•J is 



SCIENCE OF AGRTCULTTRF.. 



P..KT II. 



flower is then said to be luxuriant ; and comprises the three following varieties: the mul- 

 tiplicate, the full, and the proliferous flower. 



I i - The multtplicntt flower is sometimes, though rarely, occasioned by an unusual multiplication of 

 the diviiloniof the calyx, at In Dtantbus Caryophfllus, and some of the alpine grasses. Hut the anomaly 

 nmst generally conslsti In ihe undue multiplication of the divisions of the corolla, by theconversion of part 



of the stamens into petals, which is occasionally to be metwlthboth in n petalous and polypetalous 



Bowers, it occun bul seldom, however, in Rowers growing In thuir natural state and habit, though now 

 and then a double flower is met with even in such circumstances. 



The full flower i- generally described t<> !><■ that in which the divisions of the corrolla arc so mul- 

 tiplied as to exclu nens and pistils wholly by means of their com ersion into petals ; which con- 



readily effected in polypetalous flowers, mch as the tulip, poppy, pink, and ranunculus ; mo- 

 noiietalous Bowers seldom being found lull This complete metamorphosis is always either the effect of 



cultivation, or of s e concurrence of natural circumstances analogous to it, and is indeed one of the 



princip irt of the florist 5 the beauty of the flower, according to general estimation, being 



thus much augmented. In the full flower the stamens are almost always converted into petals, whence we 

 should pi ilia;- infer their identity of origin. But the pistil is oil en converted into a leaf, as may be seen 

 bj inspecting the flower of the double blossomed cherry, which generally protrudes from the centre a leaf 

 In miniature. But a il"»cr in .v income- lull also by the multiplication of the parts of the nectary, ai is 

 sometimes the case in the genus Aquilegia, which produces full 

 Rowei i dm lit way- : by the multiplication of the petals 



to the exclusion of the nectaries; by the multiplication of the 

 i ies to the exclusion of the petals : and by the multiplication 



of the in claries while the proper petals remain. There are also 

 some peculiarities in the manner in which compound Mowers 

 become lull Radiated llowers become lull sometimes by the 

 multiplication of the floscules of the ray to the exclusion of 

 the floscules oi the disk, as in Helianthus, .7'nlhcmis, and Cen- 

 taurea: and sometimes by the multiplication of the floscules of 

 the disk to the exclusion of those of the ray, as in Matricaria and 



193 





y/ciiis. 



1614 The proliferous flower fig. 193.) is that out of which 

 another flower or another shoot is produced It is seldom 



f d but in flowers already lull; from the centre of which, 



thai is, from the ovary or pistil, it sometimes happens that a 

 new (lower and foot-stalk is produced, if the flower is simple, as 

 in the ranunculus, anemone, and pink ; or several flowers and 

 foot-stalks issuing from the common calyx, if the flower is com- 

 pound, as in the daisy, hawkweed, and marigold ; or a new 

 umbel issuing from the centre of the original umbel, if the 

 flower is umbellate, as in Curnus. 



1615. Various anomalies. Sometimes the proliferous issue of the full flower is not itself a flower, but a 

 shoot furnished with leaves, as has been sometimes, though rarely, observed in thecaseof the anemone 

 and rose. Such arc the several varieties of luxuriant flowers, constituting anomalies of excess : but it 

 Bometimes happens that there is also in the flower an anomaly of defect in the absence of one of its parts. 

 Examples of this sort arc occasionally to be met with m the flowers of Cheirauthus Chnri, Campanula 

 pentagonia, and Tussilago anandria, in which the corolla is altogether wanting, though proper to the 

 species ; and in this case the flower is said to be mutilated. Sometimes the anomaly consis:s in the situa- 

 tion of the (lower, which is generally protruded from the extremity or sides of the branches ; but the flower 

 of the A'liscus is protruded from the surface of the leaf. Or it may consist in the relative situation of the 

 several parts of the flower. In simple llowers, the pistil is invariably central with regard t-> the stamens ; 

 but in compound flowers the pist:ls are often situated in the circumference and the stamens in the centre. 

 This seems to he the case, also, with some monoecious plants, having their flowers on the same peduncle, 

 as in the example of the Cirex and .-Trum, in which the stamens are more central than the pistils. Some- 

 time* the anomaly consists in the color of the corolla, wdiich will often deviate even in the same species. 

 The general colour of the common cowslip i Primula vferis) is a bright yellow ; but an individual is occa- 

 sionally to be met with, though very rarely, in which the limb or expansion of the corolla is purple with a 

 line of yellow around the border. Sometimes the anomaly consists in the time of flowering. Ihe season 

 proper 'for the flowering of the apple and pear tree is the month of May; but trees of that sort have been 

 known to protrude both buds and hi s-oms even in the month of November. Some plains, however, blow 

 only in the winter, as in the case of the laurustinus and .-('rbutus i/nedo; while others blow only in the 

 night, and refuse to expand their petals to the light of the sun Such is the case of the Cactus grandirlbra, 

 that produces one of the most magnificent of flowers, but blows only in the night ; and is hence known 

 also by the a;'p illation of the night blowing cereus. Some plants, 

 such as the .J'lgje, and Fungi, are altogether destitute of con- 

 spicuous flowers; and are hence called Oryptogamous. The 

 flower of the tig is perhaps one of the most singular in respect of i 

 concealment. The flowers of perfect plants, which, in other cases, 

 uniformly precede the fruit, are in this case concealed 

 Within what is generally denominated the fruit ; as may be 

 proved by cutting open a green tig fig. 10+.) by means of a lon- 

 gitudinal section passing through its axis. Great numbers of 

 Bowers are then discovered lining a sort of cavity in the axis of 

 the fruit ; and hence what is called the fruit or fig, in common 

 language, is rather the receptacle of the flower than any thing 

 else. Host plants have their llowers furnished both with stamens and pistils, and are hence hermaphro- 

 dites But there are also many genera that have the stamens in one flower and the pistils in another, both 

 on ihe same individual : these are denominated Monoecious plants, and are exemplified in the oak and 

 li IzeL Other genera have the flowers with stamens on one plant, and the flowers with pistils on another: 

 these are denominated DiaiCiOUS, and arc exemplified in the hop and willow. Others have unisexual 

 flowers of each kind on one and the same plant, as in Monoecia; on separate plants, as in Dioecia ; and 

 on others mixed with those which are hermaphrodite : these are denominated Polygamous, and are ex- 

 emplified in the genus .-/'triplex. In a spccii s of Euterpe, found on the island of Bourbon, the flowers are 

 visible eight years before they are expanded. The summit is formed of twelve leaves, each supplied with 



a bunch of flowers m its axilla. Three leaves "illy expand each year, so that (our vers will have elapsed 

 between the expansion of the first flowers and of" the last, although even the former were discoverable 

 lour, and the latter eight, yean prcv iously. ( Londun EncyC, art. Botany.) 



1610". The fruit. The anomalies of the fruit may affect either its number, figure, 

 colour, or appenda 



1617. The common hazel-nut produces in general but one kernel in one shell; but in the course ft 

 opening a considerable number, von will now and then meet with one containing two or three kernels in 

 a shell I hi is, pel hap-, bi i accounti d l"r by supposing, with Du Hamcl, fl at it is the result of an i.n- 

 natural grail effected in the bad , though some think that the shell doei always contain the rudiments of 



