15<^ PAL-\1!5. 
This simple fact might suggest to the young, that in order to be 
desirable to others, they must be agreeable ; the mere circumstance 
of a fine person, cannot long render tolerable, the society of one who 
possesses neither useful nor amiable qualities. 
The Faviily of Palms 
The palms have mostly a liliaceous corolla with 6 fcjtamens ; but 
some are moncBcious, and others, dioecious; while a part have their 
stamens and pistils within the same corolla and belong to th^ class 
Hexandria. 
Fig. 130 represents 
a young palm tree, 
{ChamcBro'ps humilis ' 
at a, is the fibrous root ; j 
h c, represents the oldest 
part of the stipe, show- 
ing, by the lines and 
dots, the place of in- 
sertion of the first | 
leaves ; c 6, represents ! 
the upper part of the i 
stipe, still covered with 
the sheathing bases of | 
the petioles ; repre- 1 
sents the crowning, 
terminal leaves — these 
are petioled, fan-shap- 
ed, and plaited when 
young; the petioles are 
armed with prickles. 
Palms live to a great i 
age ; they are the pro- ; 
duct of tropical regions i 
and aflbrd the date, co». ! 
coa-nut, and other valu | 
able fruits. 
Miscellaneous Examples of Plants in li.eefh Class ana \st Order. \ 
In this class and order is the Spiderwort, (Tradescantia.) It has 
6 stamens, 3 petals, 3 sepals, and the capsule is 3-celled. The leaves I 
are ensiform and very long. It remains in blossom nearly the whole 
summer, and is well worth cultivation, both for its cheerful appear- ij 
ance, and constant botanical characters. The Snow-drop is of the I 
same natural, as well as artificial order, as the Spiderwort. 
You may be surprised to find, in company with so many elegant 
flowers, the onion and bulrush ; but you must recollect that the title 
to admission into this class and order is 6 stamens and 1 pistil ; and 
no plant, however humble, with these characteristics, is excluded 
♦ Although we have described this plant under the class Hexandria, in conformity I 
with the classification of some writers, it is questionable w hether it does not rathel : 
belong to Dioecia. In the Appendix, at Plate i. Fig. 1, is a representation ot the Are- 
ca, which belongs to the Palm- tribe, and at Plate iii. Fig. 3, is a representation of thu 
same palm-tree as seen at Fig. 130. 
Palms— Describe Fi«. 130— Spidurwort— Humble plants placed with those which 
are beautiful. 
