THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



A3- 



carpellate parent and supplying pollen from all three varieties,, 

 blue, white, yellow, starchy, and sweet kernels could be formed. 

 That triple fusion and xenia bear the relation to one another of 

 cause and effect, but that not all triple fusions are followed by 

 xenia could also be demonstrated by pollinating blue flint with 

 pollen from white sweet. 



THE LICORICE PLANT 



By H. E. Zimmerman. 



"X^AXY people who are now groAvn up remember that not 

 so many years ago licorice root Avas a favorite com- 

 modity among the boys and girls of the public school. Be- 

 cause of its sweet and agreeable taste it Avas a common sight 

 to see pupils Avith a piece of this root in their mouths, cheAving' 

 one end of it. In those days country stores sold a g'ood deal 

 of licorice in this form to persons Avho enjo3^ed chcAving it. 

 Black licorice, in stick form, gradually sttpplanted the root_ 

 form. 



Botanically the licorice plant belongs to the legume or^ 

 bean family of plants. It has long, pliant, creeping roots, , 

 and reaches a height of about three feet, and bears a small 

 purple floAver, Avhich fills the air for miles Avith a SAveet, heavy 

 smell. It derives its name from two Greek Avords Avhich mean 

 "sAveet root." The juice is used in medicine as an emollient 

 and demulcent, and also for disguising the taste of nauseous 

 drugs. It is also used to flavor snuff* and tobacco. The plant 

 groAvs in the East, especially in the territory of the Tigris and 

 Euphrates Rivers. The fiist year's groAA^th resembles a loosely 

 tAvisted string of tOAV and may run to 20 feet in length. The 

 second year it assumes a Avoody substance Avhen dry, and the • 

 third year it becomes valuable. The time for digging the root. 



