JULY. 141 



the flower cups are of a deep red colour, and 

 are so acid that they are made into tarts. This 

 flower is in the East Indies called red sorrel; 

 while in the West India islands, the refreshing 

 acid is used to make a drink resembhng 

 lemonade, which is much valued in the sugar 

 colonies. From the bark of this and other 

 species, the people of the Malabar coast manu- 

 facture, not only coarse cordage, but fine thread ; 

 while the acid leaves serve as a salad. Several 

 species are cultivated both for food and for the 

 manufacture of India matting ; while the seeds 

 of several are, in Hindostan, used as a cordial 

 medicine, and in Arabia are mingled with the 

 coffee berry to heighten its flavour. Of one 

 species were made the whips with which the 

 slaves were beaten in the "West Indies, ere 

 British justice had declared that all the subjects 

 of the British empire were a free people. The 

 leaves of some species yield a good blue dye. 



The beautiful flower called China rose 

 hibiscus, (Hibiscus rosa Siiiensis,) is a favourite 

 flower in the hot-houses of this country, and is 

 very common in China, where the plant grows 

 to a high tree. Its flowers also grace the hedges 

 at the Cape of Good Hope. It is one of the 

 flowers often represented in Chinese paintings, 

 on screens, and other articles of furniture. It 

 is chiefly from its rich petals that the thick 

 black substance is extracted, used instead of 

 blacking, and which, from the purposes to which 

 it is applied, has given to this flower, in its 

 native land, the name of shoe flower. With 



