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THE ABRUS, OH WILD LIQUORICE. 



This elegant plant grows wild in both the In- 

 dies, Guinea, and Egypt ; and produces those 

 beautiful red seeds, resembling beads, with a 

 black spot or eye at the end annexed to the 

 pod, which is much admired; and in conse- 

 quence of their resemblance to beads, are fre- 

 quently strung into necklaces, and worn by the 

 fair of Africa, Asia, and even Europe. The 

 plant is shrubby and twining ; the leaves pin- 

 nated with many oblong leaflets ; the seeds are 

 very beautiful, and are eaten in Egypt, but are 

 the most unwholesome and indigestible of the 

 pulse tribe. One variety produces white, and 

 another yellow seeds ; but otherwise they are 

 not essentially different. The Elbrus is with 

 us a stove-plant, raised from seeds, sown in light 

 earth, and plunged in a hot-bed. It sometimes 

 .ripens seed in England. 



CURIOUS PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO THE 



PALM-TREE. 



The Palm-branch or Palm-tree, was anciently 

 used as an emblem of victory, being carried 



