A M A 



A M A 



lato-setaceouts, red, longer than the flowers, 

 urrounding the glom< roles. 



The fourth species, or Pendulous Amaranthus, 

 has die stem generally two feet high, green, ob- 

 scurely angular, grooved and streaked, smooth, 

 covered at top with thin, whitish, scattered 

 hairs: the upper part nods on account of the 

 great length of the racemes: theleaves are smooth, 

 Bright green, blunt, emarginate, with an incurv- 

 ed transparent point : the petioles much shorter 

 than the leaf: the racemes terminating, elegantly 

 purple, very long, cylindrical, composed of 

 flowers very closely glomerate: the calyxes five- 

 leaved: the leaflets oblong, red, acuminate, 

 membranaceous : the bractcae oblong, pointed, 

 and scattered. 



The fifth, or Tree Amaranthus, rises to the 

 height of seven or eight feet, sending off nume- 

 rous horizontal branches at every ten or twelve 

 inches : the leaves are rough, green, and luxuri- 

 ant : the spikes are seldom half the length of 

 those of the other sorts, but are much thicker. 

 It is said to degenerate gradually into the smaller 

 kind. The seeds, which at first are white, also 

 become red. It flowers in August and Septem- 

 ber. And it is a native of Persia, &c. 



In the sixth species, the stem is a foot and a 

 half or two feet in height, grooved, green with 

 rul streaks, smooth, and slightly pubescent 

 among the flowers : the leaves are green, spotted 

 with brown above, red beneath, bluntish with a 

 reddish short point : the petioles red, channelled, 

 and smooth : the racemes red and green, with 

 branchlets spreading and nodding a little : the 

 calyx five-leaved : the leaflets oblong, pointed, 

 white-membranaceous, with a red nerve, and a 

 point of the same colour. 



It varies of a shining red colour, — with a red 

 stalk with pale leaves, — with a green stalk with 

 rariegated leaves, &c. As first cultivated in this 

 climate, according to professor Martyn, the stem 

 w as wholly red and smooth ; the petioles, ribs, 

 and nerves of the leaves underneath purple; the 

 spikes purple, much spreading, and a little nod- 

 ding. They were of course very beautiful, and 

 made a gay appearance for the two first years : 

 but afterwards the seeds degenerated, and the 

 plants had little beauty ; which is the same with 

 some other species of this genus. It is a native 

 of the East Indies. 



In the seventh species, the stem is erect, a foot 

 and a half or two feet in height, smooth, except 

 under the leaves, where it is a little scabrous, 

 reddish, roundish, streaked, and grooved : the 

 leaves are red and green, acute, with elevated 

 veins: the petioles are channelled, and of a red- 

 dish colour: the racemes are naked, red, lateral, 

 short, and placed about the stem without order : 



the calyxes are five-leaved : the leaflets oblong, 

 acute, membranaceous, and red. 



It varies with leaves more or less red, — with 

 very red and paler racemes, — with a green and 

 red, — with a rough and smooth stalk. It flowers 

 from July to September. And it is a native of 

 Virginia. 



Culture. — The propagation in most of these 

 species is not effected without considerable trou- 

 ble, as they require the aid of artificial heat, in 

 order to bring them forward in the greatest per- 

 fection. There are a few, however, that may be 

 raised in the open ground without the assistance 

 of heat applied in the above manner. 



The two first, as being the most tender, de- 

 mand much greater attention and more artificial 

 heat in producing them, than those of the third, 

 fourth, and fifth kinds. And the sixth and se- 

 venth species are capable of being raised with 

 still less heat than those of the above sorts, though 

 not in the fullest perfection without a slight de- 

 gree of it. 



In all the different species the business is ac- 

 complished by sowing the seeds annually in the 

 early spring months, as about the latter end of 

 March or beginning of April, on beds of good 

 earth, either over heat or in the natural ground, 

 according to the nature of the plants. The ear- 

 lier the sowing can be performed, the better 

 growth the plants will attain in the summer season. 



In raising the two first sorts in the greatest 

 lustre and perfection, the aid of two or three dif- 

 ferent hot-beds is necessary ; which should be 

 covered with frames and glasses, so as to slide 

 with ease and convenience. The first of these 

 hot-beds should be small, and made in the ordi- 

 nary way, for the purpose of receiving the seed, 

 and which may likewise serve for that of other 

 annuals of the tender kind of similar growth. 

 They should be earthed over the top within the 

 frames, to the depth of five or six inches, with 

 good light dry mould. In this the seed should 

 be sown in small shallow drills, and covered over 

 very lightly with line sifted mould : the glasses 

 are then to be placed over. In these situations 

 the plants should be suffered to remain till they 

 have attained the height of two or three inches, 

 air being admitted in fine days, and the glasses 

 covered at nights with garden mats. When the 

 plants are in this situation, a second hot-bed is 

 to he prepared in the same manner, into which 

 the young plants arc to be pricked out to the di- 

 stance of about four inches from each other, 

 moderate waterings being occasionally given, 

 and the plants well shaded from the sun till they 

 have taken fresh root. Air should now be ad- 

 mitted more freely when the weather is fine, by 

 raising one end of the glasses^ and the night 



