L U 



L U 



not brought forward in the Spring, 

 they ieldom produce good Seeds in 

 England. I received the Seeds of 

 both thefe Sores from my good 

 Friend Dr. Dale, from South-Caro- 

 lina. 



LUFF A, Egyptian Cucumber. 

 The Characters are ; 



// hath a betl-Jhaped Flower, ccn- 

 ffting of one Leaf, which is divided 

 into five Paris to the Centre: there 

 are Male and Female Flowers on the_ 

 fame Plant: the Male Flowers are 

 produced on port Foot-jlalks, having 

 no Embryoes : but the Female Flow- 

 ers reft on the Top of the Embryocs, 

 which afterward becomes a Fruit like 

 a. Cucumber to outward Appearance, 

 but is not flfoy, the inner Part con- 

 fifing of many Fibres, which are ele- 

 gantly netted: and there are three 

 Cells, which are filed with Seeds, 

 which are almof of an oval Shape. 



We have but one Sort of this 

 Plant ; viz. 



Luff a Arabum. Tourn. The 

 Luffa of the Arabians. 



There are two Varieties of this 

 Plant, one having white, and the 

 other black Seeds ; but thefe are not 

 diiVmct Species. 



This Plant may be propagated af- 

 ter the fame manner as Cucumbers 

 and Melons, by fowing the Seeds 

 on an Hot-bed the Beginning of 

 March: and when the Plants are 

 come up, they muit be pricked into 

 a frefn Hot bed to itrengdien the 

 Plants, obferving to let them have 

 frefli Air every Day in warm Wea- 

 ther, and to refrefli them frequently 

 with Water. When the Ph ats have 

 four or five Leaves, they fliculd be 

 planted out on an Plot-bed, where 

 they are defign-d to remain, which 

 fhoujd be under Frames, and but 

 one Plant put into each Hole ; for 

 as thefe Plants fend fouh a great 

 Number, of Softools, fo where 



they are planted too clofe, they will 

 entangle one into the other, andbe- 

 come io thick, as to caufe the Fruit 

 to drop. In the Management of 

 thefe Plants after they are planted 

 out for good, there muft be the fame 

 Care taken as for Melons and Cu- 

 cumbers, with this Difference only, 

 that thefe require a larger Share of 

 Air in warm Weather ; otherwiie 

 the Vines will grow weak, and will 

 not produce Fruit. 



When the Plants have fpread, fo 

 as to fill the Frames on every Side, 

 the Frames mould be raifed on 

 Ericks, and the Ends of the Plants 

 drawn out, that they may have room 

 to grow ; for when thefe Plants are 

 in a vigorous State, they will fpread 

 eight or ten Feet; fo that if they are 

 confined, they will become fo thick, 

 as to rot the tender Branches which 

 are covered from the Air, and there 

 will be jio Fruit produced. 



The Fruit, when it is young, is 

 by fome People, eaten, and made 

 into Mango's, and preferved in 

 Pickle ; but it hath a very difagree- 

 able Tafte, and is not accounted 

 very whoiiome : wherefore thefe 

 Plants are feldom cultivated in Eu- 

 rope, except by fuch Perfons as are 

 curious in Botany, for Variety. 



LUNARIA, Mconwort, Sattin- 

 Flovver, or Konefty. 



The Characlers are ; 



The Flower conffs of four Leaves, 

 which expand in form of a Crofs : 

 the Ovary ( which rifes in the Centre 

 of the Flower ) becomes a ccmprcf V 

 per felly fmooth Fruit, divided, as it 

 were, into two Cells by an interme- 

 diate Partition, to which adhere the 

 parallel and membraneous Valves, 

 and filled with Seeds, which have 

 commonly a broad Border, and are 

 flioped like a Kidney. 

 The Species are ; 



I, LUNARIA major, fli qua rolun- 

 diort. 



