672 



HEL 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL: 



HEL 



2. Helianthus Indicus ; Dwarf Annual Sun-flower. All 

 the leaves cordate, three-nerved ; peduncles equal ; calices 

 leafy. This is suspected to be a variety of the foregoing ; 

 though it constantly preserves its distinction. It grows only 

 from eighteen inches to three feet in height. It is probably 

 a native of Mexico or Peru. 



3. Helianthus Multiflorus ; Perennial Sun-flower. Lower 

 leaves cordate, three-nerved ; upper ones ovate. The stems 

 are many, upright, from five to nine feet high, branching; 

 the stem, and each branch, terminated by a flower, the 

 principal one eight to ten inches in diameter, the lateral 

 ones gradually smaller. There is a constant succession of 

 flowers from July to November. Native of Virginia. This, 

 which is the most common in our English gardens, is the 

 largest and most valuable, and is very proper furniture for 

 large borders in great gardens, as also for bosquets of large 

 growing plants, or to intermix in small quarters with shrubs, 

 or in walks under trees, where few other trees will thrive ; it 

 is also a great ornament to gardens within the city, where it 

 grows in defiance of the smoke better than most other plants ; 

 and, for its long continuance in flower, deserves a place in 

 most gardens, for the sake of its flowers, to adorn halls, 

 chimneys, &c. in a season when we are at a loss for other 

 flowers. It begins flowering in July, and continues till Octo- 

 ber. There is a variety of this species with very double flow- 

 ers, which is now become so common in the English gardens, 

 as to have almost banished the single sort from hence. 



4. Helianthus Tuberosus ; Tuberous-rooted Sun-flower, or 

 Jerusalem Artichoke. Leaves ovate-cordate, triple-nerved ; 

 stems several, rough, hairy, streaked, from ten or twelve to 

 sixteen feet in height, the size of a child's arm ; branches 

 many, long from bottom to top ; flowers terminating, small ; 

 florets in the ray twelve or thirteen. These seldom blow 

 before October, and in some seasons they do not expand at 

 all. The seeds never ripen here : roots creeping, with many 

 tubers clustered together, thirty, forty, or fifty, from one 

 plant, measuring a peck, or in good soils half a bushel ; they 

 are like the common potatoe, red on the outside, and very 

 irregular in their shape, the size of a man's fist at biggest. 

 " Mr. John Goodyer received in 1617, two small roots no big- 

 ger than hen's eggs, from Mr. Franquevill of London ; the one 

 he planted, and the other he gave to a friend. The root he 

 planted produced a sufficient number to supply all Hamp- 

 shire." This note is dated the 17th of October, 1621 ; and 

 Johnson observes, that his friend took it presently upon the 

 first arrival into England. If this were the era of the first 

 introduction of Jerusalem Artichoke, it seems surprising, even 

 allowing for the facility with which it is increased, that so 

 soon as the year 1629, or even earlier, it should have become 

 so common in London, that even the most vulgar began to 

 despise it; whereas, when first received among us, it was, as 

 Parkinson says, a " dainty for a queen." Our ancestors boiled 

 them tender, and, after peeling, ate them sliced and stewed 

 with butter, wine, and spices. Thus, says Parkinson, they 

 were a dish for a queen, being as pleasant as the bottom of an 

 artichoke : but their too frequent use, owing to their being so 

 plentiful and cheap, hath rather bred a loathing than a liking 

 of them. They also baked them in pies, with marrow, dates, 

 ginger, raisins, sack, &c. Notwithstanding what our old 

 authors have above advanced, it is probable that this root was 

 discontinued from a notion of its flatulent quality. The potato 

 seems to be more nutritious and wholesome. It is not neces- 

 sary therefore now to enforce the cultivation of Jerusalem 

 Artichoke as the general article t>f food, but it certainly makes 

 an agreeable variety at good tables. There is no batter rea- 

 son for the common English name, than that the root, when 



boiled, has the taste of an artichoke bottom : Parkinson there 

 fore would have it called Potatoes of Canada, because the 

 French brought them first from Canada into these parts ; 

 not that Canada is their original country, for they are 

 unquestionably the produce of a hot climate, being natives 

 of Brazil. These plants are propagated by planting the 

 smaller roots, or the larger ones cut in pieces, observing to 

 preserve a bud to each separate piece, either in the spring or 

 autumn, allowing them a good distance, for their roots will 

 greatly multiply ; in the following autumn, when their stems 

 decay, the roots may be taken up for use. They should be 

 planted in some remote corner of the garden, for they are 

 very unsightly while growing, their roots overrun every thing, 

 and they cannot easily be destroyed. When desired for a 

 crop, the sets should be planted in an open part of the kitchen- 

 garden, in rows three feet or more asunder, at least eighteen 

 inches distant from each other, and four or five inches deep. 

 The best time for this is the latter end of March. A light 

 soil suits them best. Some persons cut the stalks half way 

 down, at the end of July or the beginning of August ; 

 because they shade the ground too much, and from their 

 great height are apt to be blown down. They may be taken 

 up for present use in September, and the whole crop may be 

 housed in October. If kept in sand, and in a dry place, they 

 will continue the whole winter. 



5.-Helianthus Decapetalus ; Ten-petalled Sun-flower. Stem 

 smooth at bottom ; leaves lanceolate-cordate, triple-nerved ; 

 ray of the flower ten-petalled ; peduncles scabrous. This 

 resembles the third species very much, but it differs in having 

 the stem, which scarcely attains the height of a man, sca- 

 brous, but smooth at bottom. Native of Canada. 



6. Helianthus Frondosus. Calix squarrose, waved, leafy ; 

 rays eight-petalled ; leaves ovate ; stem scabrous at bottom. 

 This is allied to the foregoing species. Native of Canada. 



7. Helianthus Strumosus ; Carrot-rooted Sun-flower. Root 

 fusiform, white and fleshy ; stems several, nine or ten feet high, 

 round, rough, somewhat hirsute, streaked, subdivided into nu- 

 merous branches ; leaves alternate, a hand long, an inch or 

 more broad, acuminate, rough, dark green, slightly notched 

 about the edge ; flowers terminating in corymbs ; petals pale 

 yellow, ending in a bifid point; leaflets of the calix produced 

 into long leaves. The roots are bitterish, aromatic, and not 

 disagreeable : they are eaten by the Canadians, among whom 

 this plant grows wild. It flowers from July to September. 



8. Helianthus Giganteus; Gigantic Sun-flower. Leaves 

 alternate, lanceolate, scabrous, ciliate at the base; stem stiff, 

 scabrous, ten feet high; peduncles scabrous, hispid, usually 

 about twenty florets in the ray, bifid at the end ; the first 

 two leaves of the branches are opposite, and have the ap- 

 pearance of stipules; the flowers nod more in the night than 

 in the day. It flowers in September and October. Native 

 of Virginia and Canada. 



9. Helianthus Altissimus ; Tall Sun-flower. Leaves alter- 

 nate, broadish, lanceolate, scabrous ; petioles ciliate ; stem 

 stiff, smooth. This strongly resembles the preceding species, 

 but the leaflets of the calix are shorter, and not so copious. 

 There are usually sixteen florets in the ray. It flowers in 

 August and September. Native of Pennsylvania. 



10. Helianthus Angustifolius. Leaves alternate, linear; 

 stem purplish, a foot and half in height; disk of the corolla 

 brown; ray deep yellow, emarginate. Native of Virginia. 



11. Helianthus Divaricatus; Rough-leaved Sun-flower. 

 Leaves opposite, sessile, ovate-oblong, three-nerved ; panicle 

 dichotomous ; stem scarcely the height of a man, extremely 

 even at top, but wilh scattered rough hairs, purple, with a 

 glaucous bloom ; flowers in a panicle, with trichotomous 



