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day old the whole is rose-coloured. As if to add to the charm of 

 this noble Water-Lily, it diffuses a sweet scent. As in the case of 

 others in the same tribe, the petals and stamens pass gradually into 

 each other, and many petaloid leaves may be observed leaving ves- 

 tiges of an anther. The seeds are numerous and imbedded in a 

 spongy substance. Ascending the river, we found this plant frequent- 

 ly, and the higher we advanced, the more gigantic did the specimens 

 become ; one leaf we measured was six feet five inches in diameter, 

 the rim five inches and a half high and the flowers a foot and a 

 quarter across." (Nymph ceacece.) 



108. Zamia integrifolia, Ait, — A native of dry sea-coasts in Jamaica, is 

 represented by a specimen at the base of the Moriche Palm. It is 

 nearly allied to Cycas, and also yields starch. (Cycadacece.) 



109, Zingiber officinale, Boscoe.— Ginger is the dried root-stock of 

 Zingiber officinale, a plant with leafy stems, 3 or 4 feet high, 

 distinct flowering stems 6 to 12 inches high with small, yellow 

 and purple flowers in a cone-like head. 



Small pieces or protuberances of the root-stock 1 or 2 inches 

 long are planted during March or April, 4 inches deep and 9 to 

 12 inches apart. It is well to cover the land with a moulding of 

 dead leaves, weeds, straw, or litter, mixed with manure. In a 

 few months the whole ground will be covered. The flowers 

 appear in September. When the stalks wither in the following 

 January or February, it is time to dig up the roots. When the 

 tubers have become mature, and have put forth stems, they are 

 fibrous ; but before this takes place, while they are still succu- 

 lent, and the young stalks are no more than 5 or 6 inches long, 

 they should be taken up for preserving. Gringer is an exhaust- 

 ing crop on the soil, and should not be planted in the same ground 

 two consecutive years. 



" Black Ginger" of commerce is prepared by washing the root 

 in water, boiling for a quarter of an hour, and then drying in the 

 sun. " White Gringer," a much superior article, is prepared from 

 the best and soundest roots, by scraping off the outer dark- 

 coloured part, and then carefully drying without boiling. " Pre- 

 served Ginger" is made from the young tubers, which are scalded, 

 washed in cold water, and then peeled. The roots are then covered 

 with a weak syrup, and left for two days. The syrup is then 

 poured off, and replaced by a stronger syrup, and this is repeated 

 two or three times, until the syrup is thick, and the ginger bright 

 and nearly transparent. The yield per acre is said to be 4,000 

 lbs. and upwards. ( Zingiber acece.) 



