in botany: A genus of the order of dioica, belonging to the polygamia clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 12th order, Holaraceae. The hermaphrodite calyx is quinquepartite; there is no corolla; the stamina are five; there is one pistil; the fruit a plum inferior. The male calyx is quinquepartite, no corolla, and ten stamens. mina. There is only one species, the *nyssa aquatica* or tupelo tree. It is a deciduous tree or shrub, native of moist or watery places in America, and consists of two varieties; 1. The entire-leaved; and, 2. The serrated-leaved tupelo.

The entire-leaved tupelo tree, in its native soil and climate, grows to near 20 feet high; in this country its size varies according to the nature of the soil or situation. In a moist rich earth, well sheltered, it comes near to 25 feet; in others, that are less so, it makes slower progress, and in the end is proportionally lower. The branches are not very numerous; and it rises with a regular trunk, at the top of which they generally grow. The leaves are of a lanceolate figure, and of a fine light green colour. They end in acute points, and are very ornamental, of a thickish confidence, soft, grow alternately on pretty long footstalks, and often retain their verdure late in the autumn. The flowers, which are not very ornamental, are produced from the sides of the branches, growing sometimes singly, sometimes many together, on a footstalk. They are of a greenish colour; and, in the countries where they naturally grow, are succeeded by oval drupes, including oval, acute, furrowed nuts. In England they seldom produce fruit.

The serrated-leaved tupelo tree grows usually nearly 30 feet in height; and divides into branches near the top like the other. The leaves are oblong, pointed, of a light-green colour, and come out without order on long footstalks. The flowers come out from the wings of the leaves on long footstalks. They are small, of a greenish-colour; and are succeeded by oval drupes, containing sharp pointed nuts, about the size of a French olive.

The propagation of these trees is from seeds, which come from America. As soon as they arrive, they should be sown in large pots of light sandy earth an inch deep. The gardener (no plants come up the first spring), after this work is done, should plunge his pots up to their rims in the natural ground; and if it be a moist place, it will be the better. Weeding must be observed during the summer; and a few surze-bushes should be pricked round the pots in November, which will prevent the ground from freezing, and forward the coming up of the seeds. In the next spring, the pots should be plunged into an hot-bed, and after that the seeds will soon appear. As much air as possible, and watering, should be afforded them; and they must be hardened soon, to be set out. The pots should then be plunged to their rims again in the natural mould; where they are to remain till October. Watering must be given them; and they should also be shaded in the heat of the day. In October, they must be housed, with other greenhouse plants, or else set under a hot-bed-frame, or some other cover, during winter. The third spring they should be taken out of the larger pots, and each planted in a smaller, in which their growth may be assisted by a gentle heat in a bed; but if they are planted up to the rims in a moist place, and shaded in dry weather, they will grow very well. Though by this time they should have become hardy, yet it will be proper to shelter them the winter following in bad weather. They will require little more care during their stay in the pots, which may be either two, three, or more years, if they are large enough; when in spring they may be turned out, with the mould, into the places where they are to remain, which ought always to be moist and properly sheltered.