ARROW-ROOT. TURMERIC. 21 



Another plant of this class, the Grass-wrack, 

 Zoste'ra mari'na, grows near the sea, and in salt- 

 water ditches. In some of the northern parts of 

 Europe, it is used for bedding, and has lately been 

 imported in large quantities from the Continent 

 into this country, for stuffing mattrasses, and for 

 other purposes, to which horse hair is generally 

 applied. It is also said to be very useful for pack- 

 ing bottles and other brittle ware. 



The Indian Arrow-root, too, that your little bro- 

 ther has sometimes for breakfast, is obtained from 

 a plant of this class, Maran'taarundina'cea; which 

 is a native of South America, and has its English 

 name from being supposed to extract the poison 

 from wounds made by the poisoned arrows of the 

 Indians. It has a thick fleshy root, which, when 

 washed, pounded, and bleached, makes the powder 

 that we use as food. 



The Turmeric, so commonly used in dyeing 

 yellow, is the root of a plant, also in the first 

 class, called by Linnaeus Curcuma lon'ga. It is 

 very much cultivated in the East Indies and in 

 China for the sake of its roots, which are sold in 

 our shops as a dye. Indian Shot, Can'na In'dica, 

 a native of both the Indies, and Ginger, Zin'giber 

 officina'le, a native of the East Indies, belong also 

 to this class. But I dare say you are now anxious 

 to examine a plant yourself, so let us go into the 

 fields and look for one. 



c 3 



