ELM. BREAD-FRUIT. OAK. 139 



calyx and corolla; it is entire, oblong or conical, and in the 

 female flowers laterally cleft, while in the male, it presents five 

 oblong and slightly concave parts. We know but one species of 

 this genus ; its straight, quadrangular stem rises from five to six 

 feet high ; the leaves are digitate, acuminate, and dentate ; at the 

 base of the stem, opposite, and alternate above. In this plant, as 

 well as almost all of the dicecia, the males are not so tall as the 

 females, and, through a singular error, they are always regarded 

 by the ignorant, as the female, and vice versa. Hemp is origin- 

 ally from Persia, and has been as long in use as flax ; it is culti- 

 vated in great quantity in different parts of Europe, and even 

 grows there spontaneously. It is sown in the month of June in 

 very rich soil ; the female plants, which ripen later than the 

 male, are chiefly cultivated for the seed, from which an oil is 

 obtained, for burning in France, for eating in Russia, and paint- 

 ing in England. Within a few years hemp has been cultivated 

 in the United States. It is manufactured into ropes for rigging 

 ships, &c. 



119. The elm is also a plant of the family of Urti'cese. Its 

 flowers, which are hermaphrodite, are very small and united in 

 clusters at the upper part of the ramifications of the stem ; they 

 expand before the leaves, which are simple and alternate. This tree 

 is indigenous in France, and acquires a great size ; it is. frequently 

 employed in forming shady avenues, and its wood is useful. 



120. The bread-fruit of the South Sea Islands bears a pulpy 

 fruit, which, when gathered before being ripe, is roasted ; it tastes 

 like bread made of wheat flour and potatoes. The inhabitants 

 of Tahiti and the adjacent islands feed upon it nearly throughout 

 the year. 



121. The FAMILY OF CUPULI'FER,E or AMENTA'CEJE, contains 

 several of our most important forest trees, such as the oak, beech, 

 and chestnut. It is composed of trees with simple, alternate 

 leaves; the male flowers are arranged in cylindrical and scaly 

 catkins, and the female flowers are generally axillary and 

 entirely, or in part, covered by a scaly cupule ; the fruit is always 

 a gland, which is commonly unilocular, and always accompanied 

 by a cupule. There are several species of oak known ; the com- 

 mart or red oak is a magnificent tree which grows to a height of 

 sixty or seventy feet; the leaves are laterally incised into obtuse 

 lobes, and almost always regularly opposite; the male flowers 



119. What are the general characters of the elm ? 



120. Where is bread fruit found ? How is it eaten ? 



121. What are the characters of the family of Cupuli'fenB ? (from the 

 Latin, cupulum, a little cup, and fero, I bear.) What description of plants 

 does this family contain ? What are the characters of the oak ? What is 

 tan? 



