120 APPENDlIt. 



B. VULGARIS. Wilhl. Lower leaves ovate; flovfcrs clustered; calyx leaves dentate at base; 



Vidgo—Beet. Garden Beet. Red Beet. 



Fl- Middle cf July. F'r. mat. Middle of September. 



Hub- Gardens, and lots. Biennial. 2 to 4 feet hish. Nat. Maritime parts of Southern Europe. 



Obs. Very generally cultivated, for its fine esculent root, of which there are several varieties. The seeds ' 

 are planted "the beginning of April.— and later for winter use. 



B. ciCLA. TVilld. Radical leaves petiolate, cauline sessile; flowers in threes; lateral spikes long. 

 Vulgo— Mangel wurtzel. Scarcity root. White Beet. 



Fl. Latter end of July. Fr- mat. Latter end of September. 



Hub. Gardens, and fields. Biennial. 3 to 5 feet high. Nat. Portugal. 



Obs- This large-rooted species is but partially cultivated, here; and not much esteemed for the table, 

 though it is unquestionably a valuable article of food for stock— especiolly milk cows— in the winter season; 

 and is very productive,— as has been signally demonstrated by that intelligent and indefatigable promoter of 

 the interests of Agriculture, John Hare Poivel, Esquire. See Memoirs of the Penn. AgiHc. Society. Our 

 farmers, however, will not generally attend to the culture oi Boots, to any great e> tent, while they can 

 raise good crops of that admirable grain, the Indian Corn {Zea 7nayE). The seeds of this Beet are planted 

 in the beginning of May. 



©HBER, PEHTAGYNIA. 



26. LINUxM. Gen. PL 528. 

 [Gr. IJnon,— or Celtic, Llin; the name for flax, or thread, in those languages.] 

 Cal. 5 parted, persistent. Cor. petals 5, unguiculate. Caps, globose, 10 valved,10 celled. Seeds solitary. 

 li. usiTATissjMUM. fViUd. Stem subsolitary; leaves lanceolate; petals crenate; capsule mucronate. 

 Ku/g-o- Common Flax. 



FL Middle of June, and after. Fr. mat. Middle of July. 



Ifab- Fields. Annual. 2 to 3 feet high, flowers blue. A'atiuc country uncertain. 



Obs. The seed of this most important plant is usually sown the last of March, or beginning iJsApril. It 

 is not extensively cultivated here, of late years. Our farmers think it a crop which i» not very piofUable, 

 and that it impoverishes the soil: they therefore prefer to raise other plants, and to purchase fabrics of Cot- 

 ton with the produce. It appears that in the time of Virgil it was deemed injurious to land, — as he says, 



"Urit enim Lini campumseges, urit avense." — Georg. 1. 71. 



The seeds, in addition to their value in yielding oil, afford one of the best mucilaginous drinks, for 

 coughs, and pectoral affections. 



CLASS VI. HEXANDRIA. 



OB.BSH, aSOKCSTSriA. 



a. Flowers spathaceciis- 



27. ALLIUM. Gen. PL 557. 

 [Obscure: Dc Theis says, from the Celtic,-^//,— which signifies hot, acrid, burning.] 



Spaihe many Row ered. r/m6e/ clustered. Cor. 6 parted, spreading. Caps, superior, 3 celled, 3 valved- 



A. PORRUM. fVilld. Stem with fiat leaves; umbel capsule-bearing; stamens tricuspidate. 



Ftt/g-o— Leek. 



FL Middle of July. Fr- mat. Last of August. 



//afc. Gardens. Perennial. A^af. Switzerland. A kitchen herb, but little cultivated here. 



A. SATIVUM. JVilld. Stem flat-leaved, bulb-bearing; bulb compound; stamens tricuspidate. 

 Vulgo— English Garlic. 



Fl. Latter end of July. Fr. mat Beginning of September. 



/:fa6. Gardens. Perennial. 1 to 2 feet high: flowers whitish. A'a^ Sicily. 



Obs. Esteemed medicinal, as a vermifuge, &c. and cultivated chiefly for that object. 



