AGE 



A G R 



course of two or three months. The ceconomy 

 of the plants is such, that they only flower once, 

 but continue for some length of time; after 

 which a complete dissolution of the plants takes 

 place, in their roots, leaves, and stems. 



All the different sorts are highly ornament- 

 al, both on account of their large singular leaves, 

 and the extraordinary beauty of the flowers when 

 they appear ; the former being thick, fleshy, 

 and erect ; proceeding closely from the crowns 

 of the roots in large clusters, and attaining dif- 

 ferent lengths according to the species, aa from 

 a foot and a half to six or eight feet, having 

 the breadth of six or eight inches, with three or 

 four in thickness, gradually decreasing in both 

 the last to the extremities, where they terminate 

 in thorny points : the latter in most of the spe- 

 cies presenting themselves on branches proceed- 

 ing from stems of great length on every side, in 

 beautiful clusters of a pyramidal form and fine 

 yellow colour, producing a grand effect. 



The more hardy sorts are :ill well adapted for 

 adorning lawns, courts, and other compartments 

 in the immediate vicinity of the house, during 

 the summer months, when placed out separately; 

 as well as with the more tender and smaller kinds, 

 to afford variety among the greenhouse and 

 stove collections. The stripe-leaved varieties 

 have a strikingly beautiful appearance in either 

 situation. 



The juice of the leaves of these plants, when 

 expressed by bruising, and reduced to a proper 

 consistence to be incorporated with some alkaline 

 substance, has been found to answer as a sub- 

 stitute for soap in washing. 



AGERATUM, a genus comprehending some 

 plants of the herbaceous flowering annual kinds. 



It belongs to the class and order of Syngenesia 

 Polygamia JEquulh ; and ranks in the natural 

 order of Composites Dlscoidece. 



The characters of which are : that the common 

 calyx is oblong, having many lanceolate subequal 

 scales : the compound corolla uniform, with 

 corollets, which are hermaphrodite, tubulous, 

 numerous, equal, but scarcely longer than the 

 calyx ; proper-monopetalous, funnel-shaped, 

 border quadrifid and spreading : the stamina are 

 very short capillary rilaments : the anthera cylin- 

 dric and tubular : the pistillum is an oblong 

 germ ; the style filiform, and of the length of 

 the stamina : the stigmas two in number, very 

 slender and erect : no pericarpium : calyx un- 

 changed : the seed solitary, oblong, lingular, be- 

 ing crowned with a chaffy, five-leaved, upright- 

 awned calycule : the receptacle naked, convex, 

 and very small. 



The species are, l . A. co?iyxoides > Hairy Age- 

 ratum ; 2. A. ciliare. 



In the first the root is annual : the stem 

 woody, square, reddish, and of about a foot and 

 a half in height. The leaves are opposite, hairy, 

 much serrate about the edges, an inch and a harf 

 long, and three quarters of an inch broad, pe- 

 tioled, resembling those of the nettle. Calyx 

 ovate-cylindric, with two or three rows of scale.-, 

 which spread very much when ripe. The recep- 

 tacle is ovate-globular, and pitted. The seeds are 

 small, columnar, smooth, blackish, being elon- 

 gated at the base into a little white swelling na- 

 vel : crown the length of the seed, and white: 

 leaflets membranaceous, ciliate-toothed, end- 

 ing in a long rough bristle-shaped awn. It 

 flowers in July and August, and is a native of 

 Africa. 



The second has the stem herbaceous, two feet 

 high, upright, thick, brownish and branched. 

 The leaves sharpish, veined, smooth, and oppo- 

 site. The flowers terminate in a sort of um- 

 bel. The calyx is almost ovate. The corollets are 

 five-cleft ; the crown of the seeds having five 

 cusps. It is a native of the East Indies. 



Culture. — These plants are propagated by 

 means of seed, which should be sown on a hot- 

 bed of a moderate temperature, in a light fine 

 mould. After the plants have become sufficiently 

 strong, they should be transplanted into a second 

 bed of the same kind, carefully watering and 

 shading them until they have taken fresh root, 

 when air should be pretty freely admitted when 

 the season is warm. 



About the beginning of June the plants may 

 be gradually inured to the open air ; and towards 

 the middle of the same month transplanted into 

 the situations where they are to remain in the 

 open ground. The seeds become ripe about 

 September. 



As these plants are not of tall growth, and 

 continue in flower for a considerable length of 

 time, they may be planted in the anterior parts 

 of the clumps and borders of pleasure grounds, 

 where they may serve the purpose of ornament,, 

 and at the same time afford a suitable variety. 



AGRIMONIA, a genu* affording severafher- 

 baceous perennial plants of the Agrimony kind. 



It belongs to the class and order of Dedecan- 

 dria Digynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Senticosie* 



Its characters are: that the calyx is a one-leafed, 

 five-cleft, acute, small, superior, permanent pe- 

 rianthium, fenced with an outer calyx : the co- 

 rolla has five flat, emarginate petals', with the 

 claws narrow, inserted" into the calyx : the. 

 stamina are capillary filaments, shorter than 

 the corolla, inserted into the calvx ; the an- 

 thene small, twin, and compressed : the pis- 

 tillum is a germ inferior ; the styles simple, of 



