Pea

[AS., from E. pisum, a pea.] A garden and field plant of many varieties, with a papiliona¬ ceo us or butterfly flower, and fruit in a legume or pod. It is supposed to belong to the south to the Persian tree.] A well-known tree and its throughout Europe and the United States. The leaves and beautiful flowers, which appear before in of temperate climates. In several of the United States there are immense orchards of peaches, and large quantities are sent to the northern of the most beautiful of birds, of a nature similar to ald green, purple and gold, studded with richly shaded eye-like markings, and are capable of of erection. The female birds are smaller, and not nearly so handsome, being of a sombre brownish plumage, and presenting a striking contrast to the brilliant appearance of their mates. The cry of the peacock is very harsh and loud. Wild peacocks are still plentiful in many parts of India, and in Java, Sumatra, etc., and in these places hunting them forms a favorite amusement of the sportsman. The feathers of the peacock are used for trimming clothes and fans, and for ornamental brushes. Its flesh was eaten in ancient times. The Romans used to think it a great delicacy, and the emper¬ ors had dishes served at their feasts made entirely of the brains and tongues of peacocks. But pea¬ cocks are not much eaten now, as their flesh is not so good as that of the turkey and other fowls. ing in warm countries—also called ground nut and earth nut. The plant is a trailing vine, with small yellow flowers. After the flowers fall the stem lengthens, bends downward, and the seedpod oil its end forces itself into the ground, where it ripens. Peanuts are raised in immense quantities in western Africa, South America, and the southern United States. They are used for food, and yield an oil resembling olive oil. pear-tree is very largely cultivated for the sake of its fruit. The tree grows wild in many parts of Europe, and is now cultivated in all temperate climates. It sometimes attains a height of 40 feet, with a trunk from 2 to 3 feet in diameter. I he varieties of pears are very numerous, and though many of them are of little consequence, more than two hundred at the present day are enumerated as fit for the table, and new varieties are being added every year. Pears are preserved by canning, like peaches. The wood of the peartiee is hard, fine-grained, of a yellowish color and susceptible of a brilliant polish. It is largely thickne are formed, which gradually harden into the material known by the name of nacre, Pen. or mother-of-pearl. Besides the pearl lining of the shells, rounded portions of nacre or mother of-pearl are found in the flesh of the oyster. These are supposed to be formed by the intrusion of. some foreign body, such as a grain of sand, around which layers of nacre are deposited one after another, as many as from ten to twelve round pearls of different sizes being often found within one shell. The best pearls are found off the coast of Ceylon, in the Persian Gulf, on the coast of Australia, and on the Pacific coast of America. The pearl-fisliing season lasts from four to six weeks. A fleet of about 250 boats is engaged in the fishery, each boat having a crew of thirteen men and ten divers, five of the latter PerUcil. being employed in diving whilst the other five are resting. The work is done very rapidly, as the divers cannot remain much more than a minute under water. Each diver is let down from the boat by a rope, weighted with a stone. The usual depth is from 60 to 70 feet. The most valuable pearls are those which are perfectly round but these are very scarce, and secure high prices. They are used to form the centre of necklaces. Pearls have been prized as articles of decoration and ornament in all ages of the world. Cleopatra is said to have owned two very large and beautiful ones. Many splendid pearls are owned by the different crowned heads of Europe but the Shah of Persia is said to have the finest.