in the United States. 455 



the 5 th of May, it exhibited the likeness of a monstrous 

 asparagus. On the 1 2th, it was 1 5 ft. high ; having grown 

 5 or 6 in. every twenty-four hours, except on cool days. On 

 each side of the stem, about 10 or 15 inches below the top, 

 appeared the shooting out of a substantial bud : every two or 

 three days, as the plant advanced in height, others were put out 

 in the same manner. On June 10th, the several lateral and 

 alternate buds, supported on peduncles of various lengths, 

 from 1 to 2 ft. 10 in., burst open into 5 or 6 subdivisions, 

 each about 4 in. long, bearing numerous erect clusters of 

 flowers. The height of the whole stem was about 21 ft. 10 in. 

 On June 19. it was 24 ft. high, and advanced much slower 

 than before, and the under leaves began to wither. On- 

 July 5. there were thirty-one peduncles, supporting as 

 many clusters of flowers, from 7 to 12 in. in diameter. The 

 flowers began to open, and on the 7th, the lower clusters 

 were in perfection. Each flower was nearly 6 in. high, and 

 about I in. in diameter, of a brimstone colour : the circum- 

 ference of the stem, at 3 ft. from the ground, was 17^ in.; 

 each particular flower took up the space of three days to ex- 

 pand, and reach its point of perfection. On July 16. all the 

 leaves, though still green, were flaccid, wrinkled, withered, 

 and daily fell ; the lower clusters of flowers withering, 

 whilst those of the uppermost clusters were just opening. 

 It was now 25 ft. high. On the 22d of July, the flowers at the 

 top of the spikes were decayed, and the withering daily in- 

 creased. An engraving of the plant in flower is given, as 

 also of a flower. 



In the year 1804, another plant of Agave americana 

 flowered at the Woodlands, on the, Schuylkill, the beautiful 

 seat of the late Mr. W. Hamilton. It was raised from a 

 sucker which flourished at Springetsbury * in the year 1778. 

 On the 25th of May, 1804, Mr. Hamilton first observed its 

 inclination to flower. In a day or two afterwards the sprout 

 appeared, in the form of an overgrown asparagus shoot. 

 When the stalk was more than 8 ft. high, the racemes began 

 to appear. Extremely wet weather retarded its progress. The 

 first flowers opened on July 28. : it remained in flower 

 for foi'ty days. The stem at its base was 16 in. in circum- 

 ference. The number of flowers was 3069. The bees ap- 

 peared exceedingly fond of the flowers. On the 4th of June, 

 the stem was 2 tt. 6 in. high; on the 29th, it was 9 ft. 7-fo in. 

 high: and on the 28th of July, it was 13 ft. 10 rV in. higK, 



* Near Philadelphia, then the seat of the Hamilton familj'. 

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