SECT. XIX. LISTS OF TREES, &C. 339 



*a* Some persons cultivate the serpentine cucumber, or 

 melon, as a curiosity of the summer, the fruit being some- 

 times produced from one to two yards long, under good 

 management ; but it is to be remembered it will take up 

 too much room for a small garden. 



As to the spirting (or wild) cucumber, though it may be 

 mentioned here, 'it is very hardy, even to sow itself in au- 

 tumn, come up in spring, and abide as a perenniaK Sow in 

 March, and allow it two yards square. This is merely pro- 

 pagated for diversion ; for if the fruit is touched when ripe, 

 it bursts and throws its fatid contents to some distance, 

 perhaps (wittily) over the clothes of the adventurer, and per- 

 fumes him highly. 



OBSERVATIONS ON PARTICULAR FLOWERS. 



Amaranthw, the tree sort, grows larger than the 

 others, and bears purple flowers. The tricolor and 

 bicotor are so called, from the former having the 

 leaves of three colours; i. e. a bright red, yellow, 

 and green ; and the latter of two, a deep red and 

 purple ; and it is for these, and not the flower, that 

 they are cultivated. The flowers of the globe sorts 

 have the peculiar property' of retaining their form 

 and colour a long time (years) when gathered. Clear 

 the seed of this flower from its downy covering be- 

 fore sowing, as a means of forwarding the germina- 

 tion. 



Balsam, when double, and well marked, is a very 

 fine flower. The plain coloured red and white, semi- 

 double and single ones, are not of much account 

 with the curious, but may be put out in ordinary 

 borders to make a shew. The seed of this flower 

 should be nicely saved from the fullest blossomed, 

 and distinctly striped sorts, that have not grown near 

 small, or self-coloured ones. The plants selected 

 for seed, should be protected from the wet and cold, 

 after Mid-August, by putting them under lights, or 



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