AGA 
cold in autumn, a succession of new flowers 
will be produced for nearly three months, 
in favourable seasons. It has been a com- 
mon error, that this plant does not flower 
till it is 100 years old : the truth is, that the 
flowering depends on its growth ; so that in 
hot countries it will flower in a few years ; 
but in colder climates the growth is slower, 
and it will be much longer before it shoots 
up a stem. The first that flowered in Eng- 
land is said to have been Mr. Cowell’s, at 
Hoxton, in 1729, but they have occurred 
so often since that time, that they are now 
scarcely considered as rarities. Few of the 
variety with yellow-edged leaves have yet 
blossomed. There are hedges of the com- 
mon agave in Spain, Portugal, Sicily, and 
Calabria ; it flourishes also about Naples, 
and in other parts of Italy. The juice of 
the leaves, strained, and reduced to a thick 
consistence, by being exposed to the sun, 
may be made up into balls, by means of lye- 
ashes. It will lather with salt water, as well 
as fresh. The leaves, instead of passing be- 
tween the rollers of a mill, may be pounded 
in a wooden mortar, and the juice brought 
to a consistence by the sun, or by boiling. 
A gallon of juice will yield about a pound of 
soft extract. The leaves are also used for 
scouring pewter, or other kitchen utensils, 
and floors. In Algarvia, where pasture is 
scarce, they are cut in thin transverse slices, 
and given to cattle. The inward substance 
of the decayed stalk will serve for tinder. 
The fibres of the leaves, separated by 
bruising and steeping in water, and after- 
wards beating them, will make a thread for 
common uses. Varieties of the common 
American agave, with gold and silver striped 
leaves, are not now uncommon in the Eng- 
lish gardens. The Karatto agave is a va- 
riety brought from St. Christopher’s, and 
the name is given to other species of this 
genus, and has leaves from 2i to S feet 
long, and about 3 inches broad, ending in a 
black spine, and more erect than those of 
the others. This sort has not flowered in 
England. Linnaeus has separated this genus 
from the aloe, because the stamina and 
style are extended much longer than the 
corolla, and the corolla rests upon the germ. 
Besides, all the agaves have their central 
leaves closely folding over each other, and 
embracing the flower-stem in the centre ; 
so that these never flower till all the leaves 
are expanded, and when the flower is past 
the plants die. Whereas the flower-stem 
of the aloe is produced on one side of the 
centre, annually from the same plant, and 
AGE 
the leaves are more expanded than in this 
genus. 
AGE, in horsemanship, makes a consi- 
derable point of knowledge ; the horse be- 
ing an animal that remarkably shews the 
progress of his year's, by correspondent al- 
terations in his body. We have the chief 
characteristics from his teeth. The first 
year he has only small grinders and gather- 
ers, of a brightish colour, which are called 
foal’s teeth. The second year he changes 
his four foremost teeth, viz. two above and 
two below, and they appear browner and 
bigger than the rest. The third year he 
changes the teeth next these, leaving no ap- 
parent foal’s teeth before, but two above, 
and two below, on each side, which are all 
bright and small. The fourth year he 
changes the teeth next these, and leaves no 
more foal’s teeth before, but one above and 
below on each side. The fifth year his fore- 
most teeth are all changed, and the tushes 
on each side are complete; and those which 
succeed the last foal’s teeth are hollow, 
with a small black speck in the middle, 
which is called the mark in a horse's mouth, 
and continues till he is eight years old. The 
sixth year there appear new tushes, near 
which is visible some young flesh, at the bot- 
tom of the tush ; the tushes being white, 
small, short, and sharp. The seventh year 
his teeth are at their full growth, and the 
mark in his mouth appears very plain. At 
eight all his teeth are full, plain, and smooth, 
and the black mark but just discernible ; 
the tushes looking more yellow than ordi- 
nary. The ninth, his foremost teeth shew 
longer, broader, yellower, and fouler than 
before, the mark quite disappearing, and 
the tushes bluntish. At ten no holes are 
felt on the inside of the upper tushes, which, 
till then, are easily felt. At eleven his teeth 
are very long, yellow, black, and foul, and 
stand directly opposite each other. At 
twelve the teeth of his upper jaw hang over 
those of his under. At thirteen his tushes 
are worn almost close to his chaps, if he 
has been much ridden ; otherwise they will 
be long, black, and foul. 
Age likewise denotes certain periods of 
the duration of the world. Thus, among 
Christian chronologers, we meet with the 
age of the law of nature, which compre- 
hends the whole time between Adam and 
Moses ; the age of the Jewish law, which 
takes in all the time from Moses to Christ; 
and lastly, the age of grace, or the number 
of years elapsed since the birth of Christ. 
Among ancient historians, the duration of 
