L I 



a the Male Flowers, inclofing /tee- 

 ral Germs , which join in a fpherical 

 Body, /upper ting two recurved Styles: 

 tbefe afterward change to a fpherical 

 Fruit full cf Protuberancesy which 

 are perforated, and contain many ob- 

 hng Seeds. 



We have but one Species of 

 this Genus ; viz.. 



Li quid amber. Clayt . Flor. Virg. 

 The Sweet Gum, or Liquid Sto- 

 rax-tree. 



This Tree has by Tome Writers 

 been ranged with the Maple ; but 

 on no other Account, except from 

 the Similitude of the Leaves ; for 

 in Flower and Fruit it is very dif- 

 ferent from the Maple, and moil 

 other Genera : nor has it any Affi- 

 nity to the Storax-tree ; but the Gum 

 which iffues from this Tree, being 

 tranfparent, and having a great Fra- 

 grancy, has by fome ignorant Per- 

 sons been taken for that. 



It grows plentifully in Virginia, 

 and feveral other Parts of North- 

 America, where it rifes with a limit 

 naked Stem to the Height of fif- 

 teen or fixteen Feet, and afterward 

 branches out regularly to the Height 

 of forty Feet, or upward, forming 

 a pyramidal Head. The Leaves are 

 angular, and miped fomewhat like 

 thoie of the leffer Maple; but are 

 of a dark-green Colour, and their 

 upper Surfaces mining : a ftrong 

 fweet glutinous Subftance exudes 

 thro* the Pores of the Leaves in 

 warm Weather, which renders them 

 clammy to the Touch. 



The Flowers are generally pro- 

 duced early in the Spring of the 

 Year, before the Leaves are expand- 

 ed, which are of a Saffron colour, 

 and grow in Spikes from the Extne- 

 'mity of the Branches : after thefe 

 are paft, the Fruit fwells to the 

 Size cf a Walnut ; being perfectly 



L I 



round, having many Protuberance?, 

 each having a fmall Hole, and a 

 mortTail,which extends half an Inch, 

 The Planks of this Tree, being 

 beautifully veined, are often ufed iu 

 America for wainfeoting Rooms ; 

 but it requires a long time to lla- 

 fon the Boards, other wife they arc 

 apt to flirink. 



In Europe this Tree is cultivated 

 in the Gardens cf the Curious, for 

 the fake of Variety ; it is hardy- 

 enough to endure the fevercft Cold 

 of this Country in the open Air, 

 and there are fome of them upward 

 of twenty Feet high ; though I have 

 not heard of any of them whicii hat 

 produced Fruit. 



This is commonly propagated bf 

 Layers in England ; but thoie Plants 

 which are railed from Seeds, grow 

 to be much fairer Trees. 



The Seeds of this Tree common- 

 ly remain in the Ground a whole 

 Year before the Plants come up ; fo 

 that the fureft way to raife them is, 

 to fow the Seeds in Boxes or Pots of 

 light Earth ; which may be placed 

 in a fhady Situation during the iirft 

 Summer, and in Autumn they may 

 be placed in a warm Situation ; but 

 if the Winter fliould prove fevere, 

 it will be proper to cover them with 

 Peas-haulm, or other light Cover- 

 ing ; which Ihould be taken off 

 conftantly in mild Weather. In the 

 following Spring, if thefe Boxes or 

 Pots are placed upon a moderate 

 Hot-bed, it will caufe the Seeds to 

 come up early, fo that the Plants 

 will have time to get Strength be- 

 fore Winter; but during the firft and 

 fecond Winters, it will be proper to 

 fcreen the Plants from fevere Froft ; 

 but afterward they will bear the 

 Cold very well. 



HTHOSPERMUM, Gromwe!, 

 Gromil, or Gray mil. 



The 



