LARGE PLANTS OF WARM CLIMATES. 91 



MOTHER. 



In all hot countries vegetables grow to a much 

 greater size, and are found in greater abundance 

 than in cold climates, where they are diminutive, 

 and few in number. The difference of size in 

 going south from England begins to be perceived 

 even in Italy, where millet, a sort of corn, attains 

 the height of four or five yards. In the Island of 

 Jamaica, in Madagascar, and on the coast of Co- 

 romandel, botanists have hitherto found from four 

 to five thousand native species of plants ; in Pied- 

 mont, two thousand eight hundred ; in Branden- 

 burg, two thousand; in Sweden, about thirteen 

 hundred ; in Iceland, five hundred and fifty-three ; 

 in Lapland, five hundred and thirty-four ; in Spitz- 

 bergen, only thirty. 



In the East Indies there is a plant called the 

 greatFan-palm, Cor'ypha umbraculif era, with leaves 

 more than six yards in breadth, which have the 

 form of an umbrella; and a species of Aristolo'chia*, 

 that grows on the banks of the river La Madalina, 

 in South America, has flowers so large that the 

 children use them in play for hats. Another 

 species of this genus, Aristolo'chia clemafitis, 

 grows wild in our woods and hedges. 



The Monkey's Bread-tree, Adanso'nia digita'ta, 

 is found on the banks of the river Senegal in Africa, 



* Class Hexandria, of Withering; but in the twentieth 

 class, Gynandria, of Linnaeus. 



