MAR 



thfeir base ; the stalks about two feet high, 

 the ends of which are terminated by a 

 loose bunch of small white flowers, stand- 

 ing upon peduncles two inches long ; the 

 flowers are cut into six narrow segments, 

 indented on their e^lges ; these sit upon 

 the embryo, which afterwards turns to a 

 roundish three-cornered capsule, inclosing 

 one hard rough seed. It is called Indian 

 arrow-root, because it was thought to ex- 

 tract the poison from wounds inflicted by 

 the poisoned arrows of the Indians. The 

 root, washed, pounded fine, and bleached, 

 makes a powder and starch ; it is recom- 

 mended as a proper food for infants, and 

 is gelatinous like salep. It is a native of 

 South America, and is cultivated in the 

 West Indies ; it is found in great plenty 

 near La Vera Cruz. 



MARATTIA, in botany, so named in 

 honour of Giovanni Francesco Maratti, 

 an Italian botanist, a genus of the Cryp- 

 togamia Filices class and order. Natural 

 order of Filices or Ferns. Essential cha- 

 racter : capsules oval, gaping longitudi- 

 nally at top, with several cells on each 

 side. There are three species. 



MARBLE is a kind of stone, found in 

 great masses, and dug out. of pits and 



guarries. It is of so hard, compact, and 

 ne a texture as readily to take a beauti- 

 ful polish, and much used in ornaments 

 of buildings, as columns, statues, altars, 

 tombs, chimney-pieces, tables, and the 

 like. There are infinite numbers of dif- 

 ferent kinds of marble. Some are of one 

 simple colour, as white or black ; others 

 variegated with stains, clouds, waves, and 

 veins : but all opaque, excepting the 

 white, which, cut into thin pieces, be- 

 comes transparent. Marble is found in 

 considerable quantities, in most of the 

 mountainous parts of Europe. Derby- 

 shire is that county of England most 

 abounding in this article. Near Kemlyn 

 Bay, in the island of Anglesea, there is a 

 quarry of beautiful marble, called Verde 

 di Corsica, being common to this place, 

 some parts of Italy, and Corsica. Its co- 

 lours are green, black, white, and dull 

 purple, irregularly disposed. Italy is that 

 part of Europe which produces the most 

 valuable marble, and in which its expor- 

 tation makes a considerable branch of fo- 

 reign commerce. The black and the 

 milk-white marble, coming from Carara, 

 a town in the duchy of Massa, are parti- 

 cularly esteemed. 



MARBLES, Jlrundel, ancient marbles, 

 with a chronicle of the city of Athens 

 inscribed on them, many years before 

 our Saviour's birth; presented, tP the 



MA& 



University of Oxford by Thomas Earl of 

 Arundel, whence the name. >jee ARUN- 



DE1IA3T. 



MARBLING, in general, the painting 

 any thing with veins and clouds, so as to 

 represent those of marble. 



Marbling of books or paper is perform- 

 ed thus : dissolve four ounces of gum 

 arabic into two quarts of fair water ; then 

 provide several colours mixed with water 

 in pots or shells, and with pencils pecu- 

 liar to each colour, sprinkle them by way 

 of intermixture upon the gum water, 

 which must be put into a trough, or some 

 broad vessel ; then with a stick curl them, 

 or draw them out in streaks, to as much 

 variety as may be done. Having done 

 this, hold your book, or books, close to- 

 gether, and only dip the edges in, on 

 the top of the water and colours, very 

 lightly ; which done, take them off, and 

 the plain impression of the colours in 

 mixture will be upon the leaves; doing 

 as well the ends as the front of the book 

 in the like manner, and afterwards glaz- 

 ing the colours. 



MARCGRAVIA, in botany, so called 

 from George Marcgraaf, of Leibstadt, a 

 genus of the Polyandria Monogynia class 

 and order. Natural order of Putaminex. 

 Capparides, Jussieu. Essential character : 

 corolla one-petalled, calyptre-shaped ; 

 calyx six-leaved, imbricate; berry many- 

 celled; many-seeded. There is but one 

 species, viz. M. umbellata, which is a na- 

 tive of the West Indies, in the cool woody 

 mountains. Brown says, it is frequent in 

 the woods of Jamaica, appearing in such 

 various forms that it has been mistaken 

 for different plants in the different stages 

 of its growth. 



MARCHANTIA, in botany, so named 

 in honour of Nicholas Marchant, M. D. a 

 genus of the CryptogamiaHepaticae, Jus- 

 sieu. Essential character : male, calyx 

 salver shaped ; anthers numerous, imbed- 

 ded in its disk: female, calyx peltate, 

 flowering on the under side ; capsules 

 opening at top ; seeds fixed to elastic fi- 

 bres. Seven species are enumerated in 

 the " Sy sterna Vegetabilium ;" of these 

 five are natives of Britain. M. polymor- 

 pha is very common in wet places, on 

 shady walks, and by the sides of wells 

 and springs; in figure it resembles an 

 oak leaf; the peduncles are in the angles 

 of the lobes, from one to three inches 1 

 high; capsules greenish, dividing into 

 eight segments ; on the upper surface 

 are glass-shaped conical cups, on short 

 pedicles, with a wide scalloped margin, 

 inclosing four little bodies, very finely 

 serrated at the edges, 



