N«. 133.] 237 



It is remarkable, however, that one or other of these distinctions 

 disappears in a great many cases. There are very few double 

 flowers among them. The species are distributed as follows : 



In the Equinoxial Zone, there are . . . 1,602 

 North of the Tropic Zone "... 1,312 

 South of the Tropic Zone " ... 524 



This li?t has been enlarged much. This order of plants is not 

 only among the most extensive that are known, but also one of 

 the most important to man, whether we consider the beauty of 

 the numerous species, which are among the gayest colored and 

 most graceful plants of every region, or their applicability to a 

 thousand useful purposes. The cercis which render the gardens 

 of Turkey resplendent with its myriad^ of purple flowers; the 

 acacia, brazilletto, logwood and rosewood of commerce, the labur- 

 num, the classical cytisus, the furze and broome, the pride of the 

 otherwise dreary heaths of Eui^ope j the bean, pea, vetch, clover, 

 trefoil, the lucerne ; are all so marty leguminous species. The 

 seeds of many of these papilionacese are articles of common food, 

 by the name of pulso. The most remarkable among them is the 

 arachis hypoga^a, or under growid kidney heanj whose pods are 

 forced into the ground after the flowering has been accomplished. 

 This and the voandeza are very largely cultivated by the African 

 negroes, who call the arachis mvnduli. Tiie seeds abound in oil. 

 The more common kinds of pulso are peas, beans, lentils, pigeon 

 peas (cajanus), &c. Beans cannot be given to horses in much 

 quantity without bad effects. 



I add some remarks upon the alfalla, of Peru. A cask of the 

 seed was presented, by Cap<ain Glen, of the U. S. Navy, to Prof. 

 Mapes, who gave them to the Farmer's Club for distribution. I 

 planted a little last summer. Its growth was slender. I sup- 

 posed tliat our winter would kill it, for it was from Peru, where 

 frost was never known ; where it attains six feet in height, and 

 may be cut for cattle several times in the year. 



Tliis spring I was charmed at beholding my alfalfa rising • 

 through the snow, among the very first plants to show life. It is 



y 



