PET 



PET 



1700, when human hair sold at 3/. per 

 ounce ; and in 1720, the grey locks of an 

 aged woman sold for 501. after her de- 

 cease, as did wigs at 40/. each, of peculiar 

 excellence. 



A petition from the master peruke- 

 makers of London and Westminster, pre- 

 sented to the King- in 1763, points out 

 the final decline of their use to have tak- 

 en place at that time. In this they com- 

 plain of the public wearing their own 

 hair ; and say, " That this mode, perni- 

 cious enough in itself to their trade, is 

 rendered excessively more so by swarms 

 of French hair-dressers already in those 

 cities, and daily increasing." 



FERULA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Dioecia Polyanclria class and order. Ge- 

 neric character: male, calyx ; perianthum 

 two-leaved, very small corolla ; petal 

 one, semi-globular, concave, hanging 

 down ; stamens, filaments very many ; 

 pistil, germs four, barren, very small : 

 female on a distinct tree ; calyx, perian- 

 thum as in the male, deciduous ; corolla 

 as in the male ; pistil, germs four, fertile ; 

 pericarpium capsule, obovate, subtrigo- 

 nal; seeds solitary, small. The number of 

 species not known. P. arborea is a native 

 of New Granada, about Mariquita, where 

 it was found by Mutis. 



PETALOMA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Decandria Monogynia class and order. 

 Essential character : calyx goblet-shap- 

 ed, five-toothed; petals five, inserted 

 between the teeth of the calyx ; stamina 

 oh the margin of the calyx; berry one- 

 celled ; seeds one or four. There are 

 two species, viz. P. myrtilloides and P. 

 mouriri. 



PETESIA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Tetrandria Monogynia class and order. 

 Natural order of Rubiacese, Jussieu. Es- 

 sential character : corolla one-petalled, 

 funnel form; stigma bifid; berry many- 

 seeded. There are three species. 



PETIOLUS. See PEDUNCULUS. 



PETIT (PETER) a considerable mathe- 

 matician and philosopher of France, was 

 born at Montlucon in the diocese of 

 Bourges, in the year 1589, according to 

 some, but in 1600 according to others. 

 He first cultivated the mathematics and 

 philosophy in the place of his nativity; 

 but in 1633 he repaired to Paris, to which 

 place his reputation had procured him an 

 invitation. Here he became highly cele- 

 brated for his ingenious writings, and for 

 his connections with Pascal, Des Cartes, 

 Mersenne, and the other great men of 

 that time. He was employed on several 

 occasions by Cardinal Richelieu ; he was 



commissioned by this minister to visit the 

 seaports, with the title of the King's En- 

 gineer; and was also tent into Italy u;>on 

 the King's business. He was at Tours in 

 1640, where he married; and was after- 

 wards made Intendant of the Fortifications. 

 Baillet, in his Life of Des Cartes, says that 

 Petit had a great genius for mathematics; 

 that he excelled particularly in astrono- 

 my; and had a singular passion for experi- 

 mental philosophy. He was intimately 

 connected with Pascal, with whom he 

 made, at Rouen, the same experiments 

 concerning the vacuum, which Torri- 

 celli had before made in Italy ; and was 

 assured of their truth by frequent repeti- 

 tions. He died August the 20th, 1667, at 

 Lagny, near Paris, whither he had retir- 

 ed for some time before his decease. He 

 published several works upon physical 

 and astronomical subjects, also on chro- 

 nology and theology. 



PETITIA, in botany, so named in me- 

 mory of Francis Petit, a genus of the Te- 

 trandria Monogynia class and order. Na- 

 tural order of Vitices, Jussieu. Essential 

 character : calyx four-toothed, inferior ; 

 corolla four-parted ; drupe with a two- 

 celled nut. There is but one species, viz. 

 P. Domingensis, a native of the island of 

 St. Domingo. 



PETITION, no petition to the King, 

 or to either house of parliament, for any 

 alteration in church or state, shall be 

 signed by above twenty persons, unless 

 the matter thereof be approved by three 

 Justices of the Peace, or the major part 

 of the Grand Jury in the county ; and in 

 London, by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, 

 and Common Council: nor shall any peti- 

 tion be presented by more than ten per- 

 sons art a time. 



PETITION in chancery, a request in writ- 

 ing, directed to the Lord Chancellor, or 

 Master of the Rolls, shewing some matter 

 or cause whereupon the petitioner prays 

 somewhat to be granted him. 



PETIVERIA, in botany, Guinea-ten 

 weed, a genus of the Hexandria Tetragy- 

 nia class and order. Natural order of Ho- 

 loraceae. Atriplices, Jussieu. Essential 

 character : calyx four-leaved ; corolla 

 none ; seed one, with reflex awns at top. 

 There are two species, viz. P. alliacea, 

 common Guinea hen-weed; and P. octan- 

 dra, dwarf Guinea hen-weed : both natives 

 of the West Indies. 



PETREA, in botany, so named in ho- 

 nour of Lord Petre, a genus of the 

 Didynamia Angiospermia class and order. 

 Natural order of Personatse. Vitices, 

 Jussieu. Essential character: calvxfive- 



