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2» GREAT ANNUAL HELIANTHUS. 
The Crotbec0t kG fees the Fipure of the Sun- 
flower, will not need be told that is the Plant we 
‘mean, though under a Name perhaps before 
unknown to him. Many Genera have been named _ 
unartfully, but none more than this. 
Where the Antients have left us Accounts, 
their Denominations have been. ufually retained 5 
and what was known to be ftrictly improper, yet 
but that is not here the Cafe. - 
The Sun-flower, fo confpicuous in the End of 
Summer, is native only: of America, therefore it 
was impoffible the Greeks or Romans fhould have = 
known it, i ) 
A Plant fo fpecious eotild not be reset 
by thofe who vifited that new World with the Eyes | 
its Seeds were fome of the firft which | 
ef Science: 
Europe received from that Quarter ; and thole who 
raifed them earlieft, muft have been aftonifhed aswell 
as charmed, to fee the vaft Stalk rife; and the 
' enormous Flower expand its golden Petals. 
Late as our Knowledge of the Plant has been, 
it was however earlier than the Perfection of the 
Science ; and in Confequence, thofe who firft gave 
it Names, refering at Random to the eftablifhed | 
Genera, fix’d upon fuch as the prefent improv’d 
State of Botany cannot adopt. 
Doponzeus, whofe Imagination -was {truck 
with its ftately Fig igure, calls it Herba maxima, 
and Joun Baunine follows him. 
C. Bavuine calls it Helenium Indicum maxinunt 
Great Indian Elecampane.. “ | 
Our Parkinson came nearer Truth ras he 
named it Caryfanthemum. Peruvianum, Peruvian 
Corn Marygold: and Grrarp did yet better, in 
giving it a Name diftinct from all, Flos Solis: 
this, though not an unexpreffive is an unartful 
though from another Language, calling the Plant 
Helianthus. Headdsas the DiftinGion of this Species, 
Solus: omuibus cordatis, nervis pone bafin unitis, ex- 
trorfum denudatis : Heart-leaved Helianthus, with 
the Nerves united behind: ‘the Bafe, and- ied 
outwards. _ 
_ This Author in 1 his nulike ‘Works, cal als 
the Annual Helianthus, and. Van Roven™ gave it | 
the fame, Name 3’ but more Species have been added 
to. the Genus, and a longer Denomination pe thence | 
grown neceflary. 
The Root is’, fibrous,’ aad fonall in Bropccstari a shi: Subdivifions. in this: Linnean Clafs, ate 
to the Plant: se the Fibres are numerous: md 
fpreading. |: a a ¥ 
‘The Stalk is rounded, on vatiowly tidy thick, | 
of a pale green, ten Foot high, not branching, 
and properly fupporting but a fingle Flower : this | 
gives the Plant its Luftre and full Glory; this is the 
regular Courfe of Nature; and this, when Chance 
difturbs it, the Gardener fhould favour, by taking 
off all Branches as they rife, and rubbing away 
the Buds of any fecondary Flowers: this Way the 
__ Plant glows in its full Strength, and flowers in all 
its Vigour. 
The Leaves are numerous: they ftand irreou- 
larly on the Stalk, and they are broad, heart. 
OF GARDENING 
and Linn avs has. adopted its Senfe, | 
fhaped, indented, pale, of a firth Subttaive and 
rough to the Touch, bik have i: Foot- 
ftalks. 
The Flower is too heavy to be fupported with 
out drooping. — It is the largeft of all the Compo- 
fite Kind; round, ‘radiated, and, when fully noir- 
rifhed, a Foot and half in Diameter, 
The Difk is of a deep yellow ericlining: to 
| Orange, and is compofed of numerous, laroe, and 
clofe preffed Flofcules: the Verge is made of 
Regularity. Only one Seed follows every Flof- 
| cule, but thefe are fo numerous, and the Flower 
fo large, that Ray mentions two Thoufand three 
Hundred and Sixty-two Seeds from one of them, 
In the Linwa an Syftem, the Student knows 
thefe Compofite flowered Plants are arranged ac- 
| cording to the Condition of the impregnating 
Parts in the feparate Flofeules ; and.as the Buttons 
coalefce, they are called Syngencfa, ° The particu- 
lar Characters are very well worth tracing; and 
the Flower is here fo large, that it makes that 
Takk eafy. 
The general Cup i is fealy and expanded, and is 
compofed of oblong Parts, broad at the Bafe, 
pointed at the End, and {preading. Befide this, 
each; Flofcule has its diftin&t Cup: this is placed 
on the Rudiment of the Seed, and is compoled 
of twonlittle lanceolate and fharp-pointed Leaves. 
The Flofcules of ‘the Difk are cylindtick, 
fwelled, rounded, and :depreffed;’ and cuit into 
five pointed Segments at the Rim. ‘Thefe have the 
male and female Parts both perfe. Fi rive crooked 
Filaments are placed in the Bafe of the Flofcule, 
ahd) terminated by a Head of wh hollowed 
Buttons. ~ 
‘The Ruditrient of the Seed is placed beeen 
the genéral and particular Cup, and has a Style 
into two Parts, which turh back, 
- The Rays have only the:female Pare, and this, 
as it feems very imperfect, there’ is to each a 
Receptacle; which has neither Style: nor Head, 
other Flofcules ‘come to. PerfeGtion, > ” 
— We shave: acquainted: the Student before, that 
founded on the various: Impregnatioti 5 and he 
willredolle&, on feeing that the Seeds tinder the 
female. Flofeules’ or Rays do hot ripen, that the 
Section to which this:belongs, ig that of the Pes 
Lamia Prifiranea. 
Culture of this Hitiaytius, | 
It is a Native of the warmer Parts of America; 
the open Air, and flower iri Perfection, ft is an 
Annual; and to bring the Plants forward, there 
mut be the Affiftance df a _ Hot-Bed - for the 
Seeds, 
2 = We 
golden Rays, ‘pointed and difpofed with ah elegant - 
fhorter: than the general Cups at: the Bafe | 
of the Height of the Flofcule, with a Head iphit “ 
Rudiment “of 2 Seed placed beneath the proper. 
and therefore cantiot. ripen. The Seeds under the 
Mexico and Peru, yet will beat our Summers in — 
