A M B 
eribed by Jacquin, with a many-flowered 
spathe, corollas very patent and reflex at 
the apex, stamens and pistil somewhat 
straight, longer than the corolla, and leaves 
ensiform-linear. Most of these species have 
very beautiful flowers, and merit the atten- 
tion of the botanist and florist. The first, 
or yellow autumnal A. is very hardy, and 
increases by offsets. The season for trans- 
planting these roots is from May to the end 
of July, when the leaves are decayed. They 
will grow in any soil or situation ; but they 
will thrive best in a fresh, light, dry soil, and 
open situation, and will keep flowering from 
the beginning of September to the middle 
of November, provided that they escape 
severe frosts; and a succession of flowers 
will spring from the same root. Tire Guernsey 
lily has been cultivated for many years in 
the gardens of Guernsey and Jersey, whence 
the roots are sent to most parts of Europe. 
The bulbs are commonly brought over in J une 
and July, and they should then be planted 
in pots filled with fresh, light, sandy earth, 
mixed with a small quantity of very rotten 
dung, placed in a warm situation, and occa- 
sionally refreshed with water. About the 
middle of September the stronger roots will 
shew their red-coloured flower-stem; and 
then the pots should be removed into a 
situation where they may have the full bene- 
fit of the sun, and be sheltered from strong 
winds ; but not placed under glasses, or too 
near a wall, which would draw them up, and 
render them less beautiful. When the flowers 
begin to open, the pots should be put under 
shelter, so as to be secure from too much 
wet, but not kept too close or too warm. 
The flowers will continue in beauty for a 
month; and though without scent, their 
rich colour entitles them to the first rank in 
the flowery tribe. 
AMASONIA, in botany, a genus of the 
Didynamia Angiospermia class and order: 
calyx five-cleft: corolla tubular, with a 
small five-cleft border: berry four-seeded. 
There are two species. 
AMATEUR, in the arts, denotes a per- 
son understanding, loving, or practising the 
fine arts, without any regard to pecuniary 
advantage. 
AMBASSADOR, a person appointed by 
one sovereign power to another, to superin- 
tend his affairs at some foreign court, and 
supposed to represent the power from which 
he is sent. The person of an ambassador is 
inviolable. 
AMBER, in mineralogy, a resinous sub- 
AMB 
stance, called by the ancients electrum, 
found in different countries ; but most abun- 
dantly in Prussia, either on the sea-shore, 
or under ground at the depth of 100 feet, 
reposing on wood coal. It is obtained in 
lumps of different sizes. There are the 
white and the yellow amber. 1. The white 
amber is in colour straw-yellow inclining to 
yellowish white; but, 2. The yellow amber 
is a wax-yellow passing to a honey-yellow, 
yellowish brown, and hyacinth-red. It is 
found in blunt pieces with a rough surface. 
It is rather brittle, and its specific gravity 
is from 1.07 to 1.08. Amber burns with a 
yellow-coloured flame, and if the heat be 
strong enough, melts and emits a peculiar 
agreeable odour, and leaves little ashes. 
When rubbed, it acquires a strong negative 
electrical virtue. From this property is de- 
rived the word electricity. It is composed 
of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Accord- 
ing to Sir J. Hill, it is said that amber has 
been found in digging into the alluvial land 
in the vicinity of London. It is found some- 
times on the sea-sliores of several parts of 
England. Being susceptible of a fine po- 
lish, it is cut into necklaces, bracelets, snuff- 
boxes, and other articles of dress. Before 
the discovery of the diamond and other pre- 
cious stones of India, it was considered to 
be the most precious of jewels, and was em- 
ployed in all kinds of ornamental dress : al- 
tars were likewise ornamented with it. The 
greatest quantity at present consumed in 
commerce, it purchased by Armenian and 
Grecian merchants, for the use, it is conjec- 
tured, of pilgrims, previously to their jour- 
ney to Mecca, and that on their arrival 
there, it is burnt in honour of the prophet 
Mahomet. . The acid and oil obtained from 
it are used as' medicines. 
It often contains insects of various spe- 
cies, in a state of complete preservation, 
also leaves, and other parts of vegetables. 
Various conjectures have been made re- . 
specting its origin and formation. By some 
it is, as we have already seen, considered as 
a vegetable gum or resin; others regard it 
as a mineral oil, thickened by the absorp- 
tion of oxygen ; and Mr. Parkinson is of 
opinion, that it is inspissated mineral oil. 
There was lately found in Prussia a mass of 
amber which weighed upwards of 13 pounds, 
the contents of which amounted to 318j cu- 
bic inches. Five thousand dollars are said 
to have been offered for it; and the Arme- 
nian merchants assert that in Constantino- 
ple ,it would, sell for six times that price at 
