156 The Sunflower. 



itself the parts necessary for the formation of the seed. These 

 numerous florets are surrounded by a ray of petals, whose office is 

 to protect the whole interior assemblage of flowers, as the houses 

 of a city are surrounded by a wall. This flower is placed in the 

 third order or division of the class Syngcnesia, and which order is 

 named Polygamia Frustranea, because the florets of the margin 

 next the petals are neuter, that is, containing neither stigma nor 

 anthers — which is expressed by the term frustraned, homfrvstra 

 to no purpose. The florets of the disk or centre of the flower are 

 bisexual, containing a pistil, headed by a divided stigma, termed 

 bipartic, which is surrounded by five anthers. Each of these florets 

 is succeeded by a seed, and so numerous are the florets in a'large 

 single Sunflower, that Barchin tells us he has known them to 

 contain 2362 seeds in one flower. The more double this flower 

 becomes, the less seed it produces ; as it becomes double by the 

 change of the tubular into ligular florets, like the petals in the 

 ray, only smaller. The seeds of the Sunflower, when peeled, 

 have a taste similar to sweet almonds, and from their oily nature 

 they are an excellent food for fattening domestic poultry; but it 

 is with difficulty they can be protected from the ravages of small 

 birds, many of whom eat them with the greatest avidity, leaving 

 the receptacle like an empty honeycomb. For ornamental pur- 

 poses, the seed should be saved from the largest and most double 

 flowers, which will be found on the top of the principal stem, 

 those on the side branches being smaller, and frequently having 

 abortive seeds. When the seeds are ripe, the heads should be 

 cut off with a part of the stem, and hung up in a dry, airy place 

 for a few weeks, when they may be rubbed out and put in bags 

 or boxes until the* time of sowing, which is during the month of 

 March. The seed should be sown on a bed of common earth, 

 and when the plants are about six inches high they may be 

 removed with a ball of earth to their roots and planted where they 

 are to flower ; but we prefer setting the seeds where they are to 

 remain, as the plants are generally finer than those to be removed. 

 The Helianthus Multiflorus — Perennial Sunflower, is 

 a native plant of Virginia ; it was early introduced into various 

 countries. It is easily increased by parting the roots, will stand 

 a smoky atmosphere, and continues giving forth flowers all 

 summer. 



The last species of much importance to mention, is the Heli- 



