THE PALM FAMILY. 425 



One or two species have sensitive leaves, and this is especially 

 noticeable in O. sensitiva and our native O. acetosella, as well 

 as in O. stricta. Nearly all the species seed freely ; some, in- 

 deed, like O. corniculata, become weeds in our hothouses and 

 gardens. Sow as soon as ripe, the tender species in heat, and 

 the hardy species in a sheltered border, where they will be safe 

 from birds and mice. The tuberous-rooted kinds are readily 

 multiplied by dividing old plants. Little or nothing appears to 

 have been done to improve these plants by artificial hybridisa- 

 tion, which is much to be wondered at, considering their beauty 

 and easy culture. The pollen is ripe soon after the expansion 

 of the flowers, and the two sets of stamens seem intended to 

 facilitate cross-fertilisation. The elasticity of the capsules is a 

 little singular, the seeds being suddenly thrown out by the 

 contractibility of the lining of the ripe carpels. This, like 

 similar arrangements in Balsams, Mormordica, Broom, and 

 other plants, seems intended to distribute the seeds, and is 

 one of the most potent of nature's methods of securing a rota- 

 tion of crops. The seeds are beautifully pitted, and form pretty 

 microscopic objects under a low power. 



THE PALM FAMILY (Palmacece). 



A natural and extensive family of hard-leaved plants, princi- 

 pally natives of tropical and intertropical countries, where they 

 vary in height from only a few inches to one or even two hun- 

 dred feet. In South America, and especially in the Amazon 

 and Orinoco valleys, Palms of very diverse habits are found in 

 large numbers. Wax, oil, wine, flour, sugar, and salt are afford- 

 ed by these plants, together with leaves for thatch, fibre, and 

 writing materials. One of the best-known imports produced 

 by this family is sago, which is prepared from the stem-tissues 

 or pith of Sagus Icevis and S. genuine*, both cultivated largely in 

 the Moluccas, each individual furnishing seven to eight cwt. 

 of prepared starch or sago. Caryota urens, Phoenix farinifera, 

 and other Palms, yield inferior sago. Phoenix dactylifera is the 

 Date-palm, and oil is largely produced from the fruit of the 

 Oil-palm Eldis guinensis and also from the Cocoa-nut 

 Palm Cocos nucifera ; while the Wax-palm Ceroxylon andi- 

 cola affords a kind of wax or sperm of considerable economic 

 importance in the manufacture of soap and candles. Nearly 

 all the species, which number upwards of seven hundred, are 

 graceful in habit, having fresh, glossy, evergreen leaves, which, 

 being hard and permanent, render these plants eminently use- 

 ful as decorative plants. Popularly they are divided into Fan- 



