aromatic, and it has a biting taste. It is a native of China 

 and Cochin-china, where it is cultivated, and the roots and 

 seeds, used medicinally. The plant was formerly used as a 

 warm stomachic bitter, and generally made an ingredient in 

 bitter infusions ; but it is now almost wholly laid aside, on 

 account of its unpleasant flavour. The spirituous extract is 

 excessively fiery, and the watery extract very hot and pun- 

 gent. The essential oil has little smell, and no great pun- 

 gency. An infusion of the root in boiling water, or a tincture 

 made with brandy, is a good medicine in windy complaints, 

 and other disorders of the stomach, as well as for head-achs 

 which rrisc from some debility or evil affection in that organ. 

 The same root is usually given in the shops for Galangale 

 and for Zedoary. 



12. Amomum Arboreum. Stem arboreous ; fruit calicine. 

 This tree is ten feet high, with many twisted spreading 

 branches ; with a pale red flower. It has scarcely any taste 

 or smell, and its use unknown. The wood is very light, not 

 even fit for the fire. Native "of the eastern coast of Sumatra. 



Amorpha; a. genus of the class Diadelphia, order Decan- 

 dria. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calis .- perianth one-leafed, 

 tubulous, cylindrical, turbinate ; mouth erect, five-toothed, 

 obtuse, the two upper teeth larger than the others, jwrma- 

 nent. Corolla : of one ovate concave petal, scarcely larger 

 than the calix, erect, inserted into the calix, between the two 

 larger and upper teeth, and placed at the upper side of it. 

 Stamina : filamenta very slightly united at the base, erect, 

 unequal in length, longer than the corolla; antherse simple. 

 Pistil -. germen roundish ; style subulate, the length of the 

 -tiiniina ; stigma simple. Pericarp . legume lunulate, reflex, 

 larger than the calix, compressed, more reflex at the tip, one- 

 celled, tubercled. Seeds: two, oblong kidney-shaped. 

 ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Standard of the Corolla: ovate, 



>ncave. Wings : none. Keel : none. The only species 



yet discovered is, 



1. Amorpha Fruticosa ; Bastard Indigo. It rises with 

 many irregular stems to the height of twelve or fourteen feet .- 

 with very long winged leaves ; at the extremity of the same 

 year's shoots branch out long spikes of purple flowers in July; 

 but it does not ripen seed in England, although it is become 

 very common in all gardens and nurseries. It is propa- 

 gated by seeds from abroad, and also by laying down young 

 branches in sheltered situations. Native of Carolina. 



Amygdahts ; a genus of the class Icosandria, order Mono- 

 gynia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: perianth one-leafed, 

 tubulous, inferior, quinquefid, deciduous ; divisions spread- 

 ing, obtuse. Corolla : of five petals, oblong-obovate, ob- 

 tuse, concave, inserted into the calix. Stamina : filaments 

 about thirty, filiform, erect, shorter by half than the corolla, 

 inserted into the oalix ; antherae simple. Pistil: germen 

 roundish, villose ; style simple, length of the stamina ; 

 stigma headed. Pericarp: a drupe, roundish, villose, large, 

 with a longitudinal furrow. Seed : a nut, ovate, compressed, 

 acute, with prominent sutures on each side, reticulated with 

 furrows, and dotted with small holes. ESSENTIAL CHARAC- 

 TER. Calix: quinquefid, inferior. Petals: five. Drupe: 



having a shell perforated with pores; skin pubescent. 



The species are, 



1. Amygdalus Persica. The Peach and Nectarine. All the 

 serratures of the leaves acute ; the flowers sessile and soli- 

 tary. The wood of the Peach-tree is of a reddish brown 

 colour, darker toward the middle, and fit for the use of the 

 turner. It is of quick growth, and not of very long duration. 

 There are many varieties ; the best of which are, the early 

 Purple Peach, which is ripe before the middle of August ; 

 the lavge or French Mignon (Grosse Mignon;) the Chev- 



reusse, or Belle Cheverusse, ri]>e towards the end of August ; 

 the Rod Magdalen; Chancellor; Bellegrade ; Bourdine ; 

 Uossannu ; Kambouillet ; and Nivette. Others recommend 

 the Small Mignon, Early Newington, Noblesse, Admirable, 

 Royal, Monstrous Pavy, and Swalch. These are the best sorts 

 for planting ; but in warm situations one or two trees of the 

 Catharine Peach should be admitted, as it is an excellent fruit 

 in warm seasons. The Nectarine is only a variety of the 

 Peach-tree, somewhat smaller : there are twelve sorts, the 

 best of which are Fairchild's Early Nectarine, the Elruge 

 Nectarine, the Newington Roman Red, and Temple's Nec- 

 tarine. All the species of Peaches have been originally ob- 

 tained from the stones, which is the best method of propa- 

 gating them. The best sorts are those whose flesh is firm, 

 and cleaves to the stone ; they should be planted in autumn, 

 on a bed of light dry earth, three inches deep and four inches 

 asunder, carefully weeded and watered when they come up, 

 until the following spring, when they must be transplanted 

 into a nursery, and placed one foot apart, in rows three feet 

 asunder, observing to lay a little mulch upon the ground to 

 prevent it drying too fast ; and if the spring prove dry, 

 watering them once a-week. Here they may continue two 

 years, and may be afterwards transplanted where they are 

 intended to remain, to produce fruit. In removing these 

 trees, observe to prune their downright roots, cutting off all 

 bruised parts and small fibres. All the pruning they require 

 is the lopping off of decayed or irregular branches, which 

 are very detrimental. The common method of propaga- 

 tion, is by inoculating them upon other stocks, such as those 

 of the Muscle and White-Pear Plums, which are most esteem- 

 ed, also upon Almond and Apricot stocks, for some tender sorts 

 of Peaches will not grow upon Plum stocks. These stocks 

 should be planted three feet asunder, and one foot apart in 

 the rows, and after two years will be strong enough to bud, 

 which takes place generally about Midsummer, or any time 

 in July, when you should make choice of some good 1 cuttings 

 from healthy trees of the sort of fruit you wish to propagate. 

 These cuttings should be taken from the trees in a morning 

 or evening, or in a cloudy day, otherwise they are apt to per- 

 spire and miscarry. Much depends upon the choice of trees r 

 the stock should be of the size of a man's finger, free from 

 moss or canker ; the bud of one year's growth only, not sucb 

 as have been cut down in the spring, and made a second shoot. 

 The best soil for planting is such as is taken from a pasture 

 ground, neither too stiff and moist, nor over dry, but of a 

 middling nature, such as is termed hazel-loam. It should 

 be dug from the surface of the ground ten inches deep, taking 

 the turf with it ; and should be laid in heaps eight or ten 

 months at least ; but if one year before it is used, it wilf be 

 still better, that it may have a summvr's heat and winter's 

 frost to mellow it, during whicli time it should be often- 

 turned, to rot the turf, and break the cloda. The trees should 1 

 never be planted less than twelve feet asunder, ami in good 

 ground fourteen feet : this to be done in October. First make 

 a hole wide enough to receive the roots of the tree, then place 

 it down, observing to turn the bud outwards, that the 

 wounded part of the stock may be hid from sight ; ami let 

 the stem of the tree be placed about four or five inches from 

 the wall, with its head inclining thereto ; then fill in the earth 

 with your hands, observing to break the clods, that the eirrth 

 may fall in between the roots, and gently shaking the tree 

 with your hand, the better to settle, but do not tread it down. 

 In May the shoots should be nailed to the wall, observing to 

 train them horizontally, and cutting off all weak and fore- 

 right shoots. In October they must be pruned in propor- 

 tion to the strength of the tree. Blights are oftener pro- 



