(Ebt H, ;M. ^ill Ifiihrnvii

'384-05

TQ

THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE DATE
INDICATED BELOW AND IS SUB-
JECT TO AN OVERDUE FINE AS
POSTED AT THE CIRCULATION
DESK.

m 1 4 1984

JAN 0 7 1991

JUL 1 ^^*

JUL 2 8t994

'"'U-^

^

m

CYCLOPEDIA

I

-^F

Practical Floriculture,

EDITED BY

NlRS. C. H. TURNER.

NEW YORK:

TOWNSEND MAC COUN.

18S4.

:>F

^

'%:^f^

HE love of flowers having become so nearly

universal, it seems almost superfluous for an
author to attempt any explanation in placing
a work at all pertaining to the subject before
the publfc, as every work, either elaborate or
iple, must awaken a response in some heart
where nature has placed her shrine. To those
endowed with keen perceptions, the magnifi-
cent, intricate and wonderful handiwork of the All-wise is daily mani-
fested, and always new, in the infinite variet}- of the floral world.

A number of years ago, the writer, being interested in the mytho-
logical legends of the Greeks and Romans, was frequently struck with
the number of fabled gods and goddesses, and the various rural nymphs
who attended them, that were transformed into a tree, shrub or flower,
either to mitigate some sorrow, gratify revenge, or as a punishment for
some breach of the laws supposed to govern the deities of that time.

Having made numerous memoranda of such legends, the love of
flowers was sufficient to interest one in the general history of plants,
their nativity, uses, the chief events in the history of each species, its
cultivation and introduction into America. The " Floral Kingdom "

^

OOt^/IQ

PREFACE.

is the mature outgrowth of such notes. In order to make the book
pleasing to the general reader, it has been the endea^•or to exckide all
technical terms pertaining to the science ot" botany, except the mere
classitication of plants into families to show the relation of one plant to
another.

This arrangement has been made according to what is called the
Natural S\stem, it being the one most in use in the various books on
botan}-, as more philosophical than the Linna.'an System.

The sentiment or language assigned to each flower has been the
result of an extended search through \-arious works both ancient and
modern, the most ancient being the richest, however, in material and in
poetic ideas. The sentiments attached to flowers originating in the imag-
inative minds of the people, ser\ed as a means of communication at a
time when the art of writing was known onl}- to the few, these being
mostly learned men and professional scribes. As the well known disa-
greements of authors in attributing diflerent languages to the same
plant often make it difficult to determine which to choose, it is proper
to state that the sentiments here given ha\e been preferred because of
the weight of authority in their favor.

Having led the reader into the bowers of nature, what more natural
than that many paths should be found leading into the garden of the
poets, where rich intellectual blossoms are scattered with an unsparing
hand? The love of poetry elevates the soul and makes it more suscep-
tible to those delicate, spiritual and subtle influences that are found in
other souls; it gives it a more rare appreciation of those higher beau-
ties that are daily seen both in nature and art; it awakens a depth of
feeling that almost entirely obliterates selflshness, and opens the heart
to generous sympathies and warm impulses. The selections made
for this work are numerous, and are the result of a ver}- prolonged and
laborious quest. They have been culled from many sources and various
authors, foreign and native, and comprehend many of the choicest gems
from the works of the best poets of all ages. C. H. T.

;^

Si,^.£i^ 'im-

Alphabetical List of Aithors Qioted,

Autograph Letter and Poem, bv William CuUen Bryant,

Hymn to the Flowers, bv Horace Smith.

PARiT 3.— Description, Language an6 Poetry of Flowers.

Acacia (Rose) — Friendship,
Adder's Tongue — Deceit,
Adonis — Sorrowful remembrances,
Ageratum — Politeness,
Agrimony — Thankfulness,
Ailantus — Lofty aspirations,

Almond — Despair,

Aloe — Grief,

Aloysia — Forgiveness, - - . -

Alyssum — Merit before beauty.

Amaranth — Immortality,

Amaranth (Globe)— I chanjje not, -

Amaryllis —Pride, . . . .

American Arbor Vit.e— Thine till deatli,

American Elm — Pati-iotisui,

American Linden — Matrimonv,

Andromeda (Marsh) — Bound by tate. -

Anemone — Anticipation,

Angelica — Inspiration, . . . .

Apocynum — Falsehood, . . . .

Apple Blossom — Preference,

Apricot — Temptation,

Arbutus — Simplicity. •

Arethus.\ — Fear,

Aristolochia — Prodigality,

Arnica — Let me heal thy grief.

AscLEPiAS — Conquer your love

Ash — Grandeur,

Asparagus — Emulation,

Aspen —Excessive sensibility

Asphodel — Remembered bevond the ton

b, ,v

Aster — Cheerfulness in old age.

3-

Auricula— Painting, . . - .

- 33

Azalea— Temperance,

34

Baccharis —Intoxication,

- 35

Bachelor's Button — Single blessedness

36

Balm (Molucca)— You excite my curiosity, 37

Balm (Sweet) — Charms, -

38

Balm (Wild) — I value your sympathy, -

- 39

Balm of Gilead — Sympathetic feeling.

40

Balsamine —Impatience,

- 41

Bartonia (Golden) — Does he possess riches.' 42

Basil (Sweet)— Good wishes.

• 43

Bayberry-- I respect thy tears, -

44

Beech— Lovers' trvst, - - - -

■ 45

Begonia— Deformitv, - - - -

46

Bellflower —A constant heart, -

- 47

Berberry— A sour disposition, -

48

Birch— Elegance,

■ 49

Black Hoarhound— I reject vou.

50

Bladdernut— A trifling character.

- 5>

Borage —Abruptness,

52

Bouncing Bess— Intrusion, -

- S3

Box — Stoicism,

54

Broom— Humilitv,

• 55

Broom Corn— Labor.

56

Brow allia— Can vou bear ixnerty.'

- 57

Bugloss— Hypocrisy.

5»

Bulrush— Indecision, - - . -

- 59

Burdock— Proximity undesirable,

60

M

^ Buttercup — Distrust, ....
Butterfly Orchis — Gaietv, .
Cacalia — -.-Vdulation, - . . .
Cactus (Night-blooming)— Transient beau
Cactus (Snake)— You tenity me,
Calceolaria — Novelty,
Calla Lily — Feminine beauty,
Calycanthus — Benevolence, -
Camellia— Perfect loveliness,
Canary Grass — Perseverance, -
Candytuft — Architecture,
Canterbury Bells — Gratitude,
Cardamine — Infatuation,
Cardinal Flower— Preferment,

^Carnation — Contempt,

Catchfly — I am thy prisoner, -
Cedar (Red) — I live for thee,
Celandine — Future happiness, -
Chamomile — Mercv,
Chestnut — Deceptive appearances,
Chickvveed — Star of my existence,
Chicory — Prudent economy,
China Aster (Double) — Bounty,
China Aster (Single)— I will think
Chrysanthemum — Slighted aifection
Cineraria — Always delightful.

Citron-

arnage.

li

Clianthus — Glorious beautv,

Clotbur — Detraction,

Clover — Industry, - - . .

Cob.ea — Gossip, - - - -

Cockscomb — Foppery, • -

Columbine — Folly,

Coreopsis —Happy at all times.

Coriander — Merit,

Corn Cockle —Worth above beautv

Coronilla — Success cro-wn your wis

Cotton Plant— Greatness,

Cranberry — Hardihood,

Crape Myrtle — Eloquence,

Crocus (Spring) — Cheerfulness, -

Crown Imperial — Imperial power,

Cuphea — -Impatience,

Currant — You please all, -

Cyclamen— Diffidence, -

Cypress — Sorrow,

Daffodil — Chivalrv,

Dahlia— Dignity,

Daisy— Innocence and beauty.

Dandelion— Youthful recollections,

Daphne — Sweets to the sweet.

tching.

6i Darnel — Vice,

6:; Day Lily— Coquetry,

63 Deadly Nightshade — Death, -

64 Dodder — Baseness,

65 Dogwood — Honesty true nobility,

66 Dragon's Claw — Danger,

67 Dwarf Pink — Innocence, -
6S Dyer's Weed— Design, -

69 Ebenaster — Night, - - . .

70 Eglantine — Home,

71 Elder — Zeal,

72 Enchanter's Nightshade — Sorcery,

73 Endive —Medicine, --.".. 124

74 English Moss — Fortitude, - - - - 125

75 EscALLONiA— Opinion, - - - - 126

76 Eternal Flower— Eternity, - - - - 127

77 Eupatorium— Delay, 12S

78 Euphorbia — Reproof, 129

79 Eutoca— A Gitl, 130

So Eyebright — Your eyes are bev

Si Fennel — Worthy all praise,

82 Fennel Flower — Artifice,

83 Fern (\Valking) — Curiosity,

84 Feverfew — Beneficence,

85 Fir Balsam— Health, -

86 Flax — Domestic industry,

87 Flower-of-an-Hour — Triflins;

88 Four-o'clock — Time,

89 Foxglove — Delirium,

90 Fritillaria — Persecution,

91 Fuchsia — Grace,

92 Gentian — Intrinsic worth,

93 Geranium — Confidence,

94 Gladiolus — Ready armed,

95 Globe Flower — Fancv,

96 Gourd — Extent,

97 Grass— Utility, -
9S Ground Ivy — Enjoyment.
99 Ground Pine — Complaint,

100 GuiM Tree — Enthusiasm,

loi Hawkweed — Quick-sightednes

102 Heath — Solitude, -

103 Helenium — Tears,

104 Heliotrope — Devotion,

105 Hellebore — Calumny,

106 Hemp — Fate, -

107 Hollyhock — Ambition,

108 Holly — Foresight, -

109 Honesty — Honesty,
no Honeysuckle — Bonds of love,
III Hop — Injustice, -

tt

^"^

COXTEXTS.

Horse Chestnut — Luxury, •
HotsELEEK — Vivacity,
HoYA — Sculpture, -
Hyacinth — Jealousy,
Hydrangea — Boasting, -
Hyssop — Purification,
Ice Plant— Formality, -
Indian Mallow — Estimation,
I POMCEA— Attachment,
Ipomopsis — Suspense,
— Iris — A messenger,
Ivy— Lasting friendship,
Jasmine (White) — Amiability,
Jlniper — Asylum,
Jlsticia — Female loveliness,
Kennedya — Mental beauty.
Lady's Slipper — Fickleness, -
Lake-flower — Retirement,
Lantana — Rigor, -
Larkspur — Levity,
Laurel — Glory,
Laurestine — I die if neglected,
Lavender — Confession, -
Lemon Blossom — Discretion,
Lettuce — Cold-hearted, -

"^ Lilac — Awakening love, -

T7 Lily — Purity,
~LiLY of the Valley — Return
Lion's Heart — Bravery,
LoASA — Pleasure,
Lobelia — Malevolence, -
Locust — Vicissitude, -
Lophospermum — Ecstasv,
Lupine — Voraciousness,
Magnolia — Love of nature.
Mallow — Goodness,
Maple (Rock) — Reserve,
Marigold — Cruelty, -
Marjoram (Sweet) — Blushes,
Matthiola — Promptitude,
M aurandi A ^ Courtesv,
Mayweed — Rumor, -
Medick — Agriculture, -
Melilot — Philanthropy, -
Mermaid Weed — Necessitv,
Mignonette — Your qualities

charms.
Mint — Virtue,

Mistletoe — Obstacles to be ov
Monkshood — Knight-errantry,
Morning Glory — Repose,

happi

Mourning Bride — Unfortunate attachment.

Mullein — Goodnature, - - - .

Musk Plant — A meeting, -

Mustard — Indifference, -

Myrtle — Love, - . . .

Nasturtium — Heroism, -

Nemophila — Prosperity,

Nettle — Slander, - . . .

Oak — Honor,

Oats — Country life, - - . .

Oleander — Beware,

Oleaster — Providence, -

Olive — Peace, . - . .

Orange — Chastity, - - . -

Orchis — A belle, - - - .

Osier (Basket) ^Frankness, -

Osmunda — Dreams,

OxALis — Parental affection,

P.«;oNY — Shame, - - - -

Parsley — Festivity, - - . -

Passion Flower — Holy love.

Pea (Sweet) — Departure,

Peach Blossom — I am your captive,

Pentstemon — High-bred,

Periwinkle — Early friendship.

Persimmon — Amid nature's beauties.

Petunia — Keep your promises,

Phaseolus — Opportunity,

Phlox — Unanimity,

Pimpernel — Mirth, - - . .

Pine— Philosophy, -

Pitcher Plant — Instinct,

Plumbago — Meekness with dignity,

Poinsettia — Brilliancy, -

Pomegranate — Lightning, -
' Poppy (Opium) — Sleep,

Portulaca — Variety,

Potentilla- — Beloved daughter,
-Primrose — Youth,

Privet — Defense, ....

Queen of the Meadow — Praise, -

Queen of the Prairie — Nobility, -

Quince — Allurement, -

Ragged Robin — Wit,

Ranunculus — Ingratitude, -

Rhodora — Beautv in retirement,

Rocket — Rivalry, . - . -

Rose (Austrian) — Loveliness, -

RosEBAY' — Talking,

Rose (Damask) — Blushing beauty, -

Rose-leaved RuBus — Threats,

CONTENTS.

■*^
1

Rosemary — Remembrance,

Rose (Musk) — Charms,

Rose (White) — Secrecy,

R UDBEeKi A -— J ustice,

Rue — Repentance, - - - -

Sage — Domestic virtue.

Salvia — Energy, . - - -

Sarsaparilla — Experience, -

Sassafras — Favor, . - - -

Sensitive Plant — Bashlul modesty.

Shamrock — Light-heartedness,

Snapdragon — Presumption, -

Snowball — Thoughts of heaven.

Snowdrop — Consolation,

Snowdrop Tree — Exhilaration,

Southernwood — Jesting,

Speedwell — Female fidelity, -

Spiderwort — Transient happiness,

Spikenard — Benefits.

Spruce — Farewell,

Stapelia — Offense, - - - -

Star Flower — Reciprocity, ■

Star of Bethlehem — Reconciliation,

Strawberry — Perfect goodness.

Sumach — Splendor, - - - -

Summer Savory — -Success, -

Sunflower — Lofty thoughts, -

Sweet Flag — Fitness, -

Sweet Potato — Hidden qualities, -

Sweet Sultan — Felicity,

Sweet William — Stratagem, -

Sycamore — Woodland beautv,

Syringa — Memory, 296

Tansy — Resistance, 297

Teasel — Misanthropy, ... - 298

Thistle — Austerity, 299

Thorn — Difliculty, 300

Thorn Apple — Deceitful charms, - - 301
Thrift — Sympathy, 302

Tiger Flower— Pride befriend me.
Trumpet Flower — Fame,
"^Tuberose — Voluptuousness,-
'~ Tulip — Declaration of love,
Tussilago — Justice to you, -
Valerian — Obliging disposition,
Venus's Fly-trap— Deceit, -
Venus's Looking-glass — Flattery,
Verbena — Sensibility, -
Violet — Modesty,
Virgin's Bower — Filial affection.
Wallflower — Fidelity in misfortu
Walnut — Intellect,
~^Water Lily — Eloquence,
Weeping Willow — Melancholy, -
Wheat — Riches,
White Walnut — Understanding,
Winter Cherry — Deception, -
Witch Hazel — Witchery, -
Wormwood — Absence,
Yarrow — War, . . . .
Yew — Sorrow, - - - -
Yucca — Authority,
Zinnia — Thoughts in absence,

303
304
.305
306
307
308
309
310
3'i
31-
313
314
315
316
317
3>8
319
320
321
322
3^3

^H
■ %^s

326

PAHC 33.— iCultiuation an6 Analysis of Plants.

PRACTICAL ri.ORICUI.TUBE.

Soils — Loam; Sand; Leaf-mold; Turf; Peat;

Manures, - 33o-33i

Flower-Beds — In Relation to Symmetry

and Color; Deformities Concealed, - 331-333
Propagating Plants — Sowing Seeds ; Cut-
tings or Slips ; Layering; Offshoots; Bulbs, 333

Potting Plants, - 335

Watering Plants, 337

Pruning Plants, 338

Insects — Foliage Insects: Aphis Rosa;:
Thrips; Red Spider; Mealy Bug; Coccus;
Verbena Mite; Roller Caterpillar; Rose
Beetle; Tobacco Worm. - - - 338-340
Root Worms: Angleworm; Milleped; Cut-
Worm; Wire Worm, ^41

Diseases of Plants — Mildew; Bl.ackrust;

Damping Ofi", 342

Practical Precepts, .... 3^^2

culture of favorite plants.

Abutilon, 346

Achyranthus, 347

Agapanthus, 347

Alternantheras, 348

Amaryllis. 349

Aster, 349

Azalea, - - 350

Balsam, 350

Begonia, 351

Bouvardia, 352

m-

CONTENTS.

'^i

Cactus,
Caladium,
Camellia, -
Caxna, -
Carnation,

COLEUS, -

Crape Myrti

Crocus, -

Cyclamen, -

Daisy,

Dicentra, -

Drac^na,

Echeveria,

Erythrina,

Fittonia, -

Fuchsia, -

Funkia,

Gardenia,

Geranium, -

Gladiolus,

Heliotrope,

Hibiscus,

HOYA, -

Hyacinth,

LiBONIA,

Lily,

Lily of the V

Linaria, ■

Mahernia, -

Oleander,

Pansy,

Pelargonium,

Peperomia,

Petunia,

Phlox,

Physianthus,

Primrose, -

Rose,

Saxifrage,

SCILLA,

Sedum,

Selaginella,

Smilax,

Stephanotis,

Tritoma,

Trop.eolum,

Tuberose, -

Tulip,

Verbena,

Violet, -

Weigela, -

NEGLECTED BEAUTIES.

Choice Native Wild Flowers — Anemone
nemorosa; Uvularia; Eijthronium ; Dode-
catheon meadia; Tiadescantia Virginica; Co-
reopsis; Asclepias tuberosa; Cassia chamiE-
crista; Liatris; Gentiana crinita; Asters, 392
Climbing Plants — Climbers: Passiflora
P'ordii; Clematis virginiana; Clematis Sie-
boldii ; Clematis Jackmanni ; Clematis John
Gould Veitch; Cobiea scandens; Eccremo-
carpus scaber; Cucurbitacese, - - - 394
Twiners: Ipomoea: Ouamoclit vulgaris; Cal-
ystegia sepium; Boussingaultia basilloides;
Mikania scandens; I^nicera; Celastrus scan-
dens; Aristolochia sipho; Lathvrusodoratus;
Mauiandia; Thunbergia; Menispermum
Canadense; Wistaria Sinensis; Phaseolus
multitlorus; Adlumia cirrhosa; Jasininum
officinale; Humulus lupulus; Periploca

Gr-Tca, 394-396

Creepers: Hedera helix; Ampelopsis
Veitchii; Ampelopsis quinquefolia; Tecoma
radicans ; Ficus repens, . - - - 396-397
Trailers: Epigiea repens; Tradescantia ze-

brina, 397

Ferns, 398

Grasses, 399

Heaths, 400

Mosses, 401

STRUCTURE OF PLANTS.

Chemistry of Plants, .... ^02

Tissues, 403

Roots — Annuals; Biennials: Perennials, . 404

Stems — Stalks; Axil, 405

Leaves — Stipules; Bracts; Buds; Estivation, 406
Flowers— Calyx; Corolla; Stamen; Pistil;
Pericarp; Seed; Receptacle; Nectary, - -408

Inflore-scence. 410

divisions of the vegetable kingdom.
Variety; Subspecies or Race; Species;
Subgenus or Section; Genus; Tribe and
Subtribe; Suborder; Order; Subclass or Alli-
ance; Class, Series or Subkingdom, - 411-412
ST.STEMS OF CLASSIFICATION.
Artificial System of Linn.eus —Twenty-
four Classes; Twenty-six Orders, - 414-415
Natural Orders of Linn.eus, - - - 415
Natural Systems, .... 416-417
Influence of Floriculture, - - - 418
Index of Sentiment, - - - 421-424

r

^^?=k^' ""-^:^^':r

U^^

^^

jIlp^abHtal |iisl nf :iu|{|nrB Quolcb.

Abbey, Henry.
Adams, Johns.
Addison.

Ancrum, Earl of.
Angelo, Michael.
Armstrona-, Dr. John.

Baillie, Joanna.
Barrett, Miss.
Barton, Bernard.
Baxter, Sylvester.
Beattie.

Beaumont and Fletcher.
Beddoes.Thomas Lovell
Bell, Alexander.
Bellman Carl Michael.
Benjamin, Park.

m

Carew, Thomas.
Cartwrig-ht.
Chandler, Mary.

Clare, John.

Clark, Willis Gavlor

Clarke, Sara Jane.

Clason. Isaac S.

Cleveland.

Clinch.

Clinch, I. H.

Coleridge.

Collins.

Comer, Joseph.

Conrad, Robert T.
Cook, Eliza.
Cooper, George.
Cordner, Charlotte.

Bennett, En-
Bennett, W. C.
Benton, Joel.

Blessinffton, Countess of.
Bogart. Elizabeth.
Boker, George H.

Bradley, Mary E.
Brock, 'Sallie A.

BroNvne, Mary Anne.
Browne, William.
Browning, Elizabeth Barrett.
Bruce, Michael.
Bryant, William Cullen.
Brydges, Sir S. E.

Burbidge, Thomas.
Burger, G. A.
Burleigh.

Butler.

Butler, Mrs. Frances A. K.

Campbell.
Carey, Phoebe.
Carew, Lady.

Cotton,

Cowper.
Crabhe.,
Cranch, Christopher Pears

Din

Mrs.

Dobell, Svdncv.
Dodge, Mary B.

Do?r"juliaC. R.
Drayton.
DraVton, Nicholas

Ellis, Edward.
Embury, Mrs.
Emers6n, Ralph Waldo

Fielding.

Fields, lames T.

Fitts, Jimes Franklii

Foote.

Ford, John.

Fountain.

Franklin.

Franklin, James.

Frisbie, Levi.

Frowde.

Fuller, Frances A.

Gay.

German, from the.
Gibbs, A.
Gifford.

Gifford, Lena I.
Oilman, Caroline.
Glyndon. Howard.
Go'ffe.
Goldsmith.
Gould, Miss.

Gray.

Greek, from the.

Green.

Greenwell, Dora.

Grey. Barton.

Harte,' Walter.
Harvard.
Hay, William.
Hayne, Paul H.
Hays, Samuel.

Heathf'

Hemans, Mrs.

Henderson.

Herbert, George.

Herbert, Wiliam.

Herrxck, Robert.

Heywood.

Hill.

Hill, Aaron.

Hill, Kate. J.

Hillhouse, James A.

Hirst, Henry B.

Hoffman, Chas. Fenno.

Holmes, Oliver Wende

Home, John.

Hood, Thomas.

Howard, Mrs. V. E.
Howard, Sir Robert.
Howel.
Howitt, Mary.
Howitt, William.
Hovt, Ralph.
Hu'ghan, O. G.
Hugo, Victor.
Hunt,JosieE.
Hunt, Leigh.

JenS'H.

Keats. John.
Kemhle. Fran.
Kermode, Tan
King, Dr. Her

Lalee.

Landon, L. E.
Langey, W^. F.
Larcom, Lucy.

Lee, Marv E.
Leech, H. H.

Locke, Jane E.
Locke, A. A.
Locke, Mrs.

Lover, Samuel.
Lowell, James Ri
Lynch, Charlotte
Lyttleton.

Macaulay, Lord.
Machan.
Mackellar.
Madden, Dr. S.
Malcolm, Edith.
Mallet.

Mar

X

Pi-.trarch.
PIiili|)s, Ambrose.
Philips, John.

Mefivale.

Metastasio.

Middleton.

Miller.

Miller, Joaquin

Milman.

Milton.

Montgomery. .
Montsfomery, W.

Moore, L. Bruce.
More, Hann,lli.
Morris. Robert.
Motherwell.
Motteu.\.
Munson, S. A.

Noney, A. \V.
Norris, John.
Norton, Andrews.
Norton, Mrs.

Ogilvie.
Ofd Play

I Play,
urdway.

O'Reilly, John Be
Orrerv.'Earl of.
Osffood, Frances
Osgood, Kate Pu

Paine, R. T.
Palmer, J. W.
Parnell.

PiL-rpc.nt, John.
Pierson, Mrs. Lvdiajan
Pike, Albert.
Pindar.

Pinknev, Edward C.
Pittacus.
Poem of 15S4.
•Pollock.
Pope.
Pordag-e.
Prattent.
Prentice, G. D.
Prior.

Procter, Adelaide Anne,
Proctor, Bryan W.

Quarles, Francis.

M.11 R bert
rhom IS G

Spensei
Spragu

■ Robert
tirlmg) :

Rochester.

Rogers.

Swam Charles

Swam lohn

Roscommon.

Sucklmg Sir John

Rossetti, Christina Georgma

Rowe.

Russell, P. W.

In Iv ester Joshul

Ryan.

Salmagundi.

Tasso

Sanford, Lucy M.

Tavlor, Bayard

Sappho.

Taylor Henr)

Sargent, Epes.

Saxe.John G.

Thackeray, Willia

Tha?ter?CcUa.

Shaw.

Thompson.

Thurlow, Lord.
Tickell.
Tighe, Mrs.

Waller.

Waller, John Franci;

Walsh, William.

Wandesford.

Watkyns.

Watson, J. T.

Webber, Fred W.

■Webster.

\\'ebster, John.

Welbv, Mrs. Amelia

in, SaVah He
r,J. G.
, Carlos.

Wither, George.
Woodworth,
A\'ordsworth.
Wotten, Sir Her

INITIALS.

r ^

C^^^/^^E*lc.fe..^^L_ W^Tve^t^ t^KSfy-t^yy-^ CL^^t^jL^ TX.^

^ ^^'/^^^^<^

r^v:

T^ipn In lip ']|bunir$.

VKi

AY- STARS! that ope your frownless eyes to twinkle
Fiom rainbow galaxies of earth's creation,
\nd dew-drops on her lonely altars sprinkle

As a libation.

Y* Vt matin worshipers! who, bending lowly
] J Belbre the uprisen sun, God's Hdless eye,

(jt^l Thiow from your chalices a sweet and holy
% I Incense on high.

Y Ye bright mosaics! that with storied beauty
* L The floor of Nature's temple tessellate,

\\ \\ hat numerous emblems of instructive duty
j, Your forms create!

'Neath cloistered boughs, each floral bell that swingeth.

And tolls its perfume on the passing air,
Makes Sabbath in the fields, and ever ringeth
A call to prayer.

Not to the domes where crumbling arch and column

Attest the feebleness of mortal hand.
But to that fane, most catholic and solemn,
Which God hath planned;

To that cathedral, boundless as our wonder,

Whose quenchless lamps the sun and moon supply;
Its choir the winds and waves, its organ thunder.
Its dome the sk}-.

There, as in solitude and shade I wander

Through the green aisles, or stretched upon the sod,
Awed b}- the silence, reverently ponder
The ways of God,

I

\T HrMN TO THE FLOW BUS. i'

Your voiceless lips, O flowers! are living preachers,

Each cup a pulpit, every leaf a book,
Supplying to my fancy numerous teachers
From loneliest nook.

Floral Apostles! that in dewy splendor

"Weep without woe, and blush without crime,"
O, may I deeply learn, and ne'er surrender.
Your love sublime!

"Thou wert not, Solomon, in all thy glory.

Arrayed," the lilies cry, "in robes like ours!
How vain your grandeur! ah, how transitory
Are human flowers!"

In the sweet-scented pictures, heavenly artist!

With which thou paintest Nature's wide-spread hall,
What a delightful lesson thou impartest
Of love to all!

Not useless are ye, flowers! though made for pleasure;

Blooming o"er field and wave, by day and night.
From every source your sanction bids me treasure
Harmless delight.

Ephemeral sages! what instructors hoary

For such a world of thought could furnish scope?
Each fading calyx a memento mori,
Yet fount of hope.

Posthumous glories! angel-like collection!

Upraised from seed or bulb interred in earth.
Ye are to me a type of resurrection
And second birth.

Were I in churchless solitudes remaining.

Far from all voice of teachers and divines.

My soul would find, in flowers of God's ordaining,

Priests, sermons, shrines.

— Horace Smith.

^

V

C\^f.

\% c, ?|W^S,>&^f_, ^ ^,,

v.')^^'".^

YM

^sm

^v<:i^^ni

PART I

Description, Language and Poetry of
Flowers.

ife*

ii

'im^^-

^

3^cacia-^0B^,

Kobiuia Ijispi^a. Natural Oiidek: Lcguminosix — Pulse Family.

IE Rose Acacia is a beautiful shrub of the locust tribe,

varying in height from three to five feet, and is grown for

its large clusters of rose-colored, pea-shaped flowers, which

are very pleasing to the eye. The Acacias are all very

handsome plants, with great diversity of foHage, and number,

in all their varieties, upward of four hundred. They are

in every quarter of the globe, except Europe, and some of them

are natives of our own Southern States. The flowers of the choice

varieties are yellow, pale straw-color, red, or purple. They require

the protection of the greenhouse to grow them in perfection.

QMALL service is true service while it lasts;
^ Of friends however humble, scorn not one:
The daisy, by the shadow that it casts.

Protects the ling'ring dewdrop from the sun.

/^H! let my friendship in the
^^ Though but a bud among

wreath,
the flowers.
Its sweetest fragrance 'round thee breathe —
'Twill serve to soothe thy weary hours.

—Mrs. Welly.

TOVE is a sudden blaze which soon decays;
'^ Friendship is like the sun's eternal rays;
Not daily benefits exhaust the flame:
It still is giving, and still burns the same.

PRIENDSHIP'S an abstract of love's noble fl.ame,

'Tis love refined, and purged from all its dross;
The next to angel's love, if not the same;

As strong as passion is, though not so gross:
It antedates a glad eternity,
And is a heaven in epitome. —Kaiherine Phillifs.

CRIENDSHIP is a plant of heavenly birth.
Constant its nature, and immense its worth,

rj'RIENDSHIP is the cement of two minds,
^ As of one man the soul and body is ;

known to rest.

And glow most warmly

i-irtuous breast!
—Praltcnt.

Of which one cannot sever but the other
Suffers a needful separation.

ti^rmr ubrary

w

%MAtt^B '^0n%\xt.

(DpIjioinloSSUm miliiatum. Natural Order: Filiccs — Fern Family.

<\ R WGE name has this singular little plant, being derived

trom two Greek words, of his, meaning serpent, and o-/ossa,.a

tongue; so called from the lance-like spike on which the

seeds are produced. It belongs to the beautiful family of

^ terns, most of which propagate themselves by seeds or

^spoies, arranged in various ways on the back of their leaves,

s )me being too minute to be visible to the naked eve. It is found in

ow grounds, with solitary fronds measuring from two to three inches

in length It has been chosen as an emblem of deceit, because those

b\ whom we are deceived are usually compared to serpents lurking

in the wiass, ind ready to sting us unawares.

|jtEil

A ND this was he who loved me; he who came
■'*• To whisper vows to my too willing ear
With lip of melody and heart of flame;
Vows whose glad truth I deem'd so trebly dear
To him who breathed them, that had doubt or fear
Been raised within my heart, they could not grow —
He whose bright eyes bespoke a soul sincere —
This; //lis was he who — vain remembrance now! —

He

ves to

the past — he lives to break hi;

A TO man's condition is so base as his;

None more accursed than he ; for man esteems
Him hateful 'cause he seems not what he is;
God hates him 'cause he is not what he seems;
What grief is absent, or what mischief can
Be added to the hate of God and man?

-Fran

^iiarles.

A

H! tha
And «

deceit should steal such gentle shapes,
th a virtuous visor hide deep vice!

■pETTER the truth.
Though it bring me

.ith,

Than a lie as sweet as the dreams of vouth.

Better to stand

In a lonely land,
My feet unshod in its desert sand.

Than to blindly go

W'liere cool streams flow.
And a serpent coils in the grasses low.

adley. \^ \

^£0mi0*

^bouis autumualis. Natural Order: Ranunculacccv — Crozvfoot Family.

•i|^^' i2 ' %^^'^'^ ^ ^^ Adonis we have a fine hardy annual of Ein-opean

Ji'^; ^ '. , ^)fe :; birth, which, according to ancient mythology, sprung from

'ft'^jj-:^ . ' V . -^H, the blood of Adonis, one of the lovers of Venus, who while

1^^ t-, ^''h hunting was killed by a boar. Venus mourned his loss with

"(^ . ' _ C^ ' -^-T:." "li'ny tears. While she was weeping over the spot, a beautiful

^^\|/*^ '■'"'^ plant came up covered with flowers like drops of blood. Thus

have the fables and flowers descended to us through the mists of ages,

t^ laden with the reminiscences of vanished time.

qPEARS, idle tears,— I know not what they mean,-
■*■ Tears from the depth of some divine despair
Rise in the heart, and gather in the eves.
In looking on the happy autumn fields.
And thinking of the days that are no more.

THE

lEY bid me raise my heavy eyes.

Nor mournful still in tears complain —
They bid me cease these broken sighs.

And with the happy smile again:
They say that many a form of light

Is gliding round me while I pine,
But still I weep — though fair and bright.

It is not thine. —Mrs. Xorton.

w;

''HEN the cold breath of sorrow is sweeping
O'er the chords of the youthful heart.
And the earnest eye, dimmed with strange weeping,

Sees the visions of fancy depart;
When the bloom of young feeling is dying,

And the heart throbs with passion's fierce strife,
When our sad days are wasted in sighing,
Who then can find sweetness in life.'

—Mrs. Emhiiry.

IL

IVT EMORIES on memories!

There come such dreams

That my wrung heart, though

to my soul agam

of vanish'd love and bliss

long inured to pain.

Sinks

ith the fullness of its wretchednes;

-Pkxh- Co,

J^gjemtmm.

4

JCratum iHeiicaUUm. Natural Order: Composita: — Aster Family.

C'ARCELY any flower is more in use among florists for group-
ing in bouquets than the Ageratum; its small, fringe-like heads
"' ng in so softly around the more unyielding blossoms; toning
down all harsh outlines, and harmonizing tints too antagonistic
to each other, by its unobtrusive presence. There are only
>-<* two varieties in color: one a most delicate blue, the other white;
.uul two in height, a dwarf and a tall kind. It produces a fine effect
wlien grown in masses in the garden, or is well adapted for pot
culture, the dwarf having the preference, the blossoms being about
the same size. It is a native of Mexico and the West Indies,

ilH

$n$$$.

TTER air, her manners, all who saw admired;

^ Courteous, though coy, and gentle though retired ;
The joy of youth and health her eyes display'd,
And ease of heart her every look convey'd.

'T'HE nymph did like the scene appear,
Serenely pleasant, comely fair;

Soft fell her words

blew the air.

-Crahbe.

[AT are these wondrous civilizing arts.
This Roman polish, and this smooth behavior.
That render man thus tractable and tame?

— Addison,

W"'

PASE in your mien, and sweetness in your face.

You speak a siren, and you move a grace;
Nor time shall urge these beauties to decay,
While virtue gives what years shall steal away.

TN simple manners all the secret lies: /^F

Be kind and virtuous, you'll be blest and wise. ^ '

-Tick.-U.

softest manners, unaffected mind;
Lover of peace, and friend of human kind.
—Pope.

MORAL, sensible, and well-bred man
Will not affront me, and no other can.

4

'^1

g^grim^mf.

^grimauia paVDltlora. Natural Order: Rosacea: — Rose Family.

^^

GRIMONY, a plant well known to the Greeks and Romans,

^ and by them very highly esteemed for its healing properties,

? was at one time thought superior to all others known to

science as medicinal. Some authors derive the name from

HJ the Greek '■'■argema, the web or pearl of the eye, a disease

^^il^ of which it was supposed to cure." Several plants under

this name are found throughout the United States, in the fields and

woods. The flowers are small and yellow, in long, slender racemes.

The plants vary in height from one to three feet, some of them being

quite aromatic.

lil^3nkfuln$$$>

POR she hath lived with heart and soul alive
To all that makes life beautiful and fair;

Sweet thoughts, like honey-bees, have made their hive
Of her soft bosom-cell, and cluster there.

—Amelia B. Welby.

'piIROUGH all his tuneful art how strong

The human feeling gushes!
The very moonlight of his song

Is warm with smiles and blushes.

— J. G. WhittU:

T UNDERSTOOD not that a grateful mind

By owing owes not, but still pays, at once

Indebted and discharg'd. —Milton.

QOUL, where thoughts like to white- winged angels,
^ Brood in the hush of this dim, dark eve.
Whisper to me thy sweet evangels.

Whisper and sigh, but do not grieve;
Out of the depths of thy charmed chambers

Raise me a song that shall thrill afar;
Kindle thy fires, blow bright thine embers,

Gleam on her soul like the gleam of a star.
— Barton Grey.

w

E owe thee much; within this wall of flesh
There is a soul counts thee her creditor,
And with advantage means to pay thy love.

—Shakespear,

T

HANKS, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught.

— Lon^fellai'j.

TF vou have lived, take thankfully the past;

Make, as you can, the sweet remembrance last. M,
-Drya^n. . j

5 - tSEI?

!l\ilailtus C\lailtlulosa. Natural Order: Rutacea: — Rue Family.

B^^'V^UXURIANT in aspect is this Chinese tree, the botanical name

of which is derived from its Malay name, ailanto, that is,

Tree of Heaven. It grows to a great height, the trunk is

usually very straight, and the leaves, a yard or more in

length, are composed of smaller leaflets arranged along

' t. the central stem, with one at the tip, similar to the leaves

of the butternut. They are abundant, and form a plentiful and

delightful shade. The tree grows rapidl}-; the wood is soft and of

no utility.

'T'HE planted seed, consigned to common earth,
■*■ Disdains to molder with the baser clay,
But rises up to meet the light of day,
Spreads all its leaves and flowers and tendrils forth,
And, bathed and ripened in the genial ray.
Pours out its perfume on the wandering gales,
Till in that fragrant breath its life exhales;
So this immortal germ within my breast
Would strive to pierce the dull, dark clod of sense;
With aspirations winged and intense,
Would so stretch upward, in its tireless quest
To meet the Central Soul, its source, its rest.

—Charlotte Anne Lynch.

\ RESTLESS, strong, impetuous
Eager to do and dare the wor«

will,

Emulous £
Attaining, yet

•er to be fir:
spiring still.

TIP from its trammels the freed spirit wings,

Higher to soar;
Attar immortal a pure essence flings.

Sweet, evermore ! —Afory B. Dodge.

%

VTATURE never stands still, nor souls either. They ever go up or go down;
And hers has been steadily soaring — but how has it been with your own.'
She has struggled, and 3'earned, and aspired — grown purer and wiser each year;
The stars are not farther above you, in yon luminous atmosphere! —Julia C. R. Dorr.

6

-^M

J^lm0ix£*

5$

p3ir.

T)1-'T dreadful is their doom Avliom doubt has driven
To censure fate, and pious hope forego:

Like vender blasted boughs by lightning riven.
Perfection, beauty, life, they never know,
But frown on all that pass, a monument of woe.

M

ETHINKS we stand
About us; and the u
loose, that it but want
leap from its hinges.

n rum ; nature
iversal frame '
another push

light shed on my way,
pale beam has fled,
nd those I loved have gone for aye
To the cold realms of the dead.

— Afara'a Hall.

'T>HERE is n
^ Ev'n hope'

H

0\V like gall and
The cup that we

iormwood to the taste

0",'

rling, earth is wear
Life, without thee, sad and
Ocean's song a Miserere!
And my sun is burning low.
Fainter yet life's embers glow.
Tides will ebb that cannot flow.
--Jame. F,

W

drain may pro\-e.

—Lydia Jane Pu-rsou.

^HO sees laid low.

The sweetest thing in his life.
What bitter ruth
For my heart, in sootl-

Was born of thi

naked, terrible truth.

—Mary E. Bradley.

1

2lllU)C\LialllS puiuila. Natural Order: Rosacea: — Rose Family.

HE Almond is a beautiful little shrub, sending forth its deli-
cate pink, crape-like blossoms early in the spring, completely
covering each branch from base to apex, while the foliage
is almost unseen. The ancients had a beautiful custom of
wreathing poetic fables with everj-thing, and there is scarcely
a flower but what is clothed with some affecting tale of dis-
appointed lovers. The Almond tree was said by them to have sprung
from the dead body of Phyllis, princess of Thrace, who was watching
for her betrothed husband's return. On the day appointed for his
arrival, she watched and waited anxiously, and at last, hopeless and
iJiV) despairing, killed herself upon the shore, and was changed into this
shrub.

i

i^ltf*.

1

^(\at>C Americana. Natural Order: Amaryllidacea: — Amaryllis Family.

HIS plant is a native of the tropical portions of America,
although the same -species are fo"und in the burning sands of
the Eastern Hemisphere. The leaves are thick and fleshy,
tapering to a point, and dentate on the edges. They some-
times grow as much as six or eight feet in length, each leaf
coming out one close above the other, with no interval on the
stem. The flower-stalk rises from the center of the surrounding
leaves to the height of twenty to thirty feet, bearing on the summit
a pyramidal panicle of numberless yellow flowers. Formerly it was
said to bloom only once in a century. It is now kno^^'n to bloom
from eight years upward, according to the attention given it, and the
region where it grows. Another variety, with smaller leaves of
almost invisible green, is completely covered with white, bead-like
dots, forming a striking contrast to the color on which they rest.

%xn\

/^H sorrow! where on earth liast thou not sped
^ Thy fatal arrows! on what lovely head
Hast thou not poured, alas! thy bitter phial,
And cast a shadow on the spirit's dial.

— Atma EsUlle Leivis.

T N tears, the heart oppressed with grief,

Gives language to its woes;
In tears its fullness finds relief,

When rapture's tide o'erflows!
Who, then, unclouded bliss would seek

On this terrestrial sphere.
When e'en delight can only speak,

Like sorrow, in a tear?

—MHastasio.

B

LF of the ills we hoard within our hearts,
Are ills because we hoard them. —Pracior.

» UT where the heart of each should beat,
There seemed a wound instead of it,
From whence the blood dropped to their feet.
Drop after drop — dropped heavily.
As century follows century
Into the lieep eternity. —Elizabfih Barreit Brov.mhig.

AM duml
Could mv

, as solemn sorr
griefs speak, thi

ought to be ;

no end.

•^^t^

I

^liifsia.

1

^lODSia citrioilOVa. Natural Order: J'crdc

Family.

"■ESERVING of all praise is the Aloysia, sometimes called

Lemon Verbena. It is from Paraguay, and received its

name in honor of Queen Mary Louisa, of Spain, the mother

ul Ferdinand VII. It is cultivated as a greenhouse shrub,

for the aromatic odor of its delicate leaves, the least touch of

which yields the delightful fragrance of the lemon. Frequently it is

Ipp placed in the ground in summer, and in a dry cellar in winter. It

should be trimmed back in the spring before the leaf buds begin to

start, as otherwise it is inclined to a straggling growth. The flowers

are small, appearing in spikes. They seldom bloom in this latitude.

The young branches are used by florists in bouquets.

^[orgiiiEnjss,

QOME grave their wrongs on marble; he, more just,
^ Stoop'd down serene, and wrote them in the dust.

— Dr. S. Madden.

W"

LE yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps,
Between us two let there be peace. —Milton

TF there be

^ One of you all that ever from my presence
I have with saddened heart unkindly sent,
I here, in meek repentance, of him crave
A brother's hand, in token of forgiveness.

—Joanna BailUe.

'CpiS easier for the generous to forgive

Than for offense to ask it —T/iomfsut,

K'

'NEEL not to me:

The power that I have on you.
The malice toward you, to forgi\e

to spare you ;

And deal with others better.
■pORGIVE and forget! why the world would be lonely.

The garden a wilderness left to deform,
If the flowers but remember'd the chilling winds only,

And the fields gave no verdure for fear of the storm.

^

TF ever any malice in your heart
Were hid against me, now torgive me frankly
—Shakesfeari

— CJiarles Sit'oin.
HE narrow soul
Knows not the God-like glory of forgi'

m

^Ifsswm.

%

!^lySSUm maiitimuiU. Natiral Order: Criicifcnv — Mustard Family.

A'OMG the ancients the Alyssums were supposed to possess

some charmed property, which had power to control and

subdue violent and ungovernable paroxysms of temper, and

keep the disposition mild and passive. Its name is derived

tiom the Greek (/, not, and lussa., rage. It is a perennial of

1 as\ culture, and gladdens the garden, from June to October

fftV w ith Its hne lea\ es, delicate white flowers and sweet perfume. The

^■7* Rock (Saxatile) Alyssum is a native of Qz

^ soms m close coi ymbous bunches.

.'andia, and has yellow blos-

gjrii Jjftirii ^t

aui

QAID I she was not be.iutiful? Her eves upon your sight
^ Broke with the lambent purity of planetary light,
And as intellectual beauty, like a light within a vase,
Touch'd everv line with glorv of her animated face.

'T'ELL me not that he 's a poor man,

That his dress is coarse and bare;
Tell me not his daily pittance

Is a workman's scanty fare;
Tell me not his birth is humble.

That his parentage is low;
Is he honest in his actions.'

This is all I want to know.

— Willk.
/^H, how much more doth beauty beauteous seen
By that sweet ornament which truth doth give
The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem
For that sweet odor which doth in it live.

— Shakespeare.

TTAR better in its place the lowliest bird

Should sing aright to Him the lowliest song,

H

Than that a seraph
And sing his glo

ERE only merit constant pav
Is blest in what it takes, anc

strayed, should take the w^ord
y wrong. —'Jeai, Itigelcnv.

receives:
what it gi'

Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.

pOOD actions crown themselves with lasting bay

Who well deserves needs not another's praise.

—Heat.

TT is Avitness still of excellency

To put a strange face on its own perfection.

—Shalcespeai

i

l^mamtttli,

^1

(!?Onipl)rtna pcrcnnis. Natural Order: Amarantacca: — Amaranth Family.

^vOUTH AMERICA has contributed this variety
aiith to the flora of the United States. It is

of the Ama-
phmt about
t\\ 0 feet higli, with narrow, tapering leaves, and flowers simi-
lar in shape to those of the common red clover. Th'ey are
ciimson in color, and equally fadeless and durable as in the
.mnual species. Because of this qualitv thev have been the
chosen emblem of immortality from the earlv days of Homer down
to the poets of modern times.

A VOICE within us spealcs that startling word —
"Man, thou shalt never die!" Celestial voices
Hymn it into our souls; according harps,
By angel fingers touch'd, when the mild stars
Of morning sang together, sound forth still
The song of our great Immortality.

—R. H. Dana.

' 'T* IS immortality deciphers man,
•*■ And opens all the mysteries of his make.
Without it, half his instincts are a riddle,
Without it, all his virtues are a dream.

IMMORTALITY o'erswecps

All pains, all tears, all time, all fears — and peals
Like the eternal thunders of the deep
Into my ears this truth — Thou liv'st forever!

pRESS onward through each vary
•*■ Let no weak fears thy course de
Immortal being! feel thy power.
Pursue thy bright and endless w£

hour ;

A':t'

LL, to re-flourish, fades;

in a wheel, all sinks, to reascend.
Emblems of man, who passes, not expires.

'T'HE spirit of man
A Which God inspired, (
With this corporeal clod.

mnot together perish

I

''OLD in the dust this perish'd heart may lie,
^ But that which warm'd it once shall never die.

I

-^

(!3oiUpl)lcna C\lobasa. Natural Order: Amarautaccic — Avmrajith Family.

«►— /(>— ^'*v>^ I IE Globe Amaranth is a tender annual from the flowery
\alcs of India. It is valued chiefly for its heads of bright,
lound, purple flowers, which, if gathered when freshly blos-
sonuil will retain their brilliancy for years. The white
\anet\ is cultivated for the same purpose, the two forming
\tiv pretty bouquets for winter. The seeds are enveloped
HI a cotton} substance, which should be removed before planting,
• IS it hinders the process of germination.

CHANGE but in (iving, and no holier vow
From lips mortal e'er came than I breathe to thee n(
It comes from a heart with love lor thee sighing;
Believe me, 'tis true — I change but in dying.

—John S. Adati

T WAS not false to thee, and yet
•'■ My cheek alone look'd pale!
My weary eye was dim and wet,

My strength began to fail;
Thou wert the same; thy looks were gay,

Thy step was light and free:
And yet, with truth my heart can say,

I was not false to thee.

— Mrs. Norton.

T WOULD not leave thee did I know
*■ That all the world's reproach were true
That 'neath some great temptation's power

Thy soul had lost its native hue;
Had dyed itself with darkest guilt;

Had plunged without remorse in crime:
Not even then would I forsake —

Thine, and thine only, for all time.

'TTHE mountain rill
^ Seeks with no surer fl<
Than my unchang'd affccti

pHANGELESS as the greenest leaves
^ Of the wreath the cypress weaves —
Hopeless often when most fond — ;
Without hope or fear beyond
Its own pale fidelity.

— J/;>.v Laiidon.

the far, bright sea,
flows to thee.

— Park Benjamin.

and with all of eloquence thou hast.

The burning story of my love discover;

And if the theme should fail, alas! to move her,

Tell her when youth's gay summer-flowers are past,

Like thee, my love will blossom till the last!

—Charles F. Hoffi

pO!

^^

"^,

J^margllis.

y

Sprckclia fonilOSissima. Natural Order: Amaryllidacccc— Amaryllis Family.

UMEROUS varieties of these beautiful tropical bulbs are to

be found with florists and seedsmen, the most common

being, perhaps, those known as the Atamasco, Belladonna,

and Jacobea lilies, from their superb, lily-like flowers. There

ig?^^ are, however, about a hundred and fifty others, diflering in

^e!^^ their coloring, tinie of blooming, or shape of flower, that are

worthy all the enthusiasm they have inspired. The root is similar

to a large onion, either tapering upward or flattened, according to

the species; the leaves thick, long and narrow; the flower-stalk

about a foot high. They are grown in pots, either as window or

greenhouse plants. The Amaryllis receives its name from a n3-mph,

mentioned in the Eclogues of Virgil, where Corydon thinks the

cruel anger and proud disdain of Amar3-llis was easier to bear than

the cool indifterence of Alexis, whom he so madly loved.

Jrib.

W'

pRIDE,
^ or all sii

'AKEN, thou lair one! up, Aman

Morning so still is;

Cool is the gale;

Tlie rainbow of heaven,

With its hues seven.

Brightness hath given

To wood and dale;
Sweet Amaryllis, let me convey thee;
In Neptune's arms naught shall affray
Sleep's god no longer power has to st
Over thy eyes and speech to prevail.

elf-adorning pride, w
in past, all pain, all

thee:
IV thee,

primal cause
ae to come.

—Pollock.

TTOW poor a thing is pride! when i
^ ^ Differ but in their fetters, not th(

graves.

T'

-Carl Michael Bellman.

lOUGH various foes against the truth combine
Pride, above all, opposes her design;
Pride, of a growth superior to the rest,
The subtlest serpent, with the loftiest crest.
Swells at the thought, and kindling into r.ige,
Would hiss the cherub Mercy from the st.age.

-Cowfer.

T 'LL go along, no such sight to be shown,
1 But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.

—Shakesfearc.

(lll)UJa OCl'ftcutalis. Natural Order: Conifcric — Phic Family.

HIS tree is almost identical with the White Cedar, and is
frequently mistaken tor it. It is very abundant along the
rocky shores of lakes, rivers, and swamps of the northern
parts of the United States and the Canadian provinces. The
trunk is crooked and covered with evergreen foliage from
bottom to top, the branches diminishing in length toward the
The wood is very light and soft, yet it is said to be durable,
issical name is derived from the Greek word thito., I sacrifice,
^ its fragrance made it a favorite wood for sacrificial fires.

>^ p

«|i„, till J«l|.

QO we grow together,

^ Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,

But yet a union in partition.

Two lovely berries molded on one stem;.

So with two seeming bodies, but one heart.

r

T

%

life for me hath joy or light,

'Tis all from thee;
tlioughts by day, my dreams by night.

Are but of thee, of only thee;
ate'er of liope or peace I know,
zest in joy, my balm in woe,
those dear eyes of thine I owe;

'Tis all from thee.

T CHANGE but in dt

May gather around

But true as the needle.

Will my heart turn to

task befits thee well,
gather firmness as the tempests sw-ell
me still, companion, wife and friend,
; in fond endurance to the end.

- Victor Iluffo.

My heart, ev'n ere I saw those eyes,

Seem'd dooni'd to thee;
Kept pure till then from other ties,

'T was all for thee, for only thee.
Like plants that sleep till sunny May
Calls forth their life, my spirit lay,
Till touch'd by love's awak'ning ray,

It lived for thee, it lived for thee.
—Mo,
ing! the trials of earth
me and darken my path,
which points to the pole,
thee — thou beloved of tny soul.

— T. Dreiv.

UT green above them
Thy branches grow;
Like a buried love, or a vanish'd joy,
Link'd unto memories none destroy.

B'

.J

^^^

HlmUS ;^mcrirana. Natural Order: UlmacecE—Elm Family.

XE of the most beautiful trees in the United States is the
Vmerican Elm. Nothing can surpass the exquisite beauty of
u^ long, pendulous branches, that hang from its ample crown
lik(.' brown threads strung with dark-green leaves. The trunk
li'-e-; erect to a considerable height, whence it stretches upward
innumerable arms to sustain the wealth of foliage whose shadow
'-./si"' '"''^ '^'^ i-'Hiicing on the grass beneath. Clusters of smaller twigs adorn
^■^^^^l|0^'^^" ^°*^>' "'^ ^'^ ^'■*^*^' where they sway with all the grace of an ostrich
Y''lt^ P^"'"^'' catching the slightest motion of the toying breeze, as if the
•j^'i-<-:;P sun and air filled them with an ecstatic joy. The Elm thrives best
■iilk.-^ '" '""'^'^ '^"*^®' particularly lowland pastures, where it makes a rapid

n / \V_) growth. It has been much used around the sequestered homes of
New England, and the effect has been most picturesque.

r\ HEAVEN, he cried, my bleeding country save!

Is there no hand on high to shield the brave.'
Yet though desti-uction sweep those lovely plains,
Rise, fellow-men! our country yet remains! -Ca^,pMl.

O NATCH from the ashes of your sires T^HE sword may pierce the bearer,

The embers of their former fires, •»- Stone walls in time may sever;

And he who in the strife expires 'Tis heart alone,

Will add to theirs a name of fear W'orth steel and stone,

That tyranny shall quake to hear. That keeps man free forever!

-Byron. -Moore.

JUDGE me not ungentle,
•J Of manners rude, and insolent of speech,
If when the public safety is in question.
My zeal flows warm and eager from my tongue.

TTE who maintains his countrv's laws

Alone is great; or he who dies in the good cause.

— Sir A. HuiH.

■5

i

g^mjeriiCiim gimitl^m.

(Silia ;^lUCricana. Natural Order: Tiliacccv — Linden Family.

VSSWOOD is the common name for this forest tree in our

Northern States. It grows to a great height, and abounds in

"y'a wholesome mucilaginous juice. Its tender young twigs

are often pulled and eaten by school children for this prop-

', erty. The inner bark is sometimes manufactured into rope.

•':^ The wood is very soft and white, and is used for the paneling

of carriages and in cabinet work, as it is easily wrought.

The celebrated Russia matting is manufactured from a species of

European Linden, while the East Indians rely upon the native species

for their rice bags, fishing nets and lines.

liri

mani

"I17EDDED love is founded on esteem,
'• Which the fair merits of the mind engage,
For those are charms which never can decay ;
But time, which gives new whiteness to the swan,
Improves their luster. —Faiton.

'T^HOUGH fools spurn Hymen's gentle powe
■*■ We, who improve his golden hours,

By sweet experience know
That marriage, rightly understood.
Gives to the tender and the good,

A paradise below. —Cotton

TJAVE I a wish.' 'tis all her own;

All hers and mine are rolled in one —

Our hearts are so entwined.
That like the ivy round the tree,
Bound up in closest amity,

'Tis death to be disjoined. —Liiidhy Murray.

V:\

TEMPTING gold
In this our age
Than virtue, merit, c

done

nore marriages completes

- the force of love.

— Wandesford.

still the woman take
An elder than herself; so wears she to hiin,
So sways she level in her husband's heart.

— Shakespeare.

W'

AT thou art is
Our state canno
One flesh; to lose the

be scver'd ; we are one,
were to lose myself.

—Milton.

J

^^&

2lubrom£&a l)I)pnoil)CS. Natukal Order: Ericacea:— Heath Family.

EPHEUS, an ancient king of Ethiopia, had a very proud and
haughty wife named Cassiopeia, and a daughter Andromeda.
His wife was so vain of her beauty that she contested with
Juno for the supremacy. For such temerity, Jupiter issued a
decree that her daughter should be bound to a rock on the
coast, that she might be devoured by sea-monsters. Perseus,
a son of Jupiter, and adopted son of the king of Seriphos, undertook an
expedition against the Gorgon Medusa, and upon his return discov-
ered the luckless Andromeda languishing in the cords that bound her,
and after overcoming dangerous obstacles, rescued and married her. Her
name was given to a constellation in the heavens, and botanists have also
named this little shrub in her honor.

T ET wit her sails, her oars let wisdom lend;

The helm let politic experience guide :
Yet cease to hope thv short-lived bark shall ride
Down spreading fate's unnavigable tide.

0

XWILLING I forsook vour friendly state,
Commanded bj the gods and forced by fate.

THOU who freest me t
Long lost and wilder'd
present still.

m mv doubtful state,
the maze of fate !

—Pope.

—Prior.

QOME taste the lotus, and forget
^ What life it was thev lived before;
And some stray on the seas and set

Their feet on every happy shore;

But I — I linger evermore.

—Ja)tu\^ Afauricf Thomp^t

pATE steals along with ceaseless tread.

And meets us oft when least we dread;
Frowns in the storm with threatening brow.

H"

ERE I
Here
Break the

Yet in the si

walk the sands at eve.
n solitude I grieve,
.pells we loved to weave.

-Jame^ Franklin.

strikes the blow.

THE d
Fv'n

-Cr.7,./,v.

ly too short for my d
in the zenith of her
ne to the color of my

stress; and ni
lark domain,
fate.

^

3^mjem0tt^.

^ncniOlU" COronaria. Natural Order: Raminculacea: — Croxvfoot Family.

IN D- FLOWER is a frequent appellation of this beautiful
- little plant, which comes from the countries bordering
on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, known col-
, lectively as the Levant. We find quite a beautiful fable
:oncerning it in heathen mythology: Anemone was a nymph
. ., * ^ greatly beloved of Zephyr, and Flora, being jealous of her
. V luty, banished her from court, and finally transformed her into the
flower that bears her name; whence it is sometimes taken to express
witheied hopes. It is also connected with the story (already given) of
the love of Venus for Adonis, on which account the language has been
made "Anticipation," as she spent one-half the year longing and watch-
ing for his return.

'yO the fond, doubting heart its hopes appear
^ Too brightly fair, too sweet to reaHze;
All seem but daydreams of delight too dear;
Strange hopes and fears in painful contest rise,
While the scarce-trusted bliss seems but to cheat the

Mrs.

QUE looked from out the window
^ With long and asking gaze,
F^rom the gold-clear light of morning
To the twilight's purple haze.
Cold and pale the planets shone,
Still the girl kept gazing on.

TN

Tiglie.

.- forehead

From her white and
Droopeth the dark hair.
Heavy with the dews of evening,
Heavier with her care;
Falling as the shadows fall,
'Till flung 'round her like a pall

— L. E. Landoii

fair hope lay smiling
r, and all beguiling;

hearts
^ Sweet as ai
And there hung a mist of bluebells on the slope and down the dell ;

And we talked of joy and splendor

That the years unborn would render.

And the blackbirds helped us with the story, for they knew it well.

i8

li

^n^tlithx.

■Jlugelica atvopur^urra. Natlkal Order: Ui>ibcllifci\c — Parsley Family.

HIS plant is the largest of the species, the stalks attaining
the height of from four to six feet. It grows usually in a
wild or half-naturalized state, in fields and meadows, possesses
strong aromatic properties, and is sometimes used in medicine.
The garden Angelica is supposed to be a native of Labrador,
and is the plant cultivated and used the same as celery, the

hed stalks adding a good relish when other salads are scarce.

poets of Lapland fancied they derived inspiration from wearing

a crown; hence its application.

nsnir

aiicn.

'T'HE poets may of inspiration boast.

Their rage, ill governed, in the clouds is lost;
He that proportioned wonders can disclose.
At once his fancy and his judgment shows;
Chaste moral writing we may learn from hence.
Neglect of which no wit can recompense.
The fountain which from Helicon proceeds,
That sacred stream should never water weeds.
Nor make the cup of thorns and thistles grow.
Which en\y or perverted nature sow. - Roscomn.

.pOETS are limners of another kind, T^ YES planet calm, with something in their visio

^ To copy our ideas in the mind; ^ That seemed not of earth's mortal mixture bori

Words are the paint by which their tho'ts are shown, Strange mythic faiths and fantasies Elysian,

And nature is the object to be drawn. And far, sweet dreams of "fairy lands forlorn.

—Granville. —Sarah Helen Whitman.

'T'HE poet's eye. in a fine frenzy rolling,
'^ Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;
And, as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name. —Shakespeare.

19

1

Ji

i

3^|r0iCfmmm<

^Ipanmuni all^^OSlrmitoliUln. Xati-ral Order: Apocynacece — Dogbane Family.

MO\G our wild field-flowers we meet with this plant, some-

timts called Dogbane, because, according to Pliny, some of

the species were supposed to be fatal to those animals, as

IS, indeed, the extract of one of the genus, which is obtained

^ tiom the seeds of the strychnos nux vomica of India. It is

-. sold under the name of strychnine, and is fatal not only to

cainne race, but to all animal life. This plant is about three feet

lni;h, with opposite leaves from two to three inches long, rounded at

the base, and sharp at the point. The flower is small, white, striped

w ith red, and is rather pretty.

A H ! doom'd indeed to worse than death,
■^ *■ To teach those sweet lips hourly guile ;
To breathe through life but falsehood's breath,
And smile with falsehood's smile.

— .)/r,t. Osgood.

PIRST, I would have thee cherish truth,

As leading-star in virtue's train;
Folly may pass, nor tarnish youth.
But falsehood leaves a poison-stain.

—Eliza Cook.

"llflNNING his carriage, every look

Employed whilst it concealed a hook;
WHien simple most, most to be feared;
Most crafty when no craft appeared ;
His tales no man like him could tell;
His words, which melted as they fell,
Might even a hypocrite deceive.
And make an infidel believe.

-Anon.

'T*HE man of pure and simple heart

Through life disdains a double part
He never needs the screen of lies
His inward bosom to disguise.

A

MD though I stand

In a lonelv land.

Afar

from the touch of a tender hand,

Or

a mouth to kiss —

It i

better this

Than

to

cling

to a falsehood and dream it bliss

—Mary E. Bi

adlev.

N°

faN

ehood

shall defile mv lips with 1

ies

Dr X

vith a

veil of truth disguise, —s

■.ndys.

i

-^

I

JpUl'US mains. Natural Order: Rosacea: — Rose Family.

ITII lavish hand have the fruits been bestowed upon southern
and tropical climates, both in regard to variety and abund-
mce; but the apple, which is superior to them all, on
iccount ot" the various \va3's it may be used, the length
ot tune which it will keep in perfection, and the frequency
with which it ma}- be eaten without satiating the appetite,
1^ a particular boon to the dwellers of cold climates, for there it obtains
ii> greatest si/e and most perfect flavor. The blossom is sweet-scented,
and has a delicate pink flush. An orchard in bloom is a charming sight.

I^rcfci

T MIND the apple blossoms, how thick they were that spring!

Yes, and I'm likelv to mind them as long as any thing.
Some of the boughs, I remember, were just a sight to see;
The buds were as red as roses, all over the top of the tree.
I held a branch while she stripped it, till, shaken out of place,
A bee from one of the broken flowers came flying into her face.
She screamed, and I — I kissed her, just for a cure, you know.
And she blushed till her cheeks were pinker than the pinkest apple blow.

— Kait^ Putnam Onffotij.

pOME, let us plant the apple tree:

Cleave tlie tough greensward with the spade;
Wide let its hollow bed be made;
There gently lay the roots, and there
.Sift the dark mold with kindly care.

And press it o'er them tenderly.
As round the sleeping infant's feet
We softly fold the cradle sheet;

So plant we the apple tree.

What plant we in this apple tree.'
Buds, which the breath of summer days
Shall lengthen into leafy sprays;
Boughs where the thrush, with crimson breast.
Shall haunt, and sing, and hide her nest;

We plant, upon the sunny lea,
A shadow for the noontide hour,
A shelter from the summer shower.

When we plant the apple tree. —Bryant.

TF others be as fair,

What are their charms

I neither know nor care.
For thou art all to me.
21

'Afrs. Seba Smit/i.

3^|rric0t<

IprUUUS ^nUfUiaca. Xatlral Order: Rosacea: — Rose Family.

^ ^ -^> N the Apricot we have a tree that is thought to have origi-
i- ^ ^ nated in Armenia, but which is also found in the countries
^4- # adjacent, and as far east as the Celestial Empire and Japan.
t|*^ ^ Its introduction into Europe is said to have been eflected by
Alexander the Great, since whose time it has been generally

^ -^ cuhivated there. The tree is medium in size, being from

tiltten to twenty feet high. The flowers are white, and make their
appearance in April or May, before the putting forth of the leaves.
The fruit is of a purplish-golden hue, from one to two inches in diameter,
and is palatable either to be eaten in its natural state or made into a
preserve or jelly. It is cultivated in some parts of the United States,
and thrives best in a temperate or warm climate.

Ifiitpfalion.

'T'O shun th' allurement is not hard

To minds resolved, t'orewarn'd and
But wondrous difficult, wlien once beset.
To struggle through the straits and brea

k th'

i-mg net. —Dryden.

T PICTURE easeful moments spent
Among broad, shadowy branches, lit'tin

Their gloss to some pure firmament

Where spheres of palid fleece are driftii

N

O fort can be so

No fleshy breas

; will at last be \'

I see the flexuous vine-coil drowse,
The deep, dark mosses glimmer greenly

And watch between close-tangled boughs

The clear-curved breaker flashing keenl;

— Edffar Fa~.vt

strong,

can armed be so sound,
on with batterv long.

Or unawares at disadvantage found ;
Nothing is sure that grows on earthly ground —

And who most trusts in ann of fleshy might,
And boasts in beauty's chain not to be bound,

Doth soonest fall in disadventurous fight,
And yields his catifl^ neck to victors most despight.

Ky

k

^^

g^rlrittms.

1

(JrpigtTa repcns. Nati-ral Order: Ericacccv —Heath Family.

,OT infrequently called Trailing Arbutus, and sometimes May-
flower, this plant is found in mountainous and hilly districts
in our Northern States and British America. It is a procum-
bent shrub, and derives its botanical name from efi and gaca,
^^ two Greek words signifying lying on the ground, from the
i© ^^^ habit of the plant. The flowers appear in spring from April
,, to May. They are white, frequently with a blush of red cast o\er
, them, and are very fragrant. It has been suggested that this plant
t> be adopted, under the name of Ma^'flower, as the floral emblem of
'^ our country, corresponding to the Rose of England, the Fleur-de-lis
"-^ of Fiance, etc.

"^

^implutii|,

T KNOW
A And thcr

Arbutus,

i-eet

wildwood haunts where thou abidest,
le mossy nooks where most thou hides:
and shv. -"'■ C. Ric.

ARBUTUS graceful traihng,

^ *■ Amid brown mosses vaiUng,

Thy pink-wax clusters hailing,

Thv fragrance we adore.

Mayflower! Anew we name thee!
A nation now we claim thee —
No dastard e'er defame thee.
Symbol forevermore!

-Emilv T. Bel.

WAS

I pay-

great

debts, believe, and say

pray

D

lARLINGS of the forest!
Blossoming alone,
When earth's grief is sorest
For her jewels gone —
the last snowdrift melts, your tender buds
have blown.

A CHARM hast thou

^ Thou little beaming

How thrilled thy smile

The wearied pilgrin

-Pop.:
Tinged with color faintly,
Like the morning sky.
Or, more pale and saintly.

Wrapped in leaves ye lie —
Even as children sleep in faith's simplicity.

—Rose Terry.
no forest flower can boast,
herald of the spring!
«hen on our rock-bound coast
s found thee blossoming! —H. N. Jenks.

1\

^

i

J^r^thmsa.

1

^ICtljUSa bulbasa. Natural Oudek: Orchidacccv— Orchis Family.

AMP places, such as swamps and low, marshy meadows, are

-\ the chosen retreats of this beautiful plant. Each plant bears

('''one handsome, large, fragrant flower, of a rich purple hue.

;Il' It derives its name from Arethusa, a nymph of great beauty,

,h() served in the suit of the goddess Diana. She attracted the

attention of the river-god Alpheus, while bathing in his river, the

Alpheius of Arcadia. He immediately fell in love with her perfections,

and she fled away abashed. To save her from his pursuit, she was

changed by Diana into a fountain.

'X'HE clouds dispeird, the skv resum'd her light,

And nature stood recover'd of her fright,
But fear, the last of ills, remain'd behind,
And horror heavy sat on every mind. —Dryden.

A RETHUSA arose

From her couch of snows,
In the Acroceraunian mountains, —
From cloud and from crag
With many a jag.
Shepherding her bright fountains.
She leapt down the rocks
With her rainbow locks
Streaming among the streams; —

Her steps paved with green

The downward ravine
Which slopes to the western gleams;

And gliding and springing,

She went ever singing
In murmurs as soft as sleep;

The earth seemed to love her.

And heaven above her.
As she lingered toward the deep.

TJIS hand did quake

And tremble like a leaf of aspen green.
And troubled blood through his pale face w.-
As it a running messenger had been.

i seen,

TTIS fear was greater than his haste;

For fear, though fleeter than the v

Believes 'tis alwavs left behind. _;

T

HOI' Shalt be

punish'd for thus frighting me,
; and capable of fears;
Oppress'd with wrongs, and therefore full of fears.
— Shakespeare,

^

li

g^t^i0t0l0jcftia.

1

2lristalail)ia s\\l\]0. Natural Order: Aristolocliiacciv — Bi>-t/i%vort Family.

.,.9:i2^

ERE is a climbing shrub found in our Middle and Southern
States, generally in upland woods, frequently attaining the
height of thirty feet or more. The leaves are large and
heart-shaped, arranged alternately on each side of the stem.
The flowers are particularly striking, blooming singly, each
tube being long and turned up in the form of a tobacco-pipe, and of
a brownish color. Hence the shrub is frequently called Dutchman's
Pipe. The Aristolochia Bonplandi, a fine plant for greenhouse cul-
ture, is a native of Patagonia, and, like some two or three others,
thrives best in the warm, moist air of the hothouse. The flowers
of all have the same peculiar structure ; the- colors are purple or a
greenish brown, some of them being beautifully spotted.

■XrOUR wisdom is most liberal, and knows
^ How fond a thing it is for discreet men
To purchase with the loss of their estate
The name of one poor virtue, liberality,
And that, too, only from the mouth of beggars !
One of vour judgment would not, I am sure,
Buy all the virtues at so dear a rate. —Randolj^h.

■nUT th' earth herself, of her owne motion,
Out of her fniitfidl bosome made to growe
Most daintie trees, that, shooting up anon.
Did seeme to bow their blooming heads full lowe
For homage unto her, and like a throne did show.

T HAVE spent all the wealth

My ancestors did purchase ; made others brave
In shape and riches, and myself a knave :
For tho' my wealth rais'd some to paint their door,
'Tis shut against me, saying I am poor.

— Wiliins.

^^-

'HE feast is such as earth, the general mother.

Pours from her fairest bosom, when she smiles
the embrace of antumn. —S/ie/fy.

25

m

f

5v1i

^riliia mollis. Xatural Order: Compositce — Aster Family.

ROWING in the ravines of the White, Essex and other

■ mountains in the east, and on the Rocky mountains in the
west, the Arnica, an Alpine plant, is found. The flowers
are yellow, and are borne on stalks from one to two feet

' high. When dried the}^ form an article of commerce, being
used to reduce inflammation in wounds and bruises. A tinc-

usually prepared with alcohol, or spirits of some kind; or for
temporary use a lotion is made by steeping them in water.

11 7 HAT, man! ne'er pull your hat upon vour brows!
Give sorrow words: the grief that does not speak,
W'hispers the o'er-tVaught heart, and bids it break.

-Sl,ahesp,m

\\

thou uilt ease thine heart
Oi' love, and all its sm.irt —

Then sleep! dear, sleep!
And not a sorrow
Hang anv tear on your eyelashes;

Lie still and deep.
Sad soul, until the sea-wave v\ashes
The riin o' the sun tomorrow.

In eastern sky.

But wilt thou cure thine heart
Of" love, and all its smart —

Then die! dear, die!
'Tis deeper, sweeter.
Than on a rose bank to lie dreaming

With folded eye;
And then alone, amid the beaming
or love's stars, thou'lt meet her

In eastern sky.

-Thomas Lorell Beddocs.

H

ALF the ills we hoard within our hearts
Are ills because we hoard them. —Proctor.

T N sympathy, then, I give thee a hand.

And greet thee as thus we go.
And pledge a renewal in that bright land
Where pIea^ures perennial grow.

-Jaiu- E. Lock,'.

'T'HO' dark the night, 'tis not forever;
A day -beam comes, in mercy given -

Before its
The \\a

ray the storm-clouds
idering soul hath res

MOffiirr utufx

Tit

3^-scXtyiaB<

^SClcpiaS COnUlti. Xatlkai, Order: Asdepiadacecv — Milk-vced Family.

ROM a hoary antiquity has descended the name ^sculapius,
represented as an aged man with a heavy beard, leaning
' upon his jointed cane, and his head adorned with a crown
of laurel. He was the god of medicine, and by his wisdom
j)Y<s and skill improved the art of healing very much. It was
^-tsalso believed of him that, while physician to the Argonauts,
he had the power of calling the dead to life again. At last
Pluto, the god of the lower world, jealous and provoked, complained
that he was losing his subjects, and persuaded Jupiter to kill him,
whKh ht (lid with a thunderbolt. He was afterward worshiped as
a god in many cities of Greece and at Rome, because he had once
delivered that city from pestilence. This plant takes its name from
him. and is the common inhabitant of our roadsides, known to school
children as milkweed.

ianijucr f ?"** Jt^^^*

'T'HEN crush, e'en in the hour of birth,

'■ The infant buds of love.
And tread the growing fire to earth

Ere "tis dark in clouds above. —[{nlUrk.

Q

UIT, quit for shame! this will not move,
This cannot take her;
If of herself she will not love,

Nothing can make her. - sir John Siicklmg.

r\ SLIPP-RY state

^ Of human pleasures, fleet and volatile.
Given us and snatch'd again in one short moment,
To mortifv our hopes, and edge our sufi'Vings.

-Trapp.

LOVE is a sickness full of woes,
^ All remedies refusing;
A plant that most with cutting grows.
Most barren with best using.

Why so.'
More we enjoy it, more it dies;
If not enjoyed, it sighing cries

Heigh-ho! —Samuel Daniel.

T PRAY you do not fall in love with me,
'■ For I am falser than vows made in wine.

Besides, I like vou

A ND let the aspiring youth beware of love,
^ Of the smooth glance beware; for 'tis too late,
When on his heart the torrent-softness pours.
— Thompson.

S\

Sab^

'^/i
ii

jrraiiuus Americana.

Natural Order: O/cacccr — Olive Family.

1 VUTIFUL is the ash, one of the most dignified denizens of
tlie forest, rising to a height of from thirty to forty feet with-
out branching, and then crowning itself with large, dense and
handsome foliage to an extent full}' equal to the growth of
stately trunk. It delights in moist locations, as the banks
nvers and marshes, and does not thrive well in barren or
situations. Its timber is elastic, light, tough and durable,
ind IS much used b}- car-builders, carriage-makers, wheelwrights and
^ ship-buildeis, as well as in the manufacture of agricultural implements.

^>--^l _^ Its stal
/^V%f^ of rive

irnitbcur.

'IIT'ITH goddess-like demeanor forth she went —

Not unattended, for on her as a queen
A pomp of winning graces waited still,
And from about her shot darts of desire
Into all eves to wish her still in sia^ht.

W";

AT is grandeur? Not the sheen
Of silken robes; no, nor the mien
And haughty eve
Of old nobility—
The foolish that is not, but has been.
The noblest trophies of mankind
Are the conquests of the mind.

-Kir A, Hunt.

11 1 ARK her majestic fabric! She's a temple

Sacred by birth, and built by hands divine;
Her soul's the deity that lodges there;
Nor is the pile unworthy of the god. —Drrden.

"IIIHAT winning graces, what majestic mien!

She moves a goddess, and she looks a queer

—Pope.

WAS born
I 've honors,

vith greatness ;
titles, power, here

All vain external greatness

T KNOW an ash

Named Ygg-drasill ;
A stately tree.
With white dust strewed.

Thence come the dews
That wet the dales.
It stands aye green
O'er Urda's well.

^^^&

■^M

^B^nVUQtXB.

Asparagus officinalis. Natural Order: Liliacav — Lily Family.

nP],E in towns and cities are familiar with the vegetable

^i \ jiaragus as they find it in their markets, tied in bundles of

// '-U light stalks without the least appearance of foHage. There

the stalks are almost white, as gardeners cut the stems deep

^si| m the soil. Those having their own gardens cut them after

J^the^ are four or five inches above the ground, \\hen they are

_,i n sweet, and quite brittle. The soil should be very rich for its

^lowth It 15 one of the oldest of table plants, having been a favorite

fiom the tiniL of the ancient Greeks; and grows about four feet high

into 1 higt herbaceous bush, with leaves like so many green bristles.

\ ni iss It I distance looks as if the fairies had disrobed and left their

green illusion garments behind. The flowers are small: the berries, in

autumn, are a brilliant scarlet.

T X poet's lore, and sentimental story,

It seems as 't were this life's supremest aim

For heroes to achieve what men call glory,
And die intoxicate with earth's acclaim.

Ah me! how little care the dead for breath

Of vain applause that saved them not from death.

■yET, press on!

■*■ For it shall make you mighty among men;
And, from the eyrie of your eagle thought.
Ye shall look down on monarchs. O, press on!
For the high ones and powerful shall come
To do you reverence; and the beautiful
Will know the purer language of your soul,
.\nd read it like a talisman of love.
Press on! for it is godlike to unloose
The spirit and forget yourself ir. thought.

|y|AN wa

—MackMar.

nark'd
A friend, in his creation, to himself,
And may, with fit ambition, conceive
The greatest blessings, and the brightest honors
Appointed for him, if he can achieve them
The right and noble way. —Masihiffcr.

■flTHO never felt the impatient throb,
*• The longing of a heart that pants
And reaches after distant good.

^S-

f

3^sy,s:^B,

JpCipuluS trcimiloibcs. Natural Order: Salicacecv — Wi7/ow Family.

LEBRATED in ancient lore was Phttton, one of the sons
Plicebus Apollo. Epaphus, a reputed son of Zeus and lo,
denied that Phaeton was the son of Apollo, whereupon he,
ictinij; upon the advice of Clymene, his mother, went to the
palace of the sun to test his paternity." Phoebus acknowl-
edged him as his son, taking oath that anything he should
'^demand as proof should be granted. Phaston, probably desiring to
i^excite the envy of Epaphus and to pass in glory before his jealous gaze,
o di ive his father's chariot of the sun for one day. Apollo, dis-
ma^ ea, but mindful of his inviolable oath, granted the request. Pha;ton
ascended with joy, but his steeds ran away, and threatened to set fire
to the eaith, whereupon Jupiter killed him with a thunderbolt, and he
fell into the river Po. His three sisters mourned him incessantly, and
were at last changed into poplars by the pit}' of the gods, and their tears into
amber. The Aspen is a species of poplar, whose leaves are attached to the
branches by long, slender petioles or leaf-stems, which keep them -tremulous with
the slightest breeze.

TITHY tremblest thou, Aspen? no storm threatens nigh;

Not a cloud mars the peace of the love-beaming sky;
'Tis the spring of thy being — no autumn is near
Thy green boughs to wither, thy sweet leaves to sear!
The sun, like a crown, o'er thy young head shines free.
Then wherefore thus troubled? what fear'st thou, fair tree?

h DELICATE, frail thing — but made

For spring sunshine, or summer shade
A slender flower, unmeet to bear
One AprH shower — so slight, so fair.

OOSES bloom, and then they wither;
'^ Cheeks are bright, then fade and die;
Shapes of light are wafted hither.
Then, like visions, hiirrv bv.

-Pcrciral.

FEELING hearts

— touch them but
■lodies unheard before

htlv

3^0|r1ijOf£jei

1

■ ^spl)CiLtclus lutl'US. Xatukal Order: Li'/iacccc — Lily Family

^=^ ERY fine among the family of lilies is the Asphodel, a gar-
ikn plant from the island of Sicily. It is very easily culti-
xated, and multiplies rapidly. The stem is nearly three feet
^/(-> high, and adorned with hollow, three-cornered leaves. The
flowers, which are yellow, bloom closely along the stalk, almost
covering its whole length. There is also a white ^■ariety, a native
of Europe. The name is from the Greek, and means not to be
equaled. The}- planted it beside the torftbs, and fancied that beyond
the Acheron the deceased roamed through fields of Asphodel, quaff-
ing the waters of Lethe.

'TPHE dead! the much-loved dead!

Who doth not yearn to know
The secret of" their dwelling-place,
And to what land thev go?
What heart but asks, with ceaseless tone.
For some sure knowledge of its own ?

w

moon is shining

HEX the summ.

Soft and fair.
Friends she loved in tears are twi

Chaplets there.
Rest in peace, thou gentle spirit.

Throned above —
Souls like thine with God inherit

Life and love! — •fames

—Mary E. Lee.
TN my left hand I held a shell,

All rosv-lipped and pearly red;
I laid it by his lowly bed,
For he did love so passing well
The grand songs of the solemn sea.
Oh! shell, sing well! wild! with a w
When storms blow loud and birds bi
The wildest sea-song known to thee
— yoagititi

■pADE! flowers, fade! nature will have it so;

'Tis what we must in our autumn do!
And as 3'our leaves lie quiet on the ground.
The loss alone by those that lov'd them found.
So in the grave shall we as quiet lie,
Miss'd by some few that loved our company.

— »a//,-r.

Fields.

Still,
Vi/ler.

2lst£r I'OVJIlllboSUS. Natural Order: CompositiT — Aster Family.

^ UR native Aster grows about two teet high, and is found
requently in dry, open woodlands in the Northern and Mid-
States. The name is derived from the Greek word aster,
'signifying a star, as the petals spread out like raj's of light
from the center. There are none of our native plants that
"* '^^^Jt:lare equal to the Chinese Asters, though the same assiduity
1 y^ ■ \-^ in culture would undoubtedly improve them. On the western prairies
£^ ^1^0 t^*^""^ '^'"'^ some whose colors are really handsome in their exquisite
standing tall among the grass ; in some places so abundant that
seem that a rose or purple glory had settled down o\'er the
ir the birds to sing in.

'"/I^^ tints, Stan
tm it would
< IF 5 fields for

ejt? —

A LIKE all ages. Dames of ancient days

Have led their childi-en through the mirthful maze;
And the gay grandsire, skill'd in gestic lore,
Has frisk'd beneath the burden of" threescore.

—GoUsmilh.

rVA, no! I never will grow old, AAr*^'^' grieve thai time has brought so soon
^ Though years on years roll by, The sober age of manhood on 1

And silver o'er my dark brown hair, As idly should I weep at noon

And dim my laughing eye. To see the blush of morning gone.

H

E look'd in \

ears.

yet in his years were seen

A youthful

•igoi

and autumnal green.

—Drvden.

ly I Y days pass pleasantly away, My foes are impotent and shy,

My nights are blest with sweetest sleep, My friends are neither false nor cold;

I feel no symptoms of decay, And yet, of late, I oflen sigh,

I have no cause to mourn or weep; I'm growing old! Join: G. Saxe.

'"THE spring, like youth, fresh blossoms doth produce.

But autumn makes them ripe and fit for use. —Sir J. Denlmm.

L^ 32

¥

^nviicxil'd.

w
^i

Jpvimula aurinila. Natural Ordek: PritHulacc.c— Primrose Family.

' UROPE gave birth to this flower. It is a native of the Alps,

where its fragrant and pure blossoms are one of Nature's

"•hist tributes to spring. It is greatly admired as an ornament

to our gardens, and is said to bloom best when favored with a

noithern aspect. Its name is derived from two Latin words:

Primula, from primus^ first, because it blossoms so early in the

and Auricula, from its ear-shaped leaves. The species mostly

cultivated are the Cowslip Primrose, a perennial from Great Britain,

with yellow flowers; the purple, found on the mountains of Nepaul,

ji^^ Asia; the double-cupped, native of Austria; and the common Primrose

5^ of Europe.

J'aiiiiiiig.

'T'HEN first from love, in Nature's bow
^ Did Painting learn her fairy skill,

And cull the hues of loveliest flowers,
To picture woman lovelier still.

A LL that imagination's power could trace,
Breath'd in the pencil's imitative grace;
O'er all the canvas, form, and soul, and feeling,

That wondrous art infus'd with power of life;
Portray'd each pulse, each passion's might revealing;
Sorrow and joy, life, hatred, fear and strife.

—From III,- Sfaui.'li.

PRE yet thy pencil tries her nicer toils.
■'-' Or on thy palette lie the blended oils.
Thy careless chalk has half achieved thy ;
And her just image makes Cleora start.

pOME!
^ Dip i

Choose a
Catch, er

the colors and the ground prepare:
1 the rainbow, trick her off" in air;
firm cloud before it fall, and in it
: she change, the Cynthia of this minute

rS she not more than painting can expres
Or youthful poets fancy when they love

TI.S

ife as 'tis in painting:
may be right, yet much be

pOME, thou best of painters.
^ Prince of the Rhodian art;
Paint, thou best of painters,
The mistress of mv heart.

^

3^«aUa.

^^aka 3nilica. Natural Order: Ericacav — Heath Family.

r-'' OST of the few native shrubs of this family are inhabitants

'\\ni the Southern States, but the plants chiefly in cultivation

-o- are of Asiatic origin, and are almost innumerable in

h( n \-arieties. In color of blossom they run through every

e, Irom pure white into all the delightful tints of pink,

-'■ ''\scarlet, crimson, purple and salmon. Care should be taken

to prevent a straggling growth, which can be done with proper

pruning. They can be grown from seeds or from slips; the latter,

however, produce flowers much sooner than seedlings. Blooming

early in spring, they are a great acquisition for Easter decorations,

a fine plant frequently being covered from base to ape.x with its

elegant flowers.

>EMPERATE in every place — abroad, at home,
Thence will applause, and hence will profit come;

And health from either he in tin

prepares

H

sickness, age, and their attendant cares.

—Crabbe.

E who the rules of temperance neglects,
Froin a good cause may produce vile effects.

BEWARE
Its rubie,

An adder coi!

the bowl! though rich and bright

> flash upon the sight,

Is its depths beneath,

s woe whose sting is death.

-Street

— Tuke.
pUT down the cup! It is brimmed with blood.

Crushed, throbbing, from hearts like mine!
For hope, for peace, and for love's dear sake.
Oil! pledge me not with wine!

-Josic E. Hum.

"T^IS to tliy rules, O temperance! that we owe

All pleasures which from health and strength
Vigor of body, purity of mind.
Unclouded reason, sentiments refined,
Unmixed, untainted joys, without remorse —
Th' intemperate sinner's never-failing curse.

-Mary Chandler,

34

gaccliaris,

BaCCljariS l)alimtfolia. Xati-kal Order: Composite — Aslcr Family.

J*^ HIS shrub is from six to twelve feet high, and grows usually

in alluvial soil, which is washed up from the bed of the sea

01 livers and deposited on the shore. A white dust covers

the leaves and branches, and the flower heads that bear the

seeds are furnished with long, slender hairs. The flowers

aie white, with a tint of purple, and appear during the fall

months It has sufficient beauty to recommend it for culti\ation.

The name of this shrub is derived from Bacchus, the deit\- of wine

and reveling, because its fragrance savors of wine. It is sometimes

called Groundsel Tree, from its resemblance to the weedy plant of

that name.

TN what tlioii eal'st and drinkest seek from thence

Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight;
So thou may'st live, till, like ripe fruit, thou drop
Into thy mother's lap, or be with ease
Gather'd, not harshly pluck'i

w

INE

s like anger; lor it makes us strong,
and impatient, and it leads us wrong;
The strength is quickly lost, we feel the error long.

for death mature.

—Milton.

H thou invisible spir

t of wine.

If thou hast no nam

e to be known by, Ic

Js call thee devil.

—Shat^-sfen

OHALL I, to please anotho
^ Lose all mine own.'

-Gm

'T>HE joy which wine can give, like smoky fires.
Obscures their sight, whose fancy it inspires.
—Hi//.

/^OULD every drunkard, ere he sits to dine.
Fee! in his head the dizzy fumes of wine,
No more would Bacchus chain the willing sou
But loathing horror shun the poison'd bowl.

'pHOU sparkling bowl! thou sparkling bowl
Though lips of bards thy brim may press,
And eyes of beauty o'er thee roll,

— Meriva/e.

.\nd song and dance thy power confess,

I will not touch thee I for there clings

A scorpion to thy side, that stings. —•Jo/iu Pierpon

35

f

1

CEUtaUlia CmilUS. Natural Order: Comfositce — Aster Family.

ENTAUREA is said to derive its name from the centaur
Chiron, the fabled son of Saturn, who was cured by an
;. application of it after having been wounded in the knee by
K a poisoned arrow from the bow of Hercules. Another myth-
ological narrative sa3's that Chiron's wound w'as incurable:
but that, having been born of immortal parents, he could not
ic and was consequently placed by the gods in the firmament as a
(instellation, being called Sagittarius. The plant is a hardy annual,
ikI grows about two feet high. The blossoms vary much in color,
ppeanng singly on the ends of the branches.

jingle pb$$thncss.

Wl

e smile of voung and old, he
ted at the banquet, and distir
ows dull and sultry, he may

wins the praise ol' ;
juished at the ball ;
iy to green retreats

A welcome visitor in turn at twenty country seats;
He need not seek society, for, do whate'er he can,
Invitations and attentions will pursue the single mar

A BACHELOR

May thrive, by observation, on a little;
A single life 's no burthen ; but to draw
In yokes is chargeable, and will require

—'Johii Ford.

A

A double maintenance.

TI I

^ I d

II', ' tis tor myself alone ;
wish to have a sweetheart nc
Nor would I call another's heart my o\\r
Nor have a gallant lover to revere me:

WIFE! Oh, fetters

To man's bless'd liberty! All this world's prison,
Heav'n the high wall about it, sin the goaler;
But th' iron shackles weighing down our heels
Are only women. —Decker.

For surely I would plight my faith to none, [me :
Though many an amorous cit might jump to hear
For I have heard that lovers prove deceivers.
When once they find that maidens are believers.
— From Michael An^elo.

'pHE ills of love, not those of fate, I
These I can brave, but those I can

rOVE

L^ Nai

i not m our power -
what seems strange

is not in our choice.

w

MK\m~WL0ln€<u

Hloluccella hniis. Natural Order: LablatiV — Mnit Family.

\^ O LUCCA. BALM, or Shell Flower, is a native of the

\ Molucca or Spice Islands, where it mingles with the odor-

-a ileioiis flowers of the clove, the citron and the lime.

','j I he stem is from one to two feet high, smooth, and of a

^. -. i-green color. It is an annual, often grown in the flower-

^ uden as a curiosity, for its singular manner of inflioresence.

The i..il\\ or floral sheath is large and bell-shaped, which suggests

the appearance of a hollow shell, while down in the bottom sits

the flo\\er itself, out of sight, the color being a yellowish-green.

The blooming time is from May to August.

p\H strange it is, and wide tlie new-world lore,

For next it treateth of ovn- native dust!
Must dig out buried monsters, and explore
The green e.arth's fruiti'ul crust;

Must write the story of her seething vouth —
I low lizards paddled in her lukewarm seas;
Must show the cones she ripened, and forsooth
Count seasons on her trees;

■pETSY! art thou Eve's true daughter?

Betsy! hast a peering eye.'
Wouldst thou read as clear as water
All the honeyed terms that lie
Within that letter's fragile folds.'
.Spell every word that letter holds,
And know when thy young master Harrv
Or Lady Jane intends to marry?

With all the fruits
Save only one, r

Must know her weight, and pry into her age,

Count her old beach-lines bv their tidal swell

Her sunken mountains name, her craters gauge.

Her cold volcanoes tell. —Jean Ing-elow.

What! not yet in the secret, Betsy?
That's very puzzling — very! Let's see —
The letter 's not from Lady Jane,
No, no! you need not peep again.
A lady's hand — the envelope
Perfumed — the seal expresses "Hope."
The waiter waits — no longer tarry !
Go, give the letter to Lord Harry!

— Ajwttymmis.
Eve,

of Eden blest,
•ather than leave

m

1\

aXm--^i«rje«t.

fHclissa affidnalis. Natural Order: Labiatic — Mint Faiiiilv.

hetc find naturalized a very common and well-known
gaiden plant, introduced from Europe, and cultivated for
jitb virtues. The stem is erect and branching, growing
about two feet high, the whole plant being covered with
--oti down, and emitting, when touched with the hand,
• 1 \''^ the delightful fragrance of the lemon. The flowers are a
sallow white, appearing during midsummer. Melissa is from the Greek
' word luclissa. a bee, because it attracts innumerable bees that come to
suck at the nectaries of the blossoms. Old apiarists like to rub the
'inside of the hives with its aromatic leaves, as an inducement for the
young swarms to remain, especially if the hives have been previously
used.

OWEET-POUTING lips whose color mocks t
Rich, ripe, and teeming with the dew of blis
The flower of lo\e's forbidden fruit which grows
Insiduously, to tempt us with a kiss.

-R. H. Wilde- s Tas.'^.

fJn.

HER eves outshine the radiant 1
That gild the passing shower.
And glitter o'er the crystal stream
And cheer each fresh'ning hour.

'yHOUGll gay

asn

lirth, as

curioi

IS thought s

A As elegance

pol

te, as

power

elate:

Profound

as reason.

ind as

justice

cle.ar:

Soft as c

impass

on.

•et as

ruth h

evere.

—Savant.

T"

ERE N

•as i

soft a

nd pel

sive grace.

\ cast

of t

lOUght

upon

ner face,

That

suited

well

ner forehead

high,

Her lips are more than cherries bright,
A richer dye has grac'd them;

They charm the admiring gazer's sight,
.\nd sweetly tempt to kiss them.

H'

-Bums.
ER tresses loose behind.
Play on her neck, and wanton in the wind:
The rising blushes which her cheeks o'erspread,
Are opening roses in a lily's bed. —Gay.

The eyelash dark, and downcast eye ;
The mild expression spoke a mind

m

ialm-lilild

Jllonorila Mbyma. Xatiral Orper: Labiatcv—Mhtt Family.

^S

1

\ I L H coarser, and less delicate in odor, than the garden
V'\^ \ 11 leties, is the Wild Balm, commonly called Mountain Mint,
-cand scientifically named, as above, in honor of Monardes,
"Spanish botanist of the sixteenth century, who wrote a
Ilk on the medicinal virtues of the botanical productions
ot the new world. It is a tall, herbaceous plant, found in
the htld's and woods, having fragrant leaves and crimson flowers
that niipiove under cultivation. In medicine it possesses stimulat-
ing and tdrminitive properties. An infusion of the leaves is known
a*- Os\\ego tea: and the flowers yield the coloring principle of
cot. hint. ii

T Taluc '\^\\\ ^rjinpnii^rj.

TlIOl Rl like a Star; for when my wav «;
And all was blackness like the skv before
y he
and 1

Thv beaming smile and

words

Illmned my path, tlien

heered

TTAST thou no human friend

A 1 To whom in hours like these to t

urn.

When thine o'erburdened soul will ve.

rn

Its bitterness to end.- _.i//v,« .1/

//. Ro,H

s cheerless and forlorn,
a coming stortii.
ve. thy heart of kindness free,
soul, and bade its sorrows flee.

ne for kindred nature^
with our own:
For communing-s more full and high
Than aught bx mortals known.

I

A XD when the world looked cold on
■'■ ' And blight hung on his name,
.She soothed his cares with woman's lo\'
And bade him rise again.

/^UR hearts, my love, were form'd to he
The genuine twins of sympathy,

They live with one sensation;
In joy or .grief, but most in love.
Like chords in unison they move.

And thrill with like vibration. ^,\[„„r,

JOVE'S soft sympathy imparts
L* That tender transport of delight

That beats in

T/IXDXESS by secret sympathy is
^^For noble souls in nature are allied

^^

I

==^m

ir

galm 0f 'ftilieaH*

m

|]0)Julll5 cauilirans. Natural Order: Sa//cacctr — IVUhnv Family.

TILITY and agreeableness are combined in tliis handsome tree,
it is often used, interspersed with others, to break the
lotonv in tbliage groups, and yield a grateful shade, for
it is well adapted. The height averages from Ibrty to
fty feet, the thickness being in good proportion, with an
'^t^ ample crown of dark green leaves. The buds are resinous,
and possess strong tonic and other medicinal properties, whence they
are fiequently used as a domestic medicine. Popitliis Imlsamifera is a
similai variety, found wild in swamps and other moist places, and is
called Tacamahac or Balsam Poplar, as it yields a resinous gum from
the buds m the same manner as the Balm of Gilead.

N'

fO radiant pearl which crosted t'ortune wears,

No gem that twinkling hangs from beauty's ears.
Not the bright stars which night's blue arch adorn,
Nor rising sun that gilds the vernal morn,
Shines with such luster as the tear that flows
Down virtue's inanly cheek for others' woes.

—Dr. E. Dar-.vin.

A ND w'aen he read, the\- forward lean'd,
■' *■ Drinking with thirsty hearts and ears
His brook-like songs, whose glory never wean'd

From humble smiles and tears.
.Slowly there grew a tenderer awe.

Sun-like, o'er faces brown and hard.
As if in him who read they felt and saw

Some presence of the bard. —rf„m,-i R. Ln:«ell.

ATET a single cup of water.

Or a crust to feed the starving",
E'en one word in kindness spoken,
Or a hand stretched to the falling
Shall receive as great reward as
Ever hero gained in battle.
Saint or martyr at the scaffold.

-Lena I. Gifford.

the secret

ipathy,

I

Which heart to heart, and mind to mind,
In body and in soul can bind. —Scott.

fcfe?-

^-

galBamimiC<

ImpattCnS balsainiua. Natukai. Order: Jia/saminacccr — yezvel-WeedFami/Y.

\ ADY-SLIPPER, or the ordinary Balsam, is familiar to all as
a pioduct of our gardens. It is a natix-e of the East Indies,
(■^ and is worthy of notice. Within the last few x'ears the
double varieties have been grown as pot-plants, in which
^ , -"^^"^ '^^^^ ''^'^y ''t^qu'i'f very rich soil, and to have the tip of
' ' ' ' -"' the main branch pinched ofl', when it will throw out side
blanches and form larger plants. They appear in every variety of
coloi, and the fancy ones are streaked or mottled, many of them
being nearty as double as the blossoms of that beautiful shrub the
camelia japonica. The seed-pods burst when slightly pressed, from
which circumstance they receive their Latin name, Inipaiiens, noli me
tangxre (^impatient, touch me not).

TIIHAT! canst thou not forbear me half an hour?
Then get thee gone, and dig my grave thyself
And bid the merry belli? ring to thine ear
That thou art crown'd— not that I am dead.

A WRETCHED soul, bruised with adversity,
-''■ We bid be quiet, when we hear it cry;
But were we burdened with like weight of pain, And if your reasons mitigate her fury
As much, or more, we should ourselves complain. My soul will be as calm. _.s-

— S/iakes/<ear,-.

pO, then, my song, speed swiftly to her;

^ Sing to her, plead with her late and long;

Hover around her, and gently woo her;

Perhaps she will hear thee some day, O Song!

pREACH patience to the sea, when jarring winds
Throw up her swelling billows to the sky!

Out of the depths of the soul comes sorrow;

But, out of the depths of these days that cease.
May come, like liglit 'roimd the feet of the morrow

Love's soft glory, our love's calm peace.

/^H! how impatience gains upon the soul,

When the long-promised hour of joy dr
How slow the tardv moments seem to roll!

1

gartj0ii:ia--@0l£^m*

illcut^clia €inMcj}i. Natural Order: Loasacecv — Loasa Family,

N the Golden Bartonia we have a beautiful annual from

California, with an oval, lance-shaped leaf, indented similar

> to the thistle : the stems are procumbent and often a yard

in length. The flowers, which much resemble a poppy, are

of a most brilliant yellow, deepening "toward the center into

"^ the true orange shade, and measuring from two to three

hes in diameter. Within the center the numerous thread-like stamens

The seeds

"r^ »,'i^ spread themselves out over the petals, like a delicate fringe

^Kj^^ should be sown where the plants are to grow, as they are transplanted

^jjj^^ with difficulty.

TTAD I but pearls of price — did golden pills

Of hoarded wealth swell in my treasury,
Easy I'd win the fawning flatterer's smile
And bend the sturdiest stoic's iron knee.

—A. A. Lode.

'T^HINK'ST thou the man whose mansions hold
The worldling's pride, the miser's gold.

Obtains a richer prize
Than he who in his cot, at rest,
Finds heavenly peace a willing guest,
And bears the earnest in his breast

Of treasure in the skies.' —Mrs. Sigournfy.

:XE\V I tlie spell of gold.

I would never poison a Iresh young heart

With the taint of customs old;
I would bind no wreath to my forehead free,

In whose shadows a thought might die,
Nor drink, from the cup of revelry.

The ruin my gold Mould buy. —Wil/h.

A MIGHTY pain to love it is.

And 'tis a pain that pain to miss;
But, of all pains, the greatest pain
It is to love but love in vain.
Virtue now, nor noble blood.
Nor wit, by love is understood;
'Gold alone does passion move ;
Gold monopolizes love —Cnvjin'.

IV/f ADAM. I own 'tis not your person

My stomach's set so sharp and tierce on;
But 'tis your better part, your riches,
Tliat my enanior'd heart bewitches!

- Sutltr.

A MA.SK of gold hides all deformities;
•'* Gold is heaven's physic, life's restorative.

-D.rker.

=^^

©tinUIin basilicum. Xatuhal Ordkk: Labiatcv—Mhit Family.

1

WEET BASIL, or Royal Ocimum, is a ver}' aromatic herb

tioin Persia, where it is much planted in graveyards. It is also

indigenous to the East Indies, where its seeds are considered an

intidote to the poison of serpents. It is an annual, about a foot

higli, with a soft, oval leaf, various in color, which possesses a

>^ \ery agreeable fragrance. The flowers, which are nearly white,

appeal during the summer. French cooks are very partial to this

heib in flavoring their various dishes, and for this purpose it is

extensively grown in the vegetable gardens of Europe, as well as in

America. Apparently from confounding the word with basiliscus, a

basilisk, or possibly because of its use as an antidote, whence it ma)-

ha\e come to represent a serpent hater, it has been taken as a

symbol for hatred, but the following is the proper language.

ittoh Hisl^js

QOFT be the sleep of their pleasant hours,
^ And calm be the seas thev roam !
May the way they travel be strewed with flowe
Till it bring them safelv home! — Oliver T

TO

ish thee fairer is no need.
More prudent, or more sprightl;
Or more ingenious, or more freed

From temper flaws unsightly-
What fa\or then not yet possess'd

Can I for thee require,
In wedded love already blest
To thv whole heart's desire?

-Covpfr

c

>0 n,ay

St thou live, dear! many years,

^ In all

the bliss that

life endears,

N

ot without smiles, noi

yet from tears.

Too St

ictly kept.

-ThoviasHo

1

F, then.

a ferN-ent wis

1 for thee

The gracious heaven

s will heed froin

W

'hat she

uld, dear hear

t, its burden be?

. G. Wliiltier,

AND what am I to you? A steady hand
^ To hold, a .steadfast heart to trust withal;
Merely a man that loves you, and will stand
Bv vou. whate'er befall. _•?,,„,

^^^-

•f*

gafltjerrf.

m

^i

Myr'tca CEVifera. Natural Order: .\fyriracecr — Szvcet Gale Family.

\\ DERRY, a useful shrub, varying in height from two to

I ight teet, and flowering in April or May, is found in dry

toiLsts from Nova Scotia to Florida. It has a graj-ish bark

" m I ' '"*^' ^^ anching top, and its fruit consists of a globular stone,

:=^-;^^, , . L o\ ered with white wax, which is separated by heat, usually

%\ 'S^2 boiling water. This product constitutes the Bayberry tallow

s ^ of tommerce, sometimes called myrtle wax. A bushel of berries

jieldb about lour pounds of wax. The botanical name comes from the

Greek muro, to flow, because the stamens contract on the slightest touch,

and are thence conceived to be easily irritated, even to tears.

T)E temperate in grief! I would not hide

The starting tear-drop with a stoic's pride,
I would not bid the o'erburthen'd heart be still,
And outrage nature with contempt of ill.
Weep! but not loudly! He whose stony eyes
Ne'er melt in tears, is hated in the skies.

— Eufhorinii.

Till
A

IE rose is fairest when 'tis budding new, 'X'WO other precious drops tliat ready stood,

And hope is brightest when it dawns from fears ; Each in their crystal sluice, he, ere they fel

The rose is sweetest wash'd with morning dew. Kiss'd, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse
And love is loveliest when embalmed in tears. And pious awe, that fear'd to have offended.

— Srott. — Milton.

ET me wipe off this honorable dew
-^ Tliat silverly doth progress on my cheeks

H^ME, chase that starting tear
' Ere mine to meet it springs.

f^
&,

TTTITH a shriek heart-wounding loud she cried,

While down her cheeks the gushing torrents ran.
Fast fallinar on her hands. —r„.,.,.

H

IDE not thy tears! weep boldly, and be proud
To give the flowing virtue manly w.ay :
Tis nature's mark, to know an honest heart.

I

<&

Jdgus Stllnatira. Natural Order: Citpidifcnv—Oak Family.

"~'W S nothing beautiful escapes the e3e of the poet, numerous have

been the tributes paid to this noble tree. It is loft)' and abun-

' d-xnt in the forests of the Eastern States, and not unfrequently

found throughout all sections of the United States, as well as

^ in Europe. It grows straight and tall, rising sometimes to

^ {^ the height of one hundred feet on the banks of the Ohio,

with a tiunk nine feet in circumference. It has a gray, unbroken bark

ind long, sweeping branches, but not so pendulous as those of the elm,

and is scarcely equaled by any other tree in the shade it affords.

Cattle are fond of its leaves in spring, when they are very tender, with

a slight acid flavor. The nuts are partially triangular, and, though

troublesome to eat, are sweet and nutritious. A valuable oil, but little

inferior, it is said, to the olive, can be extracted from them.

1

T KNOW a walk where heeclies grow —

Where feathered songsters fill the air
With music sweet, and flowers blow

Blooming and fair.
And there I've oft with pleasure wooed
The muses nine in solitude. —Fred. W. Webler.

QIX: nay, at six in any case

lie could not come! 'tis evening chime,
And if I reach the trysting place

Whole hours before the trysting time,
'Tis not with any hope to see

Unseemly soon my love appear;
He is no idle maid like me;

He has high things to do and bear.
And not for worlds would I that he

For love should weakly eager be.

— Mrs. Eliza S. Raiidolfh.

OHE starts, for she doth hear
^ My loving footstep near;

She turns to bid me stay.
With cheeks that burn for joy.
With looks half kind, half coy -

This is her heart's sweet way!
So am I nothing loath.
But answer oath for oath.

And linger lovingly

In silken chains — ma mie!

— Edzvard Renaud.

-fci^

gegi^iiiiE.

33l'H01ua Msi'oicir. Natural Order: Bcgo)iiaccLC — Begonia Family.

I " LCjONIAS were so named by the French Botanist, Plumier,
111 honor of Michael Begon, a governor of Santo Domingo,
' .and a patron of science. They are natives of Jamaica, Brazil,
I tlie East and West Indies, and other tropical countries. The
■i/\ -Ip i.u-ge-leaved varieties have been vulgarly called Elephant's
^JkP^ f-J Ears, which ■ they may perhaps resemble in shape, but the
^} exquisite beaut}' of their coloring eliminates from the mind every
ugh- and unpleasant synonym. Some of them are a dark green with
a band of silver, or groupings of siher blotches ; or again entirel\- bronze,
according to the individual plant. This species is grown chiefly for its
foliage; the flowers are mosth- white or faintly tinted, blooming on
short stems. There are several kinds, however, with small waxy
leaves that make a splendid appearance when in bloom, being hand-
some in color and of Hne texture. The stems of the large foliage
varietv are ver\' much distorted.

QHE did corrupt frail nature with some bribe

^ To shrink mine arm up like a wither'd shrub,

To make an en\ious mountain on my back.

Where sits deformity to make my body;

To shape my legs of an unequal size;

To disproportion me in every part

Like to a cliaos. —Shaktspeare.

|)Efijrmiii|.

D-^,:?.",

MITV

essence to o'ertake mankind
By heart and soul, and make itself the equal
Ay, the superior of the rest. There is
A spur in its halt movements, to become
All that others cannot, in such things
As are still free for both. —Byron.

k

\M 1 to blame if nature threw my body
^ ^ In so perverse a mold.' yet when she cast
ller envious hand upon my supple joints.
Unable to resist, and rumpled them
On heaps in their dark lods;in(j; to revenge
Her bungled work, she stamped mv mind mure f;

And as from chaos, huddled and deform 'd.
The gods struck fire, and lighted up the lamps
That beautify the sky; so she inform'd
This ill-shap'd body with a daring soul.
And, making me less than man, she made me more.
-Lee.

^^m.

McUil0mtv

tHanipanula rotUUllifolia. Natural Order: Ccrmpa/i/t/acca: — Bc/hcor/ Family.

AMP, cool and rocky places are the favorite abodes of this
simple little flower i known also as the Harebell), and it is
accordingly found in great abundance in the New England
States and the Dominion of Canada. The family of the
Campanulas is quite extensi\-e, numbering about five hundred
^pecics. The flowers, though simple, are various in colors, and are
worthy of attention. In this species they are blue, which is the pre-
\ailing tint, though others run through different shades of purple, from
violet to lilac, and white. The Campanula pyramidalis is the hand-
somest and most stately, growing from three to five feet, blooming the
second year trom the seed, and producing blossoms by the hundred

% (Banshuil rpcnrl,

T^HEN* come the wild weatlier, come >leet or come snow,

* We will stand bv each other however it blow.
Oppression and sickness, and sorrow, and pain,
Shall be to our true love as links to the chain.

— Lonsffeltoztj,

'T'O keep one sacred flame

^ Through life unchilled, unmoved,
To love in wintry age

The same that first in youth we lov'd,
To leel that we adore

With such refined excess,
That tho' the heart would break

It could not live with less:
This is love — faithful love;
Such as saints might feel above.

w

HEN all things have tlieir trial.
Nothing is constant but a virtu

shall find
lind. —Shirley.

TOVE, c
^^ Age

constant love!
cannot quench it — like the primal r
From the vast fountain that supplies the da

Far, far above
Our cloud-encircled region, it will flow
As pure and as eternal in its glow.

poui

^ Ar,

^LD genius sink in dull decay.
And wisdom cease to lend her ray:
Should all that I have worshiped change,
Even this could not my heart estrange;
Thou <:till wouldst be the first — the first
That (aught the love sad tears have nursed.
— Mrs. Embury

m

■m

gerticrrg.

Dcvbcris nukiaviS. Natural Ordek: Bcrbcridacece — Bcrbci

ROWN in our gardens as an ornament, this graceful, busliv

shrub is very generally known. The leaves are a dark green,

with serrated edges, each notch being bristly. The flowers

ire yellow, hanging in small clusters. The fruit is brilliant

ind attractive, of a bright scarlet in color, oblong in shape,

J| '^ and appearing more like pendulous groups of coral ear-drops,

than dn^ thing else. The leaves, as well as fruit, have a sharp acid

taste, the latter being frequentlj- used for making jelly, while from the

loot can be prepared a yellow dye.

'T'HOSE hearts that start at once into a blaze,

And open all their rage, like summer storms
At once discharged, grow cool again and calm.

— C. Joliiisoil.

piE! wrangling queen!

'■ Whom everything becomes — to chide, to laugh.

'pHE ocean lash'd to fury
i Its high wave mingling

loud,

with

To weep. Whose e\er_v passion fully strives

Is peaceful, sweet serenity.

To make itself in thee, fair and admired.

To anger's dark and storm \

sea.

—Shakespeare.

— /. H

"ITTHEN anger rushes, unrestrain'd, to action,
'• Like a hot steed, it stumbles in its w.iy:
The man of thought strikes deepest, and strikes safest.

11 /f Y rage is not malicious ; like a spark
^'^ Of fire by steel enforc'd out of flinty

LL furious as a favor'd child

It is no sooner kindled, but extinct.

A woman piqued, who has her

-Goffe.

still,
vill.
-Byron

QHE is peevish, sullen, froward.

Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty :
Neither regarding that she is my child.
Nor fearing me as if I were her father.

—Shakespeare.

4S

^m

gircfc*

1i

ing trees

Bctula Icnta. Natural Order: Bdulacccc — Birch Family.

NOWN as the black, cherry or sweet Birch, and sometimes
(.ailed mountain mahogany from the hardness of its wood, this
\aluable tree abounds in the United States from New England
to Ohio, and often reaches a height of seventy, and a diameter
of three, feet. Children are very fond of the inner bark of this
tree in springtime, when it has an aromatic fragrance and
pk i>~cint flavor. It is from the Paper Birch that the Indians obtain
the baik for their light and buoyant canoes, in which they glide in
safety through the most dangerous waters. The Yellow or Siher
Hnch ib the artist's tree par excelkiicc. Its beautiful outer bark, like
satin in luster, peels from around the trunk and branches, and hangs
in the most fantastic rolls and curls, resting on an undertone of warm
and tender brown, making it one of the choicest and most illuminat-
in a woodland sketch, and one that always delights a painter's heart.

Jbgant^.

POR faultless was her form as beauty's queen.
And every winning grace that lo\ e demands,
With mild attemper'd dignity was seen
Play o'er each lovely limli, and deck her angel mien.

—Mrs. TigUc.

TIER face so fair, as flesh it seemed not,

But heavenly portrait of bright angels' hue,

Clear as the sky, withouten blame or blot.

Through goodly mixture of complexion's dew.
-Stei,s,-r.

pRACEFUL to sight, and elegant to thought,
^ The great are vanquish'd, and the wise are tauglit.

T'

*HE silk star-broidered coverlid
Unto her limbs itself doth mold.

Languidly ever; and, amid

Her full black ringlets, downward rolled,

Glows forth each softly -shadowed arm.
With bracelets of the diamond bright.

Her constant beautv doth inform

.Stillness with love, and

with light.
— Tcnnr.-o

liitjc'k p.0iir'h0mmA*

11

i

Okdek: Labiativ — Mint Faniilv.

ERE is an unattractive foreign plant supposed to have been

intioduced into this country through the commerce of the

nations, as many of our now obnoxious weeds ha\-e found

their way, concealed in various grains imported for seed.

It IS now frequently found naturalized in the fields and by

the waysides. The stem is from two to three feet high,

\mg bioad, opposite leaves covered with a soft down. It derives

its name from the Greek word hallo, to throw, or reject, on account

of its oflensive odor. It blooms in July, the flowers being either

purple or white, and of little beauty.

jctl X""*

T

But fraiiklv, sir, 'tis all I hi

T TE came too late! Hei- countless dreanis

Of hope had long since flown.
No charms dwelt in his chosen themes.

Nor in his whisper'd tone;
And when with word and smile he tried

Affection still to prove,
She nerved her heart with woman's pride.

And spurn'd his tickle love. -Eliiabeth Bogart.

u on that

can live;

1 I ha^•e tc

give.
—Dryden.

"IITHERE is anothe

sweet as m

VV Fine

of the fine.

and shv of t

Fine little

hands, fine

little feet —

De^

V blue eve

Shall I wi

ite to her.'

shall I go.'

Ask he

r to marry

me bv-and-h

Somebody

said that s

le'd sav no.

oblige me suddenly to choose,
hoice is m.ade — and I must you refuse.

TIKE a lovely tree

She grew to womanhood, and between whi

Rejected several suitors.

T HAVE heard —

* But you shall promise ne'er again

To breathe your \ows or speak your

■PVO I not in plainest truth

*- Tell you — I do not, nor I cannot love vou.'

glailAjeriimt.

Stapljjllca tfifcilia. Natl'rai. Oudek: Sapindaccie — Soapberry Family.

ECl \A \R to this handsome shrub, found in various sections

,ol the United States, are the bladder-like capsules or pods,

/fiom which it derives its name, and in which are contained the

seeds or nuts. These are hard, bon}^ smooth and polished.

; The Howers, which bloom in JMay, are white and hang in

'^V'^''h"'t. pendulous clusters, somewhat like bunches of grapes.

\\heni.t; the scientific Greek name, Staphylea. It grows to the

height ot SIX, eight, or even ten feet, chieflv in low lands, in moist

woods, amongst the underbrush. The wood is firm and white, and

well adapted for cabinet work.

J^ IrifHng i^nratb?

OH ! there are some
Can trifle, in cold vanity, witli all
The warm soul's precious throbs; to whom it is
A triumph, that a fond, devoted heart
Is breaking for them; who can bear to call
Young flowers into beauty, and then crush them.

— Letitia E. London.

AROUND him some

>us circle thrown
Repell'd approach and show'd him still alone;
Upon his eye sat something of reproof".
That kept at least trivolity aloof. —Byron.

TJE was perfumed like a milliner:

And twixt his finger and his thumb he held
A pouncet-box, which, ever and anon
He gave his nose —
.\nd still he smiled and talked;
And as the soldiers bare dead bodies bv.
He called them " untaught knaves unmannerly.
To bring a slovenly, unhandsome corse
Betwixt the wind and his nobility." —S/iak,:</:eare.

eet

VrOU oftentimes can mark upon the

The gilded toy whom fashion idol

Heartless and fickle, swelled with self-

.\voiding alway what good sense advises.

— W. H.

'T'HE joy that vain amusement gives.

O. sad conclusions that it brings,
The honey of a crowded hive,

Defended by a thousand stings.
'Tis thus the world rewards the fools

That live upon her treacherous smiles,
.She leads them blindfold by her rules.
.\nd ruins all wliom she beguiles.

— Copper,

g0rE||je*

Boraqci offirinalis. Natural Order: Boragiiiacea — Borage Family.

\GLAND and the rest of Europe as well as America now

own this plant in a naturalized state, though it is generally

believed to have been originall}' indigenous to the region of

Aleppo, in Turkey. It is cultivated in the kitchen garden

lor Its young leaves, which are considered excellent for salads,

"■'v^ pickles and pot-herbs. It is an annual, about two feet high,

with o\al leaves growing alternately on each side of the stem, the

whole plant being rough and covered with hairs. It is also grown as

an ornamental plaht in the flower garden. The flowers are a pale

blue, appearing in spring on the ends of the branches. The plants of

this whole family abound in mucilaginous juices containing much niter,

and are said never to possess any poisonous or harmful quality.

_^iiru|ilncss.

PHE reed in storms mav bow and quiver,

QUDDEXLY all the sky is hid
^ As with the shuttins>; of a lid.

^ Then rise again; tlie tree must shiver.

—Byron.

— James K„ss,ll Lo

I do not love

Although

lucli ceremony; suits in lo\e sliould not.

The air of Paradise did Ian the house,

ike suits in law, be rock'd from term to term.

And angels offic'd all, I will begone.

-^SI,M,-v.

-Shatfsjit

'pin.S is some fellow,
^ Who, having been prais'd tor bluntness, doth affect
A saucy roughness, and constrains the garb;
Quite from his nature! he can't flatter, he,
An honest mind and plain — he must speak truth:
And they will take it so; if not, he 's plain.
These kind of knaves I know, which in this plainness
Harbor more craft, and far corrupter ends.
Than tnventy silly ducking observants.
That stretch their duty nicely. — 'i/ial-e.'fcare.

5-

I
M

m

Saponaria oft'uinalis. Nati'ral Order: Caryop/iy//accir — Pink Family,

W ^ illl^ ^^ - •'^ doorvards of old-tashioned country houses, and by the
*• ^'. t * $' > ^ i^ roadsides throughout the country, this phuit may be tbund

'''-^^t^ ^^!^in abundance. The phice of its nativity is Europe, but it
., ^ O i ,^li. has long been naturalized in America. It is about two feet

.^ nil—JL^^I high, of a succulent, herbaceous growth, and nearly allied

^^■y^^'^J to the bunch pinks, though much coarser. The flowers

^lT^^ bloom in clusters, and are the palest possible shade faltering between

""^ pink and white. The root is perennial, and inclined to spread and

fy become obtrusive. As one means of curtailing its obtrusiveness, its
.seeds, which are very fertile and abundant, should be clipped and de-
^^r^stroved before thev ripen. The bruised stalks make a lather in water,
/ "HI which quality gi\-es it the name of Soap\\ort in our vernacular, as w ell
Vii^ as its scientific appellation Saponaria, from the Latin sapo. soap.

|ntru!

SUDDEN rush from tlie stair
^ .\ sudden raid from the hall,
,' three doors Icit unguarded,
Thev enter mv castle wall.

O'er the arms and back of m%

If I try to escape, they surround

Thev seem to be ever\\vliere.

g.T.

the sound g:

the speakers drew more near —
Sweet, forgive me that I heard

What you wished me not to hear.

Elizabelh Bayrell Brm'inmg.

T had much rather see

^ A crested dragon, or

a basilisk:

Both are less poison to

m^■ eves and nature.

-Dryden.

into word

TOVE knoweth ev

11 ol an-,
^ And every shape of earth.
And comes unbidden everywhere.
Like thought's mvsterious birth.

'm.

A L.\DY! In the narrow sp.ace

^ Between the husband and the

But nearest him — she showed a fac

With dangers rife. —Jea

53

§011.

1

CuVUS SCmpnnirfnS. Xati'rai. Order: EupliorbiaceiV — Spurge Family.

NGRAVERS on wood are much indebted to this tree for the

blocks they use to work on, which, after having been sawed

and made perfectly smooth, receive a slight coating of some

white substance, usualty white lead or Chinese white, to

lender the drawing more conspicuous. The artist's work is

done in pencil or India ink. The engraver then follows with

lie ate touch the lines before him, and cuts the picture into the wood

|L ,^ beneath The botanical name of this shrub comes from the Latin.

The woid Buxus, box, is itself derived from the Greek p//.ws, pyx, or

small box, and semfervirois is from the two Latin words semper.

Iways, and vireiis. present participle of the verb virere, to be green.

There are several varieties of this genus which are natives of Europe.

The species known scientifically as the Buxus Nana, or Dwarf Box,

is fnuch used as a bordering for walks both here and abroad.

^ioittsm.

rVS. his dark face a scorching cHme
^ And toil, had done the work of time
Roughen'd the brow, the temples bared,
And sable hairs with silver shared.
Yet left — what age alone could tame —
The lip of pride, the eye of flame ;

The full-drawn lip that upward curl'd.
The eye that seem'd to scorn the world.
That lip had terror never blench'd:
Ne'er in that eye had tear-drop quench'd
The flash severe of swarthy glow.
That mock'd at pain and knew not woe.

—Sir Walter Scotl.

"jVTOR box, nor limes, without their use are made,
-'■' .Smooth-grain'd and proper for the turner's trade;
Which curious hands may carve, and seal
With ease invade. —virgil.

i

'T'HE rolling wheel, that runneth often 'round,
'- The hardest steel in tract of time doth tear;
And drizzling drops, that often do redound.
Firmest flint doth in continuance wear:

Yet cannot I, with many a dropping tear,
And long entreaty, soften her hard heart.
That she will once vouchsafe my plaint to hear
Or look with pity on my painful smart.

m^

^xo0m

(Dcnista timtoiia. Natural Order: Lcgiimiuosa:— Pulse Family.

J»^HIS is a perennial shrubby plant, about a foot high, bearing
bright yellow flowers in the axils of the leaves or branches,
blooming singly, and on short stems, in May and June.
Lowper speaks of its blossoms as "yellow and bright as
bullion unalloyed," and !\Iary Howitt says:

■• Rut ne'er was flower so lair as this,
In modern days or olden;
It groweth on its nodding stem
Like to a garden golden."

It IS a native of Europe, but is found naturalized in some parts of
L the United States, and is useful to the dyer in forming a yellow dye,
^or a green when combined with woad. The color is obtained from

an} part of the plant.

TJUMBLE we must be. if to Heaven «
^ ^ High is the root' there, but the gate
Whene'er thou speak'st. look with lowly
Grace is increased by humility.

~Roh,rl Ihrrick.

'T'HE cedar's shade like a cloud ma;

^ .•\thwart the lily's brightness —
Yet why complain.' it leaves no stair

To mar the blossom's whiteness;
And darkly thus may pride and powe

H

JMILIT^

' is the eldest-born of

■irtue.

,\nd clain

is the birthright at tlie

tlirone of

heav'

1- —Murfhy.

TTE.WEN'S gates are not so highly arched
■^ ^ As princes' palaces : they that enter there
Must go iipon their knees. —John WibsUr.

Appear to press the lowly,
Yet never may the shadow stay
Where Faith, like blossom holy.
Keeps white the heart; to such there will be givei
A blest assurance of the love of Heaven.

Mrs. Halt.

T .\M content to touch the brink
' or the other goblet, and I think
My bitter drink a wholesome drink.
Because my portion was assigned
Wholesome and bitter. Thou art kind.
And I am blessed to mv mind.

-Eliiabcth Barrett Broi.ninff.

-^^S

f

grj00m €0vn

1

Soi"C|l)Uni nulliarc. Xatuuai, Ohder: Gramincir — Grass Fatnily.

ARIOUS parts of the United States are fovorable to the culti-
' \ation of this corn, which is manufactured into brooms, con-
stituting a special industr}' of most of the Shaker communities,
\'' besides many private persons. It looks very much like the
Z^'^ Indian corn as regards its leaves and height. When the panicle
IS sulficiently mature, the stalk is bent down at the top until ripe
enough to cut. It is a native of the East Indies, and has been chosen
as an emblem of labor. The Sorghum saccharatum, or Chinese sugar
(. me, is supposed to be another variety, which yields a saccharine juice,
whence its name; but even this, it is said, does not give a product
equal to the crvstallized svrup of the East India species of the same
chai acter.

JaBar.

TABOR is health. Lo! thu hiisb;uidniaii reaping,

■*-' How through his veins goes the life current leaping!

How his strong arm in its stalwart pride sweeping,

True as a sunbeam the swift sickle guides. —Mrs. Osgood.

G':;.

the fair one, in country or city,
Whose home and its duties are dear to the heart,
Who cheerfully warbles some rustical ditty,
While plying the needle with e.xquisite art.

— W»odv.'Ortk.

M'

AN hath his daily work of bod^
Appointed, which declare his d
While other animals inactive range.
And of their doings God takes no

%

/^OME, my fair love, our morning task we lose.
Some labor e'en the easiest life would choose;
Ours is not great, the dangling boughs to crop,
Whose too luxuriant growth mw alleys stop.

'pO till the ground," said Goi
^ ".Subdue the earth, it shall

How grand, hov
How Hise til.

—Drvdeii.

mean task
Would be as heavy to me as odious; but
Tl)e mistress, which I serve, quickens what's dead,
lakes my labors pleasures. -shak,-sf,-art.

'piii.s

And

56

r

SrexwaUia.

^1

Bromallia rcrnilca. Xatikai, Ordeh: Scrop/ni/ariacav — Figzvort Fa7)iily.

'ROM Peru and Brazil comes this delicate little annual, one
among- man}- recent additions to our gardens. It received
^ Its name I'rom Linnaeus in honor of his intimate friend (who
\\as afterward his enemy), Johan Browall, bishop of Abo,
J in Sweden. It is about a foot high, and is delicate and
^i) giaceful in appearance, being covered continually with innu-
^ meiable flowers, which are very peculiar in shape, bearing a
tancitul resemblance to a salver with two deep indentations in the
sides. The plant is well calculated lor pot culture. The varieties are
white, rose, and a purplish blue.

6nn Yc« iS^nr I'oufrlii?

11 I Y crown is in my heart, not on my head;

Not deck'd with diamonds and Indian stones,
Nor to be seen: my crown is call'd content;
A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.

r\ GRAXl
^ Neither

•JT me, heav'n, a middle state -
ither too humble nor too great:
More than enough for nature's ends,
With something left to treat mv friends.

-Shakespeare.

•"IT for greatness, I her snares defy,
nd look on riches with untainted eye.

To others let. the glitt'ring baubles fall ;

Content shall place tne far above them all.

^^ And

TJ.\PPY the life that in a peaceful stream.

Obscure, unnoticed, through the vale has flow'd;
The heart that ne'er was charm'd by fortune's gleam
Is ever sweet contentment's blest abode. —Pera

■\ if ERE store of money is not wealth, hut rather
^ The proof of poverty and need of bread.
Like men themselves is the bright gold they gather;
It may be living, or it may be dead.

It may be filled with love and life and vigor.
To guide the wearer, and to cheer the \v;

It may be corpse-like in its weight and rigoi
Bending the bearer to his native ch

4

B

John Boyle O'Reilly.

E honest poverty thy boasted wealth ;
So shall thy friendships be sincere, tho' few,
shall tliy sleep be sound, thy waking cheert-ul.

l\

5llU"l)U5a affuiualis. Xatlrai. Order: Boraginacecx — Borage Family.

I R gardens, fields and roadsides everywhere furnish this

loui^h perennial plant, which produces an abundance of sweet-

stented purple flowers during the entire summer. The leaves

ue long and rough, from which it has received in England

tliL ii.ime of Ox-tongue, and the stem is covered with bristly

\\d\\s The root is used in medicine, producing a gentle

^--/'/*^^^ moistuie thiough the system. The root of one of the species yields

^^i%^ the red d_\e that was so much used by the Athenian ladies as a rouge

t/^-Pr- when that classic city was in its prime.

m J

k-

|i|pni

li

'T'HERETO when needed, she could weep and prav
^ And when she hsted she could fawn and riatter,
Now smiling smoothly, like to summer's day.
Now glooming sadly, so to cloak the matter;
Yet were her words but wind, and all her tears but

T7VE11Y man in this age has not a soul A glittering volume may cover

■'--' Of crystal, for all men to read their actions '^ A story of sorrow and woe:

Through; men's hearts and faces are so far asunder And night's gayest meteors may hover

Tliat they hold no intelligence. Where danger lies lurking below.

— Braitmont and Flrtcht^r.

QO smooth he daubed his life with show of virtue.
■^ He lived from all attainder of suspect.

-Shakrsfear,.

A/'ET there came a time Q*-^' '"end, be w.arned! He is not one

^ To my proud love's prime. ^ Thy youth should trust, for all his sm

When that proved base I had deemed sublime. Frank foreheads, genial as the sun,

By the cool stream's bed May hide a thousand treacherous wiles

My flowers hung dead, And tones like music's honeyed flow

And the serpent, hissing, upreared its head! May work — God knows! — the bitterest w<

—Mary E. BraJUy. Paul H. Ha\

5tiuU*nsh»

Srirfius laiust

Order: Cypcracdc — Sfdffc Family.

.p'p^^h

•'V uticoiiinion and peculiar is the appearance of the Bulrush

yi (.'lubrush. as it is occasionally called, which makes it quite

► -o n(jticeahle wherever it appears anionj^ other t,^rasses: the

'//I i\es beini;- tubular, with various line ^n-()o\-es or channels

_. ..iniiini^ up and down their length. The Lake Bulrush is

- ^Hhe largest of the species; growing in low lands, nuiddy

marshes, and on the margins of streams and ponds. hi early times

It was nuich used in scouring tin. copper and pewter ware, but

modem <uts having supplied us with nuich better substitutes, it now

remains unmolested. It was in some species of Bulrush or reed

found along the borders of the Nile, that the infant Moses was dis-

co\ ered .uid rescued by the maids of the Egyptian princess.

Jiibrcistnii.

OHE will, and she xvil
Consents, retracts, a

IREE things a wise man will not trust:
The wind, the sunshine of an .Vpril dav.
And woman's plighted faith. I have beheld
The weathercock upon the steeple point
.Steady from morn till eve. and I have seen
The bees go forth upon an April morn,
.Secure the sunshine will not end in showers:
But when was woman true? —Snnfhi:

lot — she grants, denies,
ances, and then flies.

—Grami/lf.

'yHE shepherd told me all his ]
' I ran and told it all again;
But Phillis gave herself such airs
It fills poor Colin's breast with c
.\nd I can hardly tell, I'm sure.
If she will grant at last a cure, —
T 've told you all. and what think
I won't repeat: so tell me — do!-

IVyl OST fair is e'er most fickle. A fair girl

Is like a thousand beauteous things of earth.
But most like them in love of change.

pLOUDS turn with <

They keep us in si:

Yet oft perverse, like \

very wind about:
;pense and doubt:
oman-kind.

—PffrhoM.

.\re seen to scud against the w
Is not this lady just the same.=
For who can tell what is her ai

m

gurjftocli.

1

i.\l|Opa major. Xatthai, Order: Coiiipositiv — Aster Family.

\ ^"^f^^ff r'^' UDGED by the popular verdict, the Burdock is an unattractive

- ^.^L,i need, one of the coarsest and most obnoxious of the plants that

■^•^ infest the roadsides, barnj-ards and fields, yet the roots are used in

medicine as a tonic and alterative and to produce a gentle per-

^: spn-ation. The leaves are large, often nearly two feet long, with

coarse cords or veins running through them, and the entire plant

is pervaded by a bitter, disagreeable odor and taste. It grows about

three or four feet in height, and is pyramidal in shape. The burrs

are the mo.st disagreeable part, as each little scale that ibrms the

"'^ floral sheath is armed with a hook, by which it fastens to anything

it may touch, and if ripe and dry it adheres most tenaciously. It

is a naturalized plant from Europe, and blooms in July and August.

The flowers are a delicate pink.

K.

'T'HERE is some soul of goodness in things evil,

Would men observingly distil it out;
For our bad neighbors make us early stirrers;
Which is both healthful and good husbandry.

— Shakeapear.

T TO my chimney's shrine

Brought him, as Love professes.

And chafed his hands with mine,
And dried his dripping tresses.

Forthwith his bow he bent,

And wedded string and arrow

And struck me, that it went
Quite through my heart and

But when that he felt warmed;

Let's try this bow of ours.
And string, if they be harmed.

Said he, with these late showers.

Then laughing loud, he flew

Away, and thus said, flying:
Adieu, mine host, adieu!

I'll leave thy heart a-dying.

— Ajiacrcoti.

A H! charming isle in the warm, green sea!
O sirens! tempting me to wrong.
What value have your meads to me?

—Jama: Muiinci Thompson.
60

^^m

gmtt Jeremy,

HaUUlUuluS aais. Natural Order: Raniniciilacecc— Crov-foot Family

^ ^'L \IXT is the fancy that attaches in the minds of the j'oung
'' '\\ to this common plant, so beautifully characterized by the
* p(jet Robert Browning as "the little children's dower."
The very name calls up the picture of children crouching
in the grass, and holding the golden blossoms under each
other's chin to see if by the reflection they love butter, feel-
ing assured that the least yellow gleam is indicative that their bread
should be thickly spread with that golden and necessary product of
the dairy. The leaves drop from the plant easily, and frequently the
east touch will cause the petals of the flowers to fall in a golden
shower.

Jislrttsi.

'T'HOU hast no truth to prove, lair Eloise;

^ And I sav thou art false, who loved thee most;
Then spare us both these feints and artful words.
I could forgive thee if thou didst not play
The actress with me now. And now I go:
But ere I go, I'll say I do forgive thee. —Frances A. Fuller.

TTfHO should be trus
» ♦ hand

Is perjur'd to the boson

But count the world a
The private woiuid is d

right Our doubts are traitors.

And make us lose the good we oft might «
By fearing to attempt. —shake.<pear,

T IFE'S sunniest hours are not without
The shadow of some lingering doubt.

ti-u-it thee more,
inger for thy sake;
lest. —Shakespeare.

'T'lII.S, this has thrown a serpent to my heart,
While it o'erflowed with tenderness, with joy.

With all the sweetness of exulting love;

Xow naught hut gall is there, and burning poison.

■ Timings,

r\ DOUBT! O doubt! I know my destiny;
^ I feel thee fluttering bird-like in my breast;
I cannot loose, but I will sing to thee.
And flatter thee to rest.

There is no certainty, "my bosom's guest,"
No proving for the things whereof ve wot;

For. like the dead to sight unmanifest,

They are, and they are not. —Jean higelaw.

•tfl^-

«?

(f!^nciMum Ipapilio majUS. Natural Order: Orchidacecc— Orchis Family.

f

LORISTS have had tlieir interest much aroused by a very
Lxpensive class of plants called Orchids, partly on account
of their curious and beautiful flowers, and partly because
of their strange manner of growth and individual appear-
ante They are divided into two classes, terrestrial and aerial.
^-j>i> The aerial ones are confined chiefly to tropical climates,
some growing in damp woods, resting on trees, while others
aie found on dripping rocks among mountains and near water courses.
The large Butterfl}^ Orchis is one among the finest of that family
known as Oncidium. and is a native of Trinidad. The blossom has
the form of a butterfly, from which it takes its specific name papilio,
a Latin word having the same significance. In color the flower is
of a dark brown striped or barred with yellow. The large projection, called the
lip, is yellow at the center with a brown edge or margin. The flowers come
successively from the old flower-stems tor years, one coming continuously to
supply the place of the faded one.

§at6ii|.

The ^ou:

'pHE vallev rings with minh ;ind
Among the hills the echoes pla
\ ne\'er, never ending song,

To welcome in the May.
The magpie chatters with delight:

The mountain raven's voungling

■s, or can destroy,
. and the heartfelt joy.
-Pnf,: '

Have left the mother and the nest;
And they go rambling east and west

In search of their own food;
Or through the glittering vapors Hart.
In verv wantonness of heart.

'HE weak have remedies, the wise have joys;
.Superior wisdom i> superior bliss. -I'oi

A LITTLE of thy merriment.
" ^ Of thy sparkling light content,
Give me, my cheerful brook, —
That I mav still be full of glee

And gladsomeness where'er
Though fickle fate hath pris(
In some neglected nook.

J^^

ifacalia COCriuca. NAxntAi. Ordek: CompositiC — Aster Family.

!">CARLET Cacalia is a native of the East Indies, where nature

revels in the most brilliant hues conceivable to the human mind,

and where flowers assume shapes more innumerable than in

this our cool and more temperate climate. Yet we must admit

:>the most of them behave admirably in their adopted homes,

% sometimes diminishing their stature, but ahvays remaining objects

worthy of attention. The Cacalia blossom is shaped like a beautiful

little brush or tassel, and is sometimes called Venus's Paint Brush, or

L^;::^^ Tassel Flower. There are two \-arieties grown in our gardens, one

~ ^ an orange scarlet, the other a golden yellow. They appear to better

fc>advantage in masses when not too thickly sown, and if the withered

Iflowers are remo\ed, will bloom profuseh- until frost.

jibuht

inn.

TF we from wealth to p
^ Want gives to know t

'T'HOU delightest the cold world's gaze,
^ When crowned with the flower and the gem.
But thv lover's sniile should he dearer praise
Than the incense thou prizest from them.

K" flafrer from the friend.

And gay is the playful tone.

.\s to the flattering voice thou responde
But what is the praise of the cold and unk

To the tender blame of the fondest.'

-John I

VTO adulation; 'tis the death of virtue!

•'■ Who flatters is of all mankind the lowest.

Save he who courts the flatterer. —ffaimali More.

T AM not tbrm'd, by flattery and prai
By sighs and tears, and all the whin
Of love, to feed a fair one's vanity :
To charm at once and spoil her.

A

.SPIRIT, pure and fine and true
As ever dwelt in human form :
A love as deep, as fond, as warn

ever loving woman knew.

-Koi^ 7. /

63

r

Cstrttts-UigW glo^wiws.

^IcrCUS ilianilitlorus Natural Order: Cactacav — Cactus Family.

ERE is one of a class of plants which we should more fre-
^ queiitlv find in our dwellings than we do, as there are
J none that demand so little attention, requiring onl}- a rough
soil, containing a free admixture of coarse sand and small
:j^^ fragments of rocks or potsherds, and a little water once or
twice a week. They endure any amount of heat, but will
not withstand a positive frost. The Cereus grandiflorus is a native
of Mexico and the West Indies, where it grows to a large size, as do
the other varieties. The blossom is magnificent, appearing at night,
and \\asting before dav approaches. The flower is sometimes cut
when in its prime, and preserved in a large glass jar with alcohol,
as a curiositv-

Iransicni Jtnul^.

'LOWER of the night! im>tenoii.
NVlieii earth's green tribes repose

Comest thou to meet the stars — vint'olding soft,
Beneath their tranquil rav, thy peerless form.'
Flower of the night! chaster than Alpine snows

I'nvisited by aught save Heaven's sweet breath —

Why hide thy loveliness from mortal eye,

Why pour thy fragrance to tlie unconscious night.'

"piS not the fairness of the brow. That has a power to chain my gaze, '
Nor brightness of the eye; Or hold it in control;

Nor yet the cheek whose r.adiant glow The beauty that I most admire

Can with carnation \ ie, .Shines spotless from the soul.

Mr.<. R. T. EUircdgc.

TT^HO hung such beauty on such rugged stalk,
** Thou glorious flower,'

Wlio pour'd the richest hues

k

In varying radiance o'er thy ample brow? ~^rrs. Siironrnev.

\

64

d

r

CiictmB--Sixiil.^.

(Jlcmis flagtlltfannis.

Natural Order: Cactaccic — Cactus Family.

HIP oi ^nake Cactus, as it is familiarly called, is from the
\\ II id plains of South America. The stem is about hall' an
T' inch in diameter, having ten angles, and attaining the
J I length of five or six feet. It is much too frail to stand
, alone, and should be supported on a trellis or tied to an
*^j^l , upiight stick. The flowers are extremely handsome, coming

^jK^^ out fiom the clusteis of spines that adorn the stem. The tube is long
^^f^ and skridei, and the petals a brilliant pink, remaining in perfection a
^aC& number of dajs, when the}- are succeeded continuously by others for
"^^i^^' se\'eral weeks.

d

T FEEL my sinews slacken'd with the fright,

^ And .1 cold sweat thrills down all o'er mv limbs,

As if I were dissolving; into water —Dryd.ii.

'l'lj''HEN the sun sets, shadows that show'd at noon
But small appear most long and terrible;

So when we think fate hovers o'er our heads,
Our apprehensions shoot bevond all bounds. _

Lcc

T TIS hand did quake

And tremble like a leaf of aspen green,
And troubled blood through his pale face was seen
As it a running messenger had been, —s/eiiser.

w

r:

J^fe^

EXT him was fear, all arm'd from top to toe.
Yet thought himself not safe enough thereby,
But fear'd each shadow moving to or fro.
And his own arms when glittering he did spy,
Or clashing heard, he fast away did fly;
As ashes pale of hue, and winged heel'd.
And evermore on danger fix'd his eye,
'Gainst whom he always bent a brazen shield.
Which his right hand un.armed fe.irfullv did wield.

-Sfenser.

AGIN,\TION frames events unknown T AM fearful ; wherefore frowns

n wild fantastic shapes of hideous ruin, 'Tis an aspect of terror. All

1 what it fears creates ! —Hannah More.

V 6s

s not well.
'Shaktsfeare

'5^

y

m.

^unUt-0lnxm.

II

(Halcrolaria l)tlbrilia. Nati'hai. (Jkukr: Scrophulariacea: — Fig-uort Family.

A'^1^''^

\LC'IiOLARIAS came originally from South America and

\ New Zealand. There are two species of this plant, differing

^ entirely from each other, in regard to the foliage. One is

heibateous, with large, oval, downy leaves, and grows about

I loot and a half high; the other is a shrub with small, oval

k\ULs resembling those of the sage, except that they are a

puiei gieen The flowers are alike in shape, the herbaceous having

rathei the laigest. They are like a pouch or bag of velvet, sometimes

of a plain color, and again covered with dots; indeed they often remind

one of the plump body of a beautiful spider, only they have not spina-

rets and legs. The blossoms, which are superb in color, are often large

enough to hold a teaspoonful of water.

'^ouc}h|.

^^F all the passions that possess mankind,
^ The love of novelty rules most the mind;
In search of this, from realm to realm we roam;
Our fleets come frausiht with ev'rv follv home.

^TILI- sighs the world
For somethinsif ne

Imploring me, imploring you

Some will-o'-wisp to lielp pursue.
Ah, hapless world! What will it do.

Imploring me, imploring you,

For something new.' —Ralph Hovi.

pH.\NGE is written on the tide.
'^ On the forest's leafy pride;
On the sti-eamlet, glancing hright.
On the jewel'd crown of night;
.\11 where'er the eye can rest
.Show it legibly imprest.

—Clinch.

T HAVE lived in cities all my birtli,

^ Where all was noise, and life, and varying scene

Recurrent news which set all men agape,

New faces, and new friends, and shows and revels,

Mingling in constant action and quick change.

-Bok<-

66

Sf

Rtcljai'lJta nctl)ia)jica. Natural Order: Aracar —A>-/tm Family.

^^^-i^rt 1 1<: \l TIFUL in name (from the Greek kallos) and justly merit-

Jh ,nt; the distinction, is this lily-like plant. Its scientific name does

^vK ' -J'""^ honor to the French botanist, L. C. Richard, and its sup-

'"" )1"' posed original seat, .-Ethiopia, though its true habitat is farther

ii-:^^] : r south, in the region of the Cape of Good Hope, this charming,

^^jAj^^OTl familiar plant is only adapted to house culture in cold climates.

fy f}= It has large, arrow-shaped leaves on long leafstalks. 1'he flower

is of a beautiful creamy white, and similar to a cornucopia in shape, or

to our own wild-wood plant, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and blooms during winter

and spring. The plants of this order are pervaded by a volatile substance

which in some becomes poisonous. The corms and root-stalks abound

in starch, which in a few cases are rendered edible when the volatile

substance is expelled by cooking.

T AM come, I am come! Irom the purple-browed sky,

^ The spirit of beauty to thee:

I ride on the wings of the rose-scented air,

I sit on the lips of the violet fair.

And weavje me a wreath of the sunV golden hair.

As his tresses go glancingly by.

And glimmer the foam of the sea. — Carina D.Stuart.

N.VTIVE grace

Sat fair proportion'd on her polish'd
I'd in a simple robe, their best attire,
'ond the pomp of dress; for loveliness

Xeeds not the Ibreign aid of ornament.
But is, when unadorn'd, adorn'd the most;
Thoughtless of beauty, she was Beauty's self
Recluse amid the close embowering woods.
— Tlinmf'sati.

T NE\'ER sa«- aught like to what thoi

.\ spirit so peculiar in its mold,
\\'ith so much wildness and with \-et a
Of all the softer beauties we behold.
-Franc-

67

art.

CEl3|jc:iimtltm0<

(£ah)Cautl)US tlorillUS. Natural Order: Calycantliacca: — Calycanth Family.

*^UR Southern States, more especiallj- the Carolinas, are the
n itive seats of tliis fragrant shrub, whence it is sometimes
I died Carolina Allspice. It is generally found in fertile soils
ilong water courses, is of a straggling growth, and does not
iltain a very great height — usually from three to four feet-
J onl}-. It is also frequently cultivated in gardens and shrub-
\^ beries, where it has received the praise of many for the odor of its
r^i^i^p) blossoms, which have a strawberry or fruit-like fragrance. The bark
when bioken also exhales a spicy perfume. The flowers are of a
dull, luiid purple, and bloom on very short stems.

tl

Jriiruolfiit^.

f\ BLESSED bounty, giving all content!
^ The only t'autress of all noble arts,
That lend'st success to every good intent,
A grace that rests in the most godlike hearts,
By heav'rt to none but happy souls infused,
Pitv it is that e'er thou wast abused.

-Drayton.

H'

row few, like thee, inquire the wretched out.
And court the offices of soft humanity !
Like thee, reserve their raiment for the naked.
Reach out their bread to feed the crying orphan.
Or mix the pitying tears with those that weep!

TT ALF his earn'd pittance to poor neighbors went:
They had his alms, and he had his content.

■pROM thy new
Now lend ass

— Walter Harte.
hope, and from thy growing store,
istance, and relieve the poor.

G",

He that's liberal
To all alike may do good by chance.
But never out of judgment.

DLIKE his unwearied bounty flows;

First lo\-es to do, then lo\-es the good he does

For his 1

There was no winter in't; an autumn 'tv
That grew the more by reaping.

■ Fl.trl,

fe=^

-Shakespeare. h

^

«5

Camrtlia,

as

1

(ErtlUcllia Japouica. Natural Order: CamcHiacccv — Tea Family.

f \PAN is the original habitat of this shrub, whence its name in
jk^part — Japonica, Japanese; while the first part is derived from
the German botanist, Kamel, Latinized into Camellus. It is a
native of China, as well as of Japan, where it grows to a large
tree. It is graceful and handsome as one could desire for any
place or occasion. Its blossoms are among the loveliest that nature
jjields, but lack the fragrance of those of its rival, the rose, which
5 the}^ much resemble; they are, however, more statel}-, the petals
being much thicker, more waxy and S5'mmetrical. There are, it is
said, now nearly a thousand varieties, chiefly derived from seed.
In order to perpetuate the same variety in color, they are propa-
gated from slips.

^%x\ti\ JoucliiiESS.

lyjE'ER sha)l thy dangerous gifts these brows adorn,

To me more dear than all their rich perlunie,
The chaste Camellia's pure and spotless bloom,
That boasts no fragrance and conceals no thorn.

QHE. the gavest, sweetest blossom,
^ Smiling 'neath the summer skies,
Glorious lips and swelling bosom.
Golden hair and sparkling eyes.

Softly breathing amorous sighs.
While the doves around are cooing.
And the simple lovers wooing.
Holds the moonbeams in surprise.

' ACH ornament about lier seemly Hi
' Bv curious chance, or careless art.

'T^HE fairness of her face no tongue

For she the daughters of all wotr

And angels eke, in beautie doth exxel

Sparkled on her from God's own gloi

can tell, .\nd more incrcast by her own goodlv grace,

;n's race. That it doth far exceed all human thought,

N'e can on earth compared be to aught,
inns f:,c<- -Sfmser.

69

^Va3-IU'

^^^S-

|pl)alai"t3 (llanavtmsi!:'. X\Trii.\i. Okokk: (rramlnciv — Grass FaniiJy.

LRIVING Its name from the Greek word pinilaris., meaning

white oi biilliant. as the seeds are shining and smooth, the

Canan Giass is a native of the Canary Islands, and its

seeds loim the chief food of the delightful little Canary bird,

well as some other small wild birds. It is sometimes found

spaiingH natui allied in the tields in America. There is a native plant

belonging to the same genus found in low, wet grounds and ditches,

known technically as the Phalaris arundinacea, or Reed Canarv Grass,

and familiarly as Ribbon Grass.

Ers^uirantt.

A TTEMPT
^ Nothing

rXEMPT the end, and never stand to doubt;
hard, but searcli will tint! it on

T7EW things are possible to listless indolence

But unto him whose soul is in his task,
(Who scorns 'mid ease or sloth to bask
'Pill if •> accomplished), there is no chance.
No prison ^\'hich long in din^ance
Can keep success; the unconquerable will
Bends all before it ; pierces through each maze

li

I EVOLT

good resolve,
venly hope attending it.
And fair and pleasant thoughts involve

TJOW noble is a
^ There's heaven

Impenetrable to superficial gaze.
Encounters every obstacle and still
Bears ofi" from each the palm; then, human soul.
If for some noble object thou dost strive
And wouldst triumphant reach the final goal,
.Swerve not aside ere yet thou dost arrive; [trol.
ize He patient, faithful, firm, and even fate shall not con.
—James Walker.

reant when pm-suit is brave,

chase what we ci-ave.

^^rarl„^,,.

A latent bliss befriending it: —
If strong the strife and great the pain.
Greater 's the triumph — fry again.

—Jo/n, Szi'aiii.

doth

PERSEVERANCE is a Roman virtue.

That wins each godlike act, and plucks

E'en from the spear-proof crest of rugged

70

Camdvihrft.

Jbrris Uiubcllcta. Xatirai. Ohdkr: Crncifcw— Mustard Family.

W%6iM3l\ <^'?#BERLS, or Caiidytutt. is so well adapted tor bouquets that
J^. . 2 J^^-ifer ^" ample bed of it should be tbund in e\-er\' garden, tor it
^^•' '2 -^^^"'^^ ht^iw any amount of clipping and still yield an abun-
Jl^ Ini^:^ dance of flowers until destroyed by frost. The plants bear

^\.

remo\-al so poorly that it is best to sow them where they

■/ * ' ' <--^ are to bloom, and to pull up all the superfluous ones. It is
a nati\e of Spain, and takes its name from the ancient appellative of
that country, which was Iberia. It is most e.xcellent for winter use,
grown in pots or in vases: and is also planted as a border in flower
gardens. The flowers are white, purple or crimson, and some of
them are \-ery fragrant.

T N the well-l'nimed models.

With emblematic skill and mystic order,
Thou show'dst where tow'rs on battlements sliould
^Vhere gates should open, or where walls should co

/^L'R thtliers next, in architecture skill'd,
^ Cities for use, and forts for safety, build;
Then palaces and lofty domes arose;
These for deyotion, and for pleasure those.

ITfESTW.-VRD a pompous frontispiece appear'c
' * On Doric pillars of white marble rear'd,
Crown'd \yith an architraye of antique mold,
.\nd sculpture rising on the roughen'd gold.

—Po/f.

H'

.S son builds on. and
Till the last farthing

sper

—Dry,.

w-ii

:E stair on stair, with heayy balustrade
And columned hybrids cut in rigid stone
.\nd yase, and sphinx, and obelisk, arrayed.

And arched wide bridges oyer wheelways thro
Valleys of heayen the gardens seemed to he.
Or isles of cloudland in a sunset sea.

WfJ^T^

TET my due feet neyer fail
*-^ To walk the studious cloister's
And love the high embowed roof.
With antique pillars massy proof;
.\nd storied windows richly dight,
Casting a dim, religious light.

pale.

I

-■^^S

■ms^

®Eiiter|Jitii;|| Svelte.

(llaiupamila mCLltum. Natural Order: CampaiiitlaccLT — Bcllzvort Family.

"^--^r-;^^ 'NPRETENDING but handsome is this species of the Campa-

^ ■ nula, introduced into this country from Germany. The stem is

liom two and a lialf to three feet high, and produces flowers

that are large and attractive, continuing in bloom from early

summer until fall. The blossoms are bell-shaped, as in the

^^f- Other varieties, the distinctive differences consisting in diversity
^^ of foliage, and dissimilarity of style. Some are tall and stately, while
others aie mere cushions of verdure and flowers. The color of theii-
f^j^ blossoms is usually blue, though sometimes lavender or white.

T7OUNTAIN of mercv! whose pervading eve

Can look witliin and read what passes there.
Accept mv thouglits for thanks, I have no words
My soul, o'erfraught with gratitude, rejects
The aid of language. -//„„«„// More

'pHE 1
A Untl

benefits he sow'd in me met not
ithankful ground, but yielded him
With fair increase; and I still glorv in it.

■^0 a generous mind

The heaviest debt is t

lat of gratitude.

hen 'tis not in nur powc

r to repav it.

IITHEN gratitude o'erflow?^ the swelling heart.

And breathes in free and uncorrupted praise
For benefits received; propitious heaven
Takes such acknowledgments as fragnmt incense.
And doubles all its blessings. —Lilh.

T FIND a pious gratitude disperse

Within my soul ; and at every thought
Engenders a warm sigh within me, which.

Like curls
Each other
With their

holy incense, overtake
1 my bosom, and enlarge
nbrace his sweet remcmbrai

1 patient,

GROW

Great offices with greater

72

®ErilaBiimt*

(HarilaminC l)irSUta. Xatirai. Order: Cnicijcrcv — Mustard Family.

ROWING wild, this plant is tbund in various parts of the
' United States, in some instances adding the name ot the State
in which the variet}- is produced to its own. It is also called
Cuckoo Flower, and Bitter Cress. It flourishes in wet places,
' near streams or springs. The flowers are white and small.
■ The blossoms of some of the other species are larger than
the abo\-e, and are frequently rose or purple in color. Its name is
tleri\ed trom kardia, heart, and damao, to overcome, alluding to some
supposed medicinal properties.

|nfalitatitin.

r\ii'- blest is the late of the one who hath tbund

^ .Some loadstar to guide through the wilderness round;

And such I have found, my beloved one, in thee,

For thou art the star of the desert to me. —Samu.-l Lov,

"yi.S his one hope — all else that round his li

^ So fairly circles, scarce he values now;
The pride of name, a lot with blessings rife.
Determined friends, great gifts that him endow
Are shrunk to nothing in a woman's smile;
Counsel, reproof, entreaty, all are lost
Like windy waters, which their strength exhau

T^O but look on her eyes! they do light
-'--' All that Love's world compriseth!
Do but look on her hair! it is bright

As Love's star when it riseth!
Do but mark — her forehead 's smoother

Than words that sooth her!
And from her arched brows such a grace

Sheds itself through the face.
As alone there triumphs to the life.
All the gain, all the good of the elements' strife.

fe And leave no impress; worldly lips revile
With sneer and stinging jibe, but idly by,
Unfelt, unhe.ird, the impatient .arrows fly;

— Careless he joins a parasitic train.

Fops, fools and flatterers, whom her arts enchain,
Nor counts aught base that m.iy to her pertain ;

St Immersed in love — or what he deems is such.
—F. G. Tuckerinan.

OH! tlien speak, thou fairest fair!
Kill not him that vows to serve thee;
But perfume this neighboring air

Else dull silence sure will starve me;
'Tis a word that's quickly spoken,
Which, being restrained, a heart is broken.
— Beaumont and FJetrlifr.

ALL nature fades extinct; and she alone
Heard, felt and seen, possesses every thought,
Fills every sense, and pants in every vein.
„. —Thompson.

73

w

a

iiolU'lia (JlarMlialis. Xatlkm. Order: Loic/iacne — Lobelia Familv.

ATIHEU LOBEL, a French botanist resident in England
\ and physician to James the First, was honored by having
\ '^^' this class ol" flowers named tor him, while this variety
obtained its distinctive title from its rich scarlet or cardinal
toloi. It is a tall plant of exceeding beauty, found in
'<' meadows, especially near streams of running water, where
Its bright late is mirrored on the gleaming surface. It was intro-
duced into England from America, of which it is a native, during
i.olonial times, and has ever since enjoyed the admiration of florists
and amateur cultivators. The flowers are of a deep scarlet, and
each blossom about two inches in length, arranged on a flne, nod-
ding stem. These appear during the whole summer.

yrrformrnl

^HEN knaves con. U

Gallows are raised i

Upon iinother's shoulder-.

''yiS sweet, beloved, to have thee nigh.

In pleasant converse thus with me,
For while these social moments flv,

I feel my heart still clings to thee.
Ves, clings to thee with stronger ties

Than e'er I felt or knew before.
As day by day some charm supplies

That makes me bless thee more and more.
— Thomas G. Spfnr.

T F to feel the deep de\ otion

Of a pilgrim at a shrine,
If to weep with fond emotion

Be to love thee, I am thine.
If to treasure every token,

Every look and every sign,
Every light word thou bast spoke

Be to love thee, I am thine.

TJE who cannot merit

Preferment bv employments, let him bare
His throat unto the Turkish cruelty,
Or die or \\\e a slave, without redemption.

74

©aruEtitim.

U)iautl)US rai"UOpl)ljlluS. Natural Order: Caryophy//ari\c — Piiil- Fanii/y.

\|()\Cr the most deliyhtlul of all our flowers are the Carna-

tioiib, 111 all their diverse colors, being called the flower of

[(jve 01 Jupiter, the chief god among the Romans, whence its

n.mie — D/os, of Zeus, or Jupiter, and a lit has, a flower; the

■c distiiKtive epithet is also trom two other Greek words,

- kcniioii, a nut, and p/i\'lloii, a leaf They are variously called

&-Va, bizai res, flakeb, or picotees, according to their colors and markings,

-'* being spotted, striped or plain. The varieties number, it is said, over

ifour hundred, and many of them yield the exquisite odor of the clove,

>or other sweet pertume.

ionbm|tl,

AND where his frown of hatred darkly fell,
Hope withering Hed — and me

TJARSII -corn hath hail'd thy bli<;hte<l name, OHALL it not Ix- sci

n Thou frail Init lovely thins; '^ To harp on such a

And the pre
Is slowlv

flower of faine

To

■cy sig

I'd

farewell!

—Bvron.

LL it

lot

be scorn to me

harp f

n s

uch a molder'd st

ham-d

thr

-.ush all my natur

have k

v'd

so slight a thing.

T

HINK not there is no smile

I can bestow upon thee. There is a smile,
imile of nature too, which I can spare.
And yet perhaps thou wilt not thank me for

'T^AKE back, take back thy promi:
' Take back, take back thy loN-e,
They say 'tis all ideal bliss

Fleeting as sunbeams move:
And that 'twill quickly pass away,

And not a chord remain

To vibrate at affection's touch.
With such sweet joy again

Then give me back the light,
I held in youth's bright m

It can't endure indifterence,
'Twould break beneath th\

i

Hen'ce: l,
I know th

dark ■
75

f

''^?i
%

f./a

CEtctoflii.

Silcne \I^nUCVia. Natural Order: Caryophyllacece — Pink Family.

ARIETIES of this plant to the number of about one hundred,
'i^ of which perhaps a dozen are indigenous to the United States,
have been noted b}- botanists. It is culti^•ated as a garden
annual, many varieties having been introduced from Europe —
the rose-colored from Sicily, and the red from Portugal, while
Russia has furnished a perennial species. They all bloom plenti-
fully, and are appropriate for planting in the borders, or for rock-
work. The stem is about a foot and a half high, and the flowers
mostly a purplish pink, white, and red. Beneath each joint there is a
glutinous substance that retains any light insect that touches it. It
derives its name from. Silenus, the reputed foster-father and drunken
companion of Bacchus, who, when caught asleep and encircled with
a cordon of flowers by mortals, could be compelled to prophesy; so
the ancient Greeks imagined.

J nm h\}\\ Prtsaiirr.

TTIGH w.alls and strong the bodv mav confine,
And iron gates obstruct the prisoner's gaze,
And massive bolts may baffle his design,

And vigilant keepers watch his devious v.-ays;
Yet scorns the immortal mind this base control !

No chains can bind it and no cells enclose;
Swifter than light it flies from pole to pole,

And in a flash from earth to heaven it goes.

r\ LIBERTY! the prisoner's pleasing dream,
^ The poet's muse, his passion and his theme;
Genius is thine, and thou art Fancy's nurse;
Lost without thee the ennobling powers of verse;
Heroic song from thy free touch acquires
Its clearest tone, the rapture it inspires. —Covjfer.

H'

i gives the signal of command,

He waves — he drops — the lifted hand!

It was a sound of clashing steel —

Why starts he thus.' what doth he feel.=

The clanking of his iron cliain

Hath made him prisoner again ! —Mrs. Norton.

f

€eAiit-M^^cA.

JunipcrUS Dirgiuiana. Natural Ordek: Conifcnc — Pinc Family.

\RLY all the Pine family are pleasing to the e3'e lor the
f diversity as well as the continuity of their foliage. There
■" .ire somewhat o\'er a hundred species in the order, and all
of them of infinite importance to man, growing as some of
. them do in immense forests, they j'ield an unbounded supply
i.^.Oof timber tor various architectural purposes, being light,
I asiU wrought and durable. This includes all the pines, hemlocks,
■^piuces and cedars. The large, straight trunks of the White Pine
are in great demand for the masts of vessels, while other varieties
Meld the resinous sap from which resin, tar, pitch and turpentine
■lie manufactured. The Red Cedar is a middle-sized tree, Ibund in
the United States, but principall}- in rocky situations near the sea-
coast. Its wood is of a reddish cast, compact, fine grained, and
almost imperishable, so well does it resist all the processes of decay.

I |ib^ for i|^.

POR thee I will arouse my thoughts to trv

^ All heavenward flights, all high and holy strains;

For tin- dear sake I will walk patiently

Through these long hours, nor call their minutes pai

— Frani-t-^ Amic Kcmble.

N'

'OW, tlie plaintive tones inspiring
Still more sweet and yearning swell,
Till my spirit bursts its bondage.
That had chained it with its spell ;

Lnd I

m

lastening w

th artection

To

m%

hidden dar

ing there.

\'here

the cedar bouL

hs are wa^■

In

the

rustling eve

ning air.

-L. Svir

k

TITE will walk this world,

Yok'd in all exercise of noble aim.
And so through those dark gates across the wild
That no man knows.

//

m

C^lamAime,

^!Il)cli^onium inajus.

- 3:

Xatukai. Okdek: Papaveracecc — Poppy Family.

the fields, especially in moist places, as well as from beiiifr

S'cultivated in gardens, is this plant of the poppv family.

i/,' ^/\^f- ^^ is a fleshy herb, with leaves formed of leaflets arranged

•'<^^'f<S} in pairs on a central stem, and one odd one to finish the

UITE fami

•ing wild bv the roadsides and in

tip ; the}-

of

bluis

green in color, and are

I ;^ quite smooth The flowers are yellow.

and are not lasting. Its

^^v, name is deiived from the word chcUdo>i. the Greek name for the

swallow, as it was supposed to blossom with the arri\al of that bird.

It has become a naturalized plant in the United States, its nati\e

place being Europe.

'INHERE is a gentle element, and man

May breathe it with a calm, unruffled soul,
And drink its living waters till his heart
Is pure; and this is liuman ha|ipiness. —Willis.

TF solid happiness we prize.

Within our breast the jewel lies,
.\nd they are fools who roam;
The world has nothing to bestow,
Frotn own selves our jo^'s must flow,
And that dear hut — our home. —Coti

H'

TTAPPINESS depends, as nature shows.

Less on exterior things than most suppose ;
Vigilant over all that He has made.
Kind Providence attends with gracious aid,
Bids equity throughout His works prevail,
.^.nd weighs the nations in .m even scale.

whose life e'en now

%

^J^^

Shows somewhat of that happier life to c(
Who, doomed to an obscure but tranquil state.
Is pleased with it, and, were he free to choose
Would make his fate his choice; whom peare.
Of virtue, and whom \irtue, fruit of faith,
Prepare for happiness; bespeak him one
Content indeed to sojourn while he must
Below the >kies, hut having there Ills home.

—Con/,

7S

11

J

r

IL

Cliamitimii^*

1

^ntl)Clins nobilis. Nati;hal Ordek: Compositct — Aster Family.

HERE are two species of this humble plant : the first
inodorous, naturalized in fields, byways and lanes, and is
called Corn Chamomile; and the second a perennial from
Great Britain and other parts of Europe. It is frequently
cultivated in gardens, and is well known for its strong, agree-
able odor. The flowers are much used in medicine for their
tonic and anod3'ne properties. It was called Anthemis, from authoi,
' Greek for flower, by reason of its profusion of flowers.

woild of pail

ome, and tlio' outcast I be,
Perhaps there is One will have pity on nie;
Who will to the injured His mercy extend,

And be to the outcast protector and friend. _y. //. s.

'HEN gently scan thy brother man,

I'hough both may gang a kennie wrang
To step ;iside is liuman. —Biir/i

"yiS mercy! mercy I

The mark of heuv'n impress'd on human kir
Mercy that glads the world, deals joy around;
Mercy that smooths the dreadful brow of power.
And makes dominion light; mercy that saves.
Binds up the broken heart, and heals despair.

r^OME unto me, when weary of life's burdens.

^' When, oh ! so tired of all its hopes and fears -

When, 'midst the fury of the storms and tempes

Thou slialt be waiting as the heaven nears.

N'

'AY, the divine in it lingers there still,
God's care in all;
Rose leaves but drop at the beck of His will,
PVtters which thrall.

-.1/<7/r /;. P.Hin,:

N mercy and justice both.

Through heaven and earth.
Jut mercv first and last shall

shall my gl
ihtesi shine

^

• ®]h:jestmmt<

1

(Eastaiica OCSCa. Natural Ordek: CKpuUfow — Oak Family.

or parts of them, use the nut of this tree
an article of diet, a substitute for flour

RANGE and Ital}-,
to some extent as

and potatoes, principally among the poorer classes, who pre-
pare it by some process of cooking; the nut there, however,
bemg nearly double the size of the ones we are familiar
with. The Italian nut venders are also found on street
ot our large cities. In some portions of the United States
the tiee giows plentifully, though seldom forming masses in the
woods. In July the blossoms hang like tassels all over the tree,
' completely covering it as if with a yellowish mantle. The nut is of
a beautiful brown, and is inclosed in a formidable burr, beset on all
sides with sharp, then;}- spines. The timber is useful in some kinds
of building, being strong, elastic and durable, without much weight.
The Chestnut was a favorite tree of Salvator Rosa, and flourished in the moun-
tains of Calabria. It is said to have derived its name from Casthanaja, a city
of ancient Greece.

JjgtEpliuij ^ppcnnuttcs.

TJOW little do they
^ ^ Their hasty judgi

see

what

is, who frame

len

s upon that which seems.

■ITTITHIX the oyster's shell uncouth
»» Tlie purest pearl may bide; —

-yUE deepest ice that ever froze
' Can only o'er the surface close;

Trust me, you'll find a heart of truth

The living stream lies quick below,

Within that rough outside.

—Mrs. Osif,„HY.

And flows, and cannot cease to flow

"T*IS not the fairest form that holds
'^ The mildest, purest soul within;
'Tis not the richest plant that folds
The sweetest breath of perfume in.

-Dnr

T

nature sees mankind
. not what thev are.

\PPEAR.\NCE.S to save, his only care;
■ So things seem right, no matter what i

m

^r^p.

®Mjcfewjejejtl<

1

t

Stcllaria lUcMa. Natural Order: Caryophyllacea — Pink Family.

EARLY everywhere north of Mexico the Chickweed may be
found generall}' in moist, shady places. It is a small, delicate,
P^ grain-like herb. The leaves are oval, the stem round and
jointed, and rather procumbent. The flowers are small,
^ white and star-like, whence its botanical name. At night the
^1^'^ leaves, in pairs, close around the young stems. Birds are
very fond of picking at the seeds, as well as the green leaves, espe-
cially canaries, giving rise to its popular name, Chickweed. The
leaves possess certain cooling and nutritive properties that render
them desirable for consumptives. They are also useful to alia}-
external inflammation, by being moistened and applied warm.

^far of ra^ Jrisbnq.

T HAVE sought t
* I have lain my

the intensest Avavs to best adore
soul's last treasure at your feet;
Yet I tremble as in thought I bend before you,

With abasement and abashment and defeat,

Knowing veil that all the love I ever bore you

Is requital weak of worth and incomplete!

-Edgar Fa

I'VE se
R,,f „

seen grand ladies plumed and
leeter maiden —
But not a sweeter, fresher maid
Than this in homely cotton,
Whose pleasant face and silky braid
I have not yet forgotten.

ilked.

'T'HERE ever is a form, a face.

Of maiden beauty in my dreams.
Speeding before me like the race
To ocean of the mountain streams —
With dancing hair, and laughing eyes.
That seem to mock me as it flies.

-Chrkt

Georffitia Rossetti.

11 lY spirit bows before a nameless shrine,
^'1 Seeking to offer there
The heart's devotion to some nymph divine
As pure and true as fair.

-ir. F. Laiige

Si

r

®'bijC0rf.

1)

(!licl)OriuiU illtllbus. Natural Order: CotnpositcE — Aster Family.

ERE IS an oriental herb in height from two to three feet,
iound naturalized in tields and byways. The flowers are
l^i lai ge and conspicuous, blooming in pairs in the axils of the
lea\es, and are a pale blue in color. The root is used in
kb Fi ance, and indeed in America, for the adulteration of cofiee,
^^f- for which purpose it is roasted, ground, and flavored with
o/o burnt sugar. Its name is of Egyptian origin, being in Egypt called
^ chikoitrych. It is known in England as Succory. The Endivia

j^j^ variety, so
JvX used for salads

called, is a native of the East Indies, and is sometimes

^OR him light labor spread her wholesome store.
Just gave what lite requir'd, but gave no more;

His best companions,
And his best riches, i

inocence and health;
norance of wealth.

PRUDENCE, thou virtue of the mind, by which
We do consult of all that's good or evil.
Conducting to felicity; direct

My thoughts and actions by the rules of reason ;
Teach me contempt of all inferior vanities ;
Pride in a marble portal gilded o'er,

Assvrian carpets, chairs of ivory,
The luxuries of a stupendous house,
Garments perfum'd, gems valued not for u
But needless ornament; a sumptuous table,
And all the baits of sense. — .'

T OOK forward what 's to come, and back what 's past;

Thy life will be with praise and prudence graced;
What loss or gain may follow, thou mayst guess;
Thou then wilt be secure of the success. —sir 7. Denka

'HE wise with prudent thought provide
Against misfortune's coming tide, —p

w.

HEN any great designs thou dost intend,
Think on the means, the manner and the end.
-Sir y. Denham.

^i

®Mma gustier --5j^'^^'M.e.

(JIallistCf)l)US (!ll)iucnStS. Natural Order: Coinpositcc — Aster Family.

HE Chinese are exceedingly fond of flowers, and often take
exquisite pains in their cultivation, the Aster being one of their
especial favorites. With infinite patience they place the various
colors so as to form, according to their taste, an artistic mass in
gardens and pleasure grounds. The varieties now supplied by
seedsmen are numerous, the colors the most perfect that one
could wish, and filled with petals to the center. They bloom from
dsummer until late in the autumn, or until frost sets its sharp teeth
in their prodigal blossoms. On the approach of winter, those that
have unexpanded buds can be lifted and transferred to the house,
and if wasted flowers are clipped will remain in bloom some time.
The scientific name is derived from the Greek, and signifies beau-
tiful crown.

Pcunli|,

■lirH.\T vou desire
*'* To be desir'd t(
That of his fortunes
To lean upon.

of liini, lu- partly begs
give. It much would pleas
vou would make a stafl"

-Shake.

TARGE was his bounty, and his soul sincere;
^' Heaven did a recompense as largely send;

TN all places, then, and in all seasons.
Flowers expand their light and soul-like

He gave to misery
He gain'd tVom hea\-

ill he h.ad — a tear;
n— 'twas all ho wished.

, by most persuasive reasons,
they are to human things.

—Longjellovj:

*UCH luoderation with thv bountv join

A ND, more than all, ve speak
^ Of might and power, of mercy, of the On
Eternal, who hath strew'd you fair and meek.
To glisten in the sun ;

To gladden all the earth
With bright and beauteous emblems of His grace.
That showers its gifts of uncomputed worth

In every clime and place.

— Mary Anne Brovjne.

^1

r

®|iimE gi^stjer-^mgU*

(Eallistcpl)US ^UljilU'llsis. Xatukal Okder: Coiiipositic — Aster Family.

ESCRIPTION of this flower would be unnecessary, were it
not the progenitor of all our handsome double, quilled, bou-
quet, pyramid and the many other varieties of asters that
'have originated under careful and discriminating cultivation,
blossom originally presented a yellow disk or center, sur-
rounded by a single row of petals, of a purple color : now we have
nearh- all colors and shades, except j-ellow. Such is the wonderful
power of human thought, skill, patience and perseverance, when applied
to flowers; who can doubt its equal power when enlisted in the eleva-
tion of mankind or in the improvement of the individual.

TOVE'S heralds should be thoughts,

■'-' Which ten times faster gHde than sunbeams,

Driving back the shadows over lowering hills.

-Shake

p OSE leaves, when the rose is dead,
^^ Are heaped for the beloved's bed;

T'

And so thy thoughts
Love itself shall shin

I'hen thou art gone,
!r on. -Shelly.

'HOUGHTS of my soul, how swift ye g.
Swift as the eagle's glance of fire.
Or arrows from the archer's bow.

To the far aim of your desire 1 —Whiitk-}

'T^HE car without horses, the car without wings.

Roars onward and flies

On its pale iron edge,
'Neath the heat of a thought sitting still in our eyes.

'pHOUGHTS flit and flutter through the mind,

A.s o'er the waves the shifting wind;
Trackless and traceless is their flight,
As falling stars of yesternight,
Or the old tidemarks on the shore,
Which other tides hax-e rippled o'er. —Bo-.mm;.

jVIANYa,
^'A In my

the thoughts that come to me
my lonely musing;
And they drift so strange and swit't.

There 's no time for choosing
Which to follow, for to leave

Any, seems a losing. _c. p. Crauch.

m,h.

(lIl)n)Santl)eimilU caiinatuin. Natural Order: Composite — Aster Family.

" "^EELSHAPED goldtlower is the significance of the scientific
name of this plant — carinatum, from the Latin carina, a keel;
and Chrysanthemum, from two Greek words, chrysos, golden,
and anthemon, a flower. It is not naturalized in this country,
" though it has now been cultivated here for a number of years.
' i*^-?' - ^^ ''^ '^ nearly a century since they were introduced into Great

4li^^ ^ \., I '"tain (in 1789). They are indigenous to Northern Africa, China,
pj^japan, and other Oriental countries. The primitive color was yellow,
xh-^i^sj hence the Greeks called it Chrysanthemum: but now the colors are
JM/*^i various, being white, crimson, maroon, and yellow of several shades.
The} blossom very late in the fall, and, if transferred to the house,
will bloom until Christmas, requiring only to be kept from positive
freezing.

QOUL, wilt thou love, where to love is losin"?

Long wilt thou wander in wavs that err;
Dallv with hopes, that thy barren choosing

Finds fleeting as steps of a wayfarer.
Wilt thou not turn and say to her spirit,

Lo! I that love thee will love no more.''
This is a hard thing that we inherit;

To love and to weep, lo! this is sore. —Barton Gny.

s

WAN brightener of the fading yeai-,
Chrysanthemum ;
Rough teller of the winter near,

Chrysanthemum :
Gray, low-hung skies and woodlands sere.
Wet, leaf-strewn ways with thee appear;
Yet well I love to see thee here.

Chrysanthemum !
Yes, well I love to see thee here,

Chrvsanthemum!

Thou comest when the rose is de.id.

Chrysanthemum —
When pink and lily both have fled.

Chrysanthemum :
When hollyhocks droop low the head,
And dahlias litter path and bed.
Thou bloomest bright in all their stead.

Chrysanthemum,
And back recall'st their beauty fled.

— If. C. Bfunett.

S5

&inttnxm<

Cineraria aiuclloibcs. Natural Order: Com-posita: — Aster Family.

klCiirr and beautiful, the flower-stalks of this plant raise their

[--Ui-like clusters of blossoms well above their broad and

h.iiuUome leaves, in our greenhouses in spring, when flowers

.,1 ^ cuo SLaice, sometimes as many as fifty flowers in a crowning

^ ^if-, mass The plant has been called Cape Aster, one of the first

J^j t;'T-l vaiiLties having come from the South of Africa; but as we

cf'' ha\e species now from the colder latitudes of Siberia, as well

as fiom the tropical cHmes of Jamaica and the Canary Isles, that name

has been almost universally abandoned for the Latin one embracing

them all. The colors are the various shades of purple or blue, usually

with a white or lighter ring at the base of the petals.

TTOW brilliant and mirthful the light of her eye,

Like a star glancing out from the blue of the sky.

DRIGHTLY shines the sun today,
'^ Perhaps it brings but little sorrow;
We'll be happy while we may;

'Twould be folly now to borrow
Griefs and cares, which may not stray,

Mav not darken our tomorrow.

— Whiltier.
Sweet content, with winning smiles,

Brightens every simple pleasure;
Happiness, with merry smiles,

Adds its gold to all our treasure;
Thus our path for many miles

May be crowned from joy's lull measure.

T TE is so full of pleasant anecdote,

So rich, so gay, so poignant in his wit,
Time vanishes before him as he speaks.
And ruddy morning through the lattice peeps.

TJIS sports were fair, his joyance innocent,

Sweet without sour, and honey without gall;

And he himself seem'd made for merriment,
Merrily masking both in bower and hall.

w

'HEN thou art near.
The sweetest joys still sweeter seem
The brightest hopes more bright appear.

And life is all one happy dream.
When thou art near. —Robert Siveney.

®itr0B<

(HitvuS llieMca. Natural Order: Anranticece — Orange Family.

Kiiri' or nine feet high in its native seats in tropical climates,

\W Citron differs but slightly in appearance from the lemon

ikI orange trees, with which we are familiar, though only

IS house shrubs. The foliage is evergreen, the flowers resem-

, 4 bling the orange blossom; the fruit is fragrant, the pulp being

'^"^ acid like the lemon, and grateful and cooling to the taste.

The tiees of this class are all easily grown in the conservatory, and

m Louisiana and Florida in the open air, yielding a delightful perfume

when m bloom. It gets its distinctive title, medica, from the two

essential oiK (citron and cedrat) which it yields.

N

O power in deatli shall teai- our names apart,
As none in life could rend thee from my heart.
—Bv>

/^OME from the woods with the citron flowers,
^ Come with your lyres for festal hours.
Maids of bright Scio! They came, and the breeze
Bore their sweet songs o'er the Grecian seas;
They came, and Endora stood robed and crowned
The bride of the morn, with her train around.

—Mrs. Hema„s.

Wl

lEN on thy bosom I recline,
Enraptured still to call thee mine,
To call thee mine for lite,
I glory in the sacred ties.
Which modern wits and fools despise,
Of husband and of wife.

— Lindhy Murray.

'T'HE citron groves their fruit and flowers were strewing
Around a Moorish palace, while the sigh

Of low, sweet summer winds the branches wooing

With music through their shadowy bowers went by ;

Music and voices from the marble halls

Through the leaves gleaming, and the fountain falls.

ACROSS the threshold led.

And everv tear kissed off as soon as shed.

enters, there to be

S7

Shining within, when all without is night;
A guardian angel o'er his life presiding,
Doubling his pleasure, and his cares dividing. ^

— Rogers. ^

■^m

I

filtailtljUS Dampitri. Natural Order: Legnminosie — Pulse Fatnily.

T is but a few years since this beautiful flower was first
introduced into Europe and the United States from New

? Zealand, and, as it was at first considered a delicate plant

to cultivate, it commanded a very high price, and was with

difficulty persuaded to bloom. The trouble was too much

care. It is now grown from seeds, requiring a well-drained

soil, and only a reasonable supply of water, as too liberal drenching

■^

J^ causes it to decay at the root. The leaves grow in pairs opposite

J 4- each other, similar to the pea family, to which class it belongs. The
\ flowers appear in clusters of about half a dozen, each being from two
^J/i^ to three inches long, and of a rich scarlet, with an intensely black
^KSfe blotch in the center.

(lorittns J$3ui^,

TTER eyes, her lips, her cheeks, her shape, her features,
■*■ Seem to be drawn by love's own hands, by love
Himself in love. —Dryderi.

'T^HE beautiful are never desolate, TTEART on her lips, and soul within her eyes,

•'■ But some one always loves them. Soft as her clime, and sunny as her skies.

— Bailey. — Byron.

ITER grace of motion and of look, the smooth

And swimming majesty of step and tread,
The symmetry of form and feature, set
The soul afloat, even like delicious airs
Of flute or harp. —Milman.

QHE has such wondrous- eyes, The lustrous depths that stir

The saints in paradise With rhythmic rise and fall.

Must veil their own from her. To hide her heart from all —
Around her snow-white neck / hold a hidden key

Great pearls, like foam-bells fleck, To ope the gates, ma mid

—Edvjard Renaud,

^10.

S^ !! :^S.

d0tlj-mr.

m.

^i

Xantl)ium Strumarium. Natural Order: Conipositit — Aster Family.

^^IKE some of the human family, certain plants have but very

^ little biography, and what they have is not very favorable.

(f^ They necessarily have had progenitors or ancestors, but not

the illustrious, the noted, the famous ; neither have they

^[f^SitA^^--^ beauty or attractions sufficient to redeem them from ob-

~Sf > ^' t i.-<i>Q=». scurity. The Clotbur resembles the burdock, the Spanish

needles, and some others of those provoking plants that scatter their

seeds by adhering to whatever comes in contact, which they do readily

by the hooked spines with which the)- are provided. They are mostly

coarse plants, found in byways, fields, woods and barnyards.

D

ETRACTION is a bold monster, and fears not
To wound the lame of princes, if it find
ut anv blemish in their li\-es to work on. —.\[nssi)iger.

"yiS not the wholesome, sharp morality,

•^ Or modest anger of a satiric spirit,
That hurts or wounds the body of a State ;
But the sinister application

Of the malicious, ignorant and base
Interpreter; who will distort, and strain
The gen'ral scope and purpose of an author
To his particular and private spleen. —jonso

"V riRTUE itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes
The canker galls the infants of the spring,
For oft before their blossoms be disclos'd,
And in the morn and liquid dew of youth,
Contagious blastments are most imminent.

—Sliaifsfea:

TV TO skill in swordmanship, however just,
Can be secure against a madman's tin
And even virtue so unfairly match'd.

Although immortal.

be prick'd or scratch'd.

— Cov'per.

I'M one whose whip of steel can with a lash
^ Imprint the characters of shame so deep,
Ev'n in the brazen forehead of proud sin.
That not eternity shall wear it out.

—Ramlolfh.

k

H

APPY are they that hear their detractions
And can put them to mending. —si

89

If

-^i

(SvitoliuiU pratrUSC. Naturai, Okder: Leguminoscv — Pulse Fatnily.

-, I \ OWN more commonly, from one variety, as the Red Clover,

Ins three-leaved product of the meadow (whence its scientific

I line) is, next to common grass, the most useful plant to the

lusbandman for the feeding of his catde; and of it they are

\ceedingly fond. It is usually grown as a mixture in with

ther grasses, but sometimes whole fields are devoted to it.

H.I1 crops should really be grown and stored separately, so as

to be used at discretion, for cattle, as well as people, have a discern-

j^ JJ'ing taste, and know as well as we that "variety is the spice of life."

^\&^ 1 lie blossoms are fragrant, and are very enticing to bees and butter-

iliLb as well as other honey-loving insects.

1

'nbuslr^.

[KE clocks, one wheel another on must drive —
' Affairs bv diligent labor onlj thrive. —c/wfrn

AXD cheerfully she plodded through
■^ ^ Her many household cares;
And led the flock her father left,

To feed upon the hill;
And guided them at sunset

To the bubbling silver rill;
And put them safe in fold at night,

And left the watch-dog nigh,
That at his honest, angry bark

The cow.ird wolf might fly;
And train'd the woodbines higher yet

Upon the cottage wall.
And pruned the roses, where they grew,

So sweet and fresh and tall ;
And planted flowers and strawberries.

In her small plot of gi-ound^
And painted all the railing green,

That fenced her garden 'round.

OHORTLY his
^ True industry

r\YT did the harvest to the sickle yield,

^ Their harrow oft the stubborn glebe iRifh broke;

How jocund did they drive their teams afield.

How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke.

ne shall be lifted higher; A BSENCE of occupation is

kindle honor's fire. -'*■ A mind quite vacant is a

—S/iates/<enre.

90

-Mrs. Nc

not rest,

mind distressed.

gi^

®0l?-aea.

^

^i

(Eolnta SCailLteilS. Natural Order: Pole

vr — Polcmoiiih

' ^^'^TLIMBING COBa-EA, so called from Barnabas Cobo, a Span-
)h missionary in Mexico (whence the common species has
)■ been introduced), is a verj^ luxuriant and beautiful plant,
often growing a hundred and fifty feet or more in a single
^l^^-^^^flj) season. The most common kind produces large, bell-shaped
1^1 TTtTOJvw-^ flowers, nearly the size of a teacup, which when they first
'^ appear are a pale green, changing gradually to a beautiful dark purple
1^^ under the influence of the sun and air. There is also a variegated
kind, and very recently a white variety has been introduced. The seeds
W'" are large and flat, and should be planted edgewise, as, if placed flat,
|P& the}- are apt to rot before sprouting. It can be cultivated as an annual,
^^ or as a permanent house-plant; in either case care should be taken in
pruning if entirely cut back, to see that there are young shoots sprout-
from the root near the earth, to absorb the superfluity of sap, or the plant
will perish.

WLKERS are no good doers; be assured

We go to use our hands, and not our tongues
— Shah-

SWE

'EET were the tales she used to tell

When summer's eve was dear to us.

And fading from the darkening dell,

The glorv of the sunset fell.

— Whittkr.

1 z

<'EVER with important air
versation overbear;
My tongue within my lips I rein ;
For who talks much must talk in

Y lord shall never rest;

^

\ MIRTH-MOVING jest,

Which his fair tongue, conceit's expositor.
Delivers in such apt and gracious words
That aged ears play truant at his tales.

and talk him out.

hard soe'er it be to bridle wit.
Yet memory oft no less requires the bit.
How many, hurried by its force away,
Forever in the land of gossips stray !

— Slilliiigfleet.

i^i?

C'0cfesjC;Ciml3<

(Eclosia Cristata. Natural Order: Amaranlacea: — Amaranth Family.

S^^. FEW years ago the crimson Celosia was the only variety to
P be met with, and now we have the white, yellow, and rose.
They bloom in a flattened, pyramidal spike, frequently a foot
broad, and resemble a mass of plush gathered into a gro-
^t[^ tesque shape, the crest of the flower being usually deeper in
^\ ^ tint and softer in texture. They are garden annuals, but
are equally adapted for pot culture, looking well as greenhouse or con-
servatory ornaments when placed against a background of striking
foliage. Their flowers are lasting, and are a fine addition to winter
bouquets, in which case they should be plucked before frost, and before
too much wasted by the ripening of the seeds.

ttfpi

0

H ! save me, ye pov
These tea-table hei

from these pinks of the nation,
these lords of creation. —Snlmagimdi.

SOME positive, persisting fops we know.
Who, if once wrong, will needs be always so;

'OXCOMBS are of all ranks and kind.

But vou with pleasure
And make e.ich dav a

vn your errors past,
itique on the last. —Pofe.

Of rich,
'Tis vani

poor, or great, or
besets them all.

HIXE out, fair sun, till I ha\
That I mav see mv shadow

bought a glass,
i I pass. —Shakespea,

E^:

irning does
This fellow put himself upon the rack.

With putting on 's apparel, and manfully
Endures his tailor, when he screws and \
His body into the tashion of his doublet.

P0P.S take a world of pains

To prove that bodies may exist sans brains;
The former so fantastically dress'd,
The latter's absence may be safely guess'd.

— Park Benjamin.

N

ATURE m.ide ev'ry fop to plague his brother.
Just as one beauty mortifies another. —Pope.

92

^

m

^ri

!2li']uilci'lirt ^JIuuu^Cllsis. Natural Order: Raniiiiculacca: — Cro-vfoot Family.

ERHAPS ten varieties of this plant are in cultivation, some of
? them being our own wild ones naturalized, while others have
been imported from Siberia, Mexico and elsewhere. They
are various in color of blossom, usually combining two shades
or complementary tints in one flower, as red and yellow, blue
and white, some even having three. The petals are curiously
spurred, from which they have been compared to the talons of the
eagle, whence their Latin name, from aqiiila, an eagle. The resem-
blance of its flowers to a fool's cap has given rise to its symbolism.

loll,.

^^ T EAVE such to trifle
^ Lv Whom follv pleases

with more grace and ease.

or whose follies please.

-Pop..

■pAME 'S but a hollow echo; gold, pure clay;
-'■ Honor, the darling of but one short day ;

WHAT is social con.pany
*• But a babbling summer str

Beauty, the eye's idol, but a damask'd skin;

What our wise philosophy

State, but a golden prison to live in.

But the glancing of a dream
-Christopher P,

0

THERS the siren sisters compass 'round.
And empty heads console — with empty sound.

TTIS passion for absurdity 's so strong,

He cannot bear a rival in the wrons

Tho' wrong the mode comply : more sense

In wearing others' follies than our own.

T^HE morning's blush, she made it thine.

The morn's sweet breath, she gave it thee:
And in thy look, my Columbine!

Each fond-remember'd spot she bade me see.

T

OO many giddy, foolish hours are gone,
And in fantastic measures danced awav.

I

'T^HEIR passions move in
*■ Where'er caprice or folly

spheres,

'T'HUS in a sea of follies toss'd,

Mv choicest hours of life are lost.

J

ff0rje0|rsi0.

(loiCOpsis tilUtaria. Natural Order: Compositcc — Aster Family.

\XY are the varieties of this truly handsome annual, which

y \ tlei i\ t s its name from two Greek words, koi'is, a bug, and

j'^ ^^flt apsis, appearance. The flov/ers are about an inch or an

k7/ inch and a half in diameter, and in shape like a diminutive

^. sunHower, the rays or petals being yellow, crimson, maroon

-"* *\md led; or yellow with one of the darker colors forming a

lick at the base. They bloom profusely during the whole sum-

\-f]\ \ ^ mer. The plants are delicate in growth and are about two feet

high. They are natives of all the Southern States.

COULD 30U chain the bhtht- waves dancing wild in tlieir glee?
Could you check the glad niockbird his carol repeating,
Hold the laughing leaves still that are tiuttering free,

Or the sungleams that o'er the green meadows are fleeting.'

And why is mv voice attuned like a lute

To the music that all things ai-ound me are feeling.
If its voice in that concert alone must be mute.

If I shut out the doctrine of nature':

vealing?

n OWS of liqu
^ How they s

0",:

-Elizabeth
ly delight
ill of timci

F. Ellel.

lid eves in laughter,
flimmer, how thev ciui\-er
Sparkling one another after.

Like bright ripples on a river.
Tipsy band of rubious faces.

Flushed with Joy's ethereal spirit.
Make your mocks and sly grimaces
.\t Love's self, and do not fear it.

— George Darlew

AND her against sweet cheerfulness was placed.

Whose eves like twinkling stars in evening clear
Were deck't with smyles, that all sad humors chased,
And darted forth delights, the which her goodly graced

94

ivrap the soul
sadness.'

And paint our cheeks \vith gladness;
What if hope tells a "flattering tale,"

And mocks us by deceiving,
'Tis better far to be content, —

There's nothing made bv grieving.

-^m

®0riam£jer.

(Horianilrum Satinum. Natural Order: 'Umbellifciw — Parsley Family.

^ ORTIONS of Southern Europe along the coast of the Medi-
terranean, and the East generally, are the native seats of the
Coriander in a wild state; but the cultivated varieties are to
be found in all countries. The seeds, for which it is grown,
] are very aromatic, and are used by confectioners in manufac-
t!r|q;turing man}' of their sweets, they being passed through some
4 pioeess by which their exterior is covered with a coating of sugar,
each seed still retaining its individualitj^ The leaves of the plant are
much divided; the flowers are white, grouped in umbels, and bloom in
the month of July.

H.

glide,

'T'HE sweet eye-glances that like

The charming smiles that rob sense from the heart,
The lovely pleasaunce, and the lofty pride,

Cannot expressed be by any art. —Spenser.

/^H! how much more doth beauty beauteous
^ By that sweet ornament which truth doth
The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem
For that sweet odor which doth in it live.

H

APPEN what there can, I will be just;

That shall go with me and before me still.
And glad me doing well, though I hear ill

H

'pHE noble mi
No fortune':

ERE only merit constant pay receives;

Is blest in what it takes, and what it gives.

-Pope.

ions of a fault, 'J* HE fame that a man \
bend, or smiles exalt. ^ Tliat he mav call his

ins himself is best;

own.

-Middletoii.

OE thou the first, true merit to befriend;

^ His praise is lost who waits till all commend.

—Pope.

WITHOUT the stamp of merit, let none presume Tl/fERIT like his, the fortune of the mind,

To wear undeserved dignit%

Beggars all wealth.

-Tlw.

95

1\

!2lgrOStcilima Clitljago. Natural Order: Caiyophyllacca; — Pink Family.

' ROWING uncultivated in fields of grain, this plant is nearly
•illied to the species of Lychnis that are grown in the flower
garden. The stem is from two to three feet high, with foliage
of a pale green, and the leaves three or four inches in length.
The flowers are rather pretty, though not brilliant, being in
color somewhat of a dull purple. Its name, Agrostemma,
signifies crown of the field, derived from the Greek; and the epithet
githago is allied to gith, the Welsh name for Corn Cockle.

^orl^ abau^ PEaul:|<

r\ FATAL beauty! why art thou bestow'd

^ On hapless woman still to make her wretched?

Betrayed by thee, how many are undone. —Palicrson.

■pEAUTY,
•D 'who can
Pleased with
And see the

like ice, our footing does betray ;
tread sure on the smooth, slip'ry way :
the passage, we glide swiftly on,
dangers which we cannot shun.

—DryJen.

''TPIS not a set of features or complexion

The tincture of a skin I admire,
Beauty soon grows familiar to the lover,
Fades in his eye, and palls upon the sense.

TITHY did the gods give thee a heavenly form.

And earthly thoughts to make thee proud of ;
Why do I ask.' 'Tis now the known disease
That beauty hath, to bear too deep a sense
Of her own self-conceived excellence. —loiisoti.

■pEAUTY, my lord, 'tis the worst part of woman,

A weak, poor thing, assaulted ev'rv hour

By creeping minutes of defacing time;

A superficies, which each breath of care

Blasts off; and ev'ry hum'rous stream of grief

Which flows from forth these fountains of our eves

Washeth awav, as rain doth winter's snow.

-Gofff.

'T'HINK not, 'cause men flafring say,
A v eiro fresh as April, sweet as May

Y

Bright as the morning star
That you are.

•pEAUTY is cxcell'd by
D And wisdom, which ak

»EAUTY, fair flower, upon the
But worth with beautv soon i

96

rface lies,
:spect vies

(HorOllilla ijlaiU'a. Natukal Okdek: Lcguntinos.c — Piilsc Family.

^dL'^^TT'^'^^t ORONILLA is a shrubby plant growing to some three or
1 1 loui feet in height, and blossoms freely and early in the
k^gieenhouse or window. There are but few varieties, none
of \\hich are natives, being all of European origin. Three
pioduce yellow flowers; the Coronilla varia has purple ones;
and the Coronilla Emerus, frequently called Scorpion senna, a
t Fiance, has blossoms of a rose color. They should have
m summer, and be grown in a light, open soil well
signiticance of the name is a little crown, from the shape

^uttjss irauiii 'Xmx

OCJIJ actions cr
Who deserves

thcmsel
needs n(

pROWXD vvitli m.v constellat
^' Beside the tbaming sea.

r\ SUCH a da;
^ So fought, s

And from the Future with a vic
Claini empire for the Fr

follow'd, and so fairly won.
Came not till now, to dignity the times.
Since Osar's fortunes. ^Shakespeare.

A PPL.VUSE waits on success; the tickle multitud
'^ Like the light straw that tloats along the stream
Glide with the current still, and follow fortune.

-Fr.nitli,,

'yHl'S far our fortune keeps an onward course
^ .\nd we are graced with wreaths of \ ictory.

ic, 'yO do

Shakespeare.

0^

to succeed — our fight
ag'd in Heaven's approving sight —
e of God is N'ictorv.

— Whittier.

I'd with sure success:

rhe greater part perform'd, achieve the

'l^riSDOM he has, and to his wisdom courage;
Temper to that, and unto all success.

OrCCESS. the mark no
^ Or surest hand, can ah

^^

■^m

C0tt0m l^litmt*

(P>03SlipUIlU l)Cl'baiCUlU. Natural Order: Malvacea — Ma/lozu Family.

*^f''HIS plant is a native of the East Indies, or is, perhaps,
( indigenous to all tropical regions. It is now at least exten-
bi\el\ grown in various tropical and semi-tropical countries
^ toi the product which it yields. It is an annual, growing,
il lett unpruned, some live teet high. Sown in spring, and
tended with care duiing the summer months, it is harvested
in autumn The seeds are ensconced in the most delightful of beds,
soft and white. When they are ripe the pods burst, and if left to
nature, would eventually float out on the wide, wide world, till they
had tbund a resting place in the soil, to become plants themselves;
but man seizes their clown\- covering and applies it to his own use.
The flowers are a pale yellow, and are from two to three inches
broad. The Nankin Cotton is similar to the common, except in the
^^^V^ color of the fiber, which is yellow or tawny. The Gossypium Bar-
badense, Barbadoes or Sea-Island cotton, grown in a narrow belt of our Southern
States and adjacent islands, is unrivaled for length, softness and strength.

AS some tall clift", that lifts itb awtu! form,
-'^ Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm;
Tho' round its breast the rolling clouds are spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head. —Gohfsmiil,.

T IVES of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time;—

Footprints, that perhaps another,

.Sailing o'er life's solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwreck'd brother,

. Seeing, shall take heart again.

0

■ss, thou art but a tiattei
Inibljlc, lighter than the

RE AT soul> bv ii
Demand alliance

L-t to each other tui
in friendship Inirn.

HIGH stations
None think

but not bliss create;
; unh;ippy, but the great.

i

¥!

r

-^m

^tnnhtvv^.

1

(Dvill'OCCUS |jalustris. Natlkal Okder: Ericaccic— Heath Family.

.l3.L\RLY e\c-r}- one is tamiliar with the handsome, bright and
los^\ truit of the Cranberry. \\l'iich is so frequentl}- exposed
)i sale in our markets, and from which such luscious jellies
and appetizing tarts

:oncocted. The literal translation

om the Greek would be sour-berrv, from

acid, and

*^^XoH(«, berr)', than which nothing coxold be more appropriate.
It IS also called moss-berr}', or moor-berr}', as it thri\es best in \o\\\
bogg\ giounds, such as will-o'-the-wisp delights to dance over, and
wheie the soil sucks up water like a sponge. The shrub being-
pi ocumbent, or trailing, creeps along the ground, and under culti\-a-
tion toims dense masses, yielding an- abundant product. The flowers
are ot a light pink, and are clustered near the tips of the branches.
There is also a \-ariety called the Upland Cranberry.

larbi^aob

q^H

E mind
.Shall nev

A MIGHTY man is he,
■^ With large and sinewy hai
.\nd the muscles of his brawiiN
.Vre stroiiii- as iron bands.

th dovibt, nor shake with fear.

— Shakespeare.

I T PON his ample, shoulders

' Clangs loud the four-fold shield,

.\nd in his hand he shakes the brand

Which none but he can wield.

-Lord -Vacnnl

tune empty all her quivt
,ve a soul that, like an a
it all, ;uid ^"erge enoiigl

■ on me.
iple shield.

-DrvJeu

TIKE a mountain lone and bleak,
'-' With its sky-encompass'd peak,

Thunder riven,
LiftiuCT its forehead bare,

Tlu'ough the cold and blighting air.

Up to heaven,
Is tlie soul that feels its woe,
.\nd is ner\ed to bear the blo« .

£ailCl'i5tra"luia iJuilita. Natural Okder: Lythracccc — Loosestrife Family.

\\ EDEN was the birthplace of Magnus Lagerstroem, the noted

ti iveler and botanist lor whom this beautiful exotic shrub was

II imed, and as it was supposed to have come originally from

ihe East Indies, the qualifying adjective, Indica, was added.

1 he petals of the flowers are very delicate, and are attached

lo the calyx by long, slender claws, which give it a light and

ippearance. The shrub is frequently found in the Southern

r> w States, where it is quite hardy, but in the northern section of the

^^^^* I lilted States it is found only in conservatories. Very recently a

white blooming plant was found in Arkansas, growing wild: it being

stliL lust discovered of that color, it was of course very choice, and was

It ontL K moved bv an enthusiastic amateur for propagation.

jl/TETHOUGHT I heard a voice

-*■ .Sweet as the shepherd's pipe upon
When all his little flock V at feed betbrt

mountains

/~\H! I know

^ Thou hast a tongue to charm the wilde

TJIS eloquence is classic in its style.

,t temper;

^ ^ Not brilliant with explosive coruscations

Herds would forget to graze, and savage

beasts

or heterogeneous thoughts, at random caught.

.Stand still, and lose their iierceness, but to hear thee,

And scattered like a shower of shooting stars.

As if they had reflection; and by reason

That end in darkness; no — his noble mind

Forsook a less enjoyment for a greater.

~Rov;:

Is clear, and full, and stately, and serene.

-Mrs. Hah.

npiIAT voice
A And till m^

vas wont

o come in gentle whispers,

ears «ith

the soft bre.-ith of love.

-Ot-Ji-av

'T'HE charm of eloquence — the ski
To wake each secret string,

And t'rom the bosom's chords at wil
Life's mournful music bring;

diich !

The o'ermastering strength of mind.

The haughty and the free.
Whose might earth's mightiest ones obey;

This charm was given to thee.

— .l/nt. Embury.

(Srocus OCinUS. Natural Order: Iridacciv — Iris Family.

\ NE of the first flowers that greet the eye in early spring is

this inhabitant of the snowy Alps, brightening the earth with

its gay blossoms often before any verdure is visible. The

root is bulbous, and cheap enough to have in abundance.

_ They are exceedingly attractive for house cultivation, planted

•-^^in some of the pretty devices that are made for hyacinths and

similar plants. The colors varj? through the different shades of purple,

yellow and white. The ancient legend relates that Crocus was an

unfortunate lover, whose unrequited passion awakened the sympathy

gods, and procured his metamorphose into this flower.

i]^$^rfub«$$.

-beaten heart

ikewise is cheer'd
1 cloiidv looks .are

•I17HEN cheerfulness, a n
•' Her bow across her she
Her buskins gemm'd with m(
Blew an inspirinsj air, that cia

iph of healthiest hue.

JOY, like the zypher that Hies o'er the flow
Ripjiling into it fresh fairness each hour,—
Joy has wav'd o'er thee his sun-woven wing,
And dimpled thv cheek like the roses of sprii
— Mrs. Os^^ood.

K

T sight of thee
My hopes rev

gloom V soul
and gladness

■heers

ithii

"IITELCOME, wild harbinger of spring!

To this small nook of earth ;
Feeling and fancy fondly cling

Round thoughts which owe their birth
To thee, and to the humble spot
Where chance has fix'd thv lowlv lot.

—Ambrose Philips.

To thee — for thy rich, golden bloom.
Like heaven's fair bow on high.

Portends, amid surrounding gloom.
That brighter hours draw nigh.

When blossoms of more varied dyes

.Shall ope their tints to warmer skies.

I

E

ET cheerfulness on happy fortune
.\nd give not thus the counter-

to fate.

^s^i^^s^

tfiiif

>^f^

iTitillaiia iinpcrialis. Natirai. OunER: LUiacecc — Lily Family.

IMPERIAL chessboard is the significance of the name of this
plant Persia, a land of roses, of beautiful women, and of
kingh power in one of its most arbitrary forms, gave it birth ;
md, m selecting a floral emblem of imperial sovereignt}-,
theie IS an appropriateness in choosing a native of that coun-
tr\, which gave birth to one of the earliest of the world's

^ ^fc- ^itit empeiois, Cyrus, and where also a despotism worse than his
^^J^ still piL\ Ills The root of the Crown Imperial is bulbous, and when

^ *^'^ nl lecd m the j^round should remain undisturbed tor years if possible.

^i^^^ The lower leaves are long and narrow, like most lilies. The flower

^■»iii; ■ f^talk rises to the height of from three to four feet without leatage, and

ffe on the summit appear numerous large, bell-shaped flowers, surrounding
I the stem in a circle, the mouth of the flower turned downward. Sur-
mounting these is a tuft of narrow leaves, which appear in fine contrast
to the brilliant color of the blossom, which is red or yellow.

/~\H! not ;i miinite, kin<f, thy power can give;

^^ Shorten my days thou canst with sullen sorrow,

And pluck nights from me, but not lend a morrow;

Thou canst help Time to furrow me with age.

But stop no wrinkle in his pilgrimage;

Thy word is current with him, for my death;

But dead, thy kingdom cannot buy my breath.

T^HIS was a truth to us extremely trite, O^' covet not the throne and crown,

Not so to her who ne'er had heard such things; ^^ Sigh not for rule and state;

She deemed her least command must yield delight. The wise would fling the scepter down.
Earth being only made for queens and kings. And shun the palace gate.

—Byron. —Eliza Conlr.

TIE is a king,

A true, right king, that dares do aught, save wrong.

—Varslo,,.

®mp1x^E<

1

l!lupl)fa oisl'OSisStlUa. Naturai. Order: Lvt/iracccv — Loosestrife Family.

VT t;iounds in some parts of the United States produce this

[\ annual, the stems and calyx of which are covered with a

\ i->cid or gummy substance, whence the epithet viscosis-

ni.i, while the Greek word kiipJuea denotes gibbous or

^_ ^ I ed, from the shape of the calyx. The flowers appear

^ ' ^ -'''"^1} <it the axils of the leaves, the seed capsule bursting before

I'. The L'uphea platycentra (broad-centered) is a foreign variety grown

a house plant, which blooms profuselj- at all seasons, and accomodates

'If to nearly all locations. Its flowers are small, scarlet, and tubular,

yrkl' with a black and white tip.

T^OST tliou so hunger for my empty chair,

^ That thou «ih needs invest thee with my honors

Before thy liour be ripe? —Shakespca

0

NOTHING rash, my sire! By all tliat 's good
Let me invoke thee — no precipitation. —Coh-ridge

^^ATAY,

let me in," said she.
Before the rest are free.
In my loneness, in my loneness,
All the fairer for that oneness.
For I would lonely stand.
Uplifting my white hand.

On a mission, on a mission,
To declare the coming vision.
See inine, a holy heart,
To high ends set apart, —
All unmated, all unmated,
Because so consecrated."

—Ellznhelh Barrel! Brmm

OPREAD the s.ails! behold!

^ The sinking moon is like a watchtower blazi
Over the mountain yet; — the City of Gold
Von cape alone does from the sight withhold;
The stream is fleet — the north breathes steadily
Beneath the stars, they tremble with the cold!
Ye cannot rest upon the dreary sea! —
Haste, haste to the warm home of happy destiny
— .s

lO.^

®mim^mt<

^1

UibcS VUbniin. Xaturai. Order: Grossulariacccc — Currant Fawilv.

OTANICALLY named from a misapplied Arabic word, and
nacularly from Corinth in Greece, with which it has no
cial connection, while even the qualifying Latin epithet,
'iihniiu (red) is a misnomer, as not only red but white cur-
: ints are included, it must be confessed this excellent shrub
been unfortunate in its godfathers. It is, however, quite
C" fimiliar to e\eryone, or if not the}' have missed one of the blisses
childhood in lying under its branches to pluck the bright, gleaming
ut hanging like strung rubies in such clusters and bountiful abundance,
hlled with a healthful and agreeable wine-like juice. The flowers are a
delicate green, and would be pretty if of some brilliant tint. -The yellow
Currant, that grows wild in Missouri and Oregon, is grown as a garden
shrub, for the bright and cheering flowers that appear so early in spring-
time, and like the robin, are among nature's earliest harbingers of her
awakening, and of earth's returning joy.

Ion J\l^%t^ J\\.

ITER every tone is music's own, like those of morning birds,

And something more than melody dwells ever in her words;
The coinage of her heart are they, and from her lips each flows,
.\s one may see the burden'd bee forth issue from the rose.

— Edz'.'nrd C. Pittkiiey.

'T'HY words had such a melting flow,
'^ And spoke the truth so sweetly well.
They drop'd like heaven's serenest snow.
And all was brightness M'here thcv fell!

AH! simple is the spell, I ween,
That doth that grace impart;
It dwells its own sweet self within —
It is — a loving heart!

ALL are lovely, all blossom of heart and of mind;

All true to their natures, as Nature designed;

To cheer and to solace, to strengthen, caress,

And with love that can die not to buoy and to bless.

— \Vil/i,iiii

104

(•Indamcn jJcrsicum. XATrn.\i. Ohpkh: Primuiac

"'ERSIA ga\t' birth to this variety ot the Cyclamen, which,
|. hke the others of" the same genus, is a bulbous (or, as some
Wj botanists call it, tuberous) plant, because the root or bulb is
solid, like a turnip, while the true bulb is composed of layers,
gj __- hke the onion, or scales, like most lilies. In cultivation they
^-^[|^ should not be too much watered : and when not in bloom,
* should ha\e less. There are but tew varieties, and it is difficult to
make choice ot" one possessing advantages above another, except in
time ot floweiing — a tew blooming in winter, others in summer. The
foliage of some is rich and ^■aried: others send up their flowers from
the baic bulb before the leaves appear. The Cyclamen Persicum
blooms f"rom January to April, the C. hederctt'olium f'rom September
.^■^to December, and the C. Neapolitanum f"rom Juh- to September: so
with one of each, one could have blossoms almost the whole year. The word
Cyclamen comes from the Greek word kiikhs, a circle, because af"ter the flower
has withered and the seed pods appear, the stalk or stem begins to curl like the
tendril of a \-ine, until the seed vessel is- drawn down to and under the ground
wht

ripens.

JjifFth^nt^.

OTILL from the
'^ Blushed out bv

■pUT c.vclamen

D Whose pale-^

I choose to give.

■hite blossoms at tht

(.Ml else as drive

n snow) are pink,

And mind me

of her perfect lips;

Still, tin this f^o^^

er is kept and old,

Its worth to love

is vet untold.

veet contusion some new grace
tealtli and languished in her face.

—F.usdn.

tips

IV ,1 y l.adv comes .it last,
^^ Timid and stepping fast,

And hastening hither.
With modest eyes downcast
She comes! she's here! she's past!

May heaven go with her!

. - WilUnm .l/n/v/rar,- Tliath-i

T y XTO Ihe ground she cast her modest eye.

.\nd. ever and anon, with rosy red.
The bashful blush her snowy cheeks did dye. -Sfcnser.

M

r

■^^ffi

Cs|JTies0.

I

X

^orraiu.

p

■pE of comfort, and vour liea\v sorrow
•L-* Part equally among us; storms divided,

Abate their force, and with less rage, are guided.

—//n'li'ooci.

TT7HY dost
** Why do

thou come to me, sorrow .-
t thou darken my soul?
dost thou point to a morrow

QH! w.
^ The

Engraven on destiny's scroll?

veary years, ye have crushed my hopes,
altar fire burns dim and low ;
In sorrow's night my s]
Her smiting sh.adow

ropes.

-O. G. Hugha,,

-EMI, MiiUolm.

AFTER singing, silence; after roses, thorns;
-^ All the blackest midnights built o'er golden morns
After flowering, fading; bitter after sweet;
Yello^v. withered stubble, after waving wheat.

I N my bosom sorrow reignetli,

.Soul and sense are sick with care
Bitterly my heart complaineth.

At the load it needs to be:ii

T

\RLING sor

The man that

h.alh
.■ks at

O tlicre are, amid earth's pleasures,
Hours of bitter gloom and grief;

When her dearest worldly treasures
Bring us, so

ss power to bite

UlavaMum llistlJl'l)Um. Natlr.M- Oroek: Conif era: — Pine Family.

^WE scepter of Jupiter is said to have been made from the
wood of this tree, being symbolical of the eternity of his
empire, as the wood is almost imperishable. It is one of the
largest trees of the tbrest, having light green, open foliage,
resembling the yew. There are large swamps of it in the
.'^IPtC Southern States. The timber is light and durable. It is
•ud that the Athenian heroes and mummies of Egypt were deposited
1 cotRns made of it, and the Romans and all succeeding nations
i,i\e associated it with mourning and grave3'ards. Shakespeare and
mumerable other poets have immortalized its emblematic meaning.

gmffMiX,

Xiu-cissuG pseuiio-imrcissiui

vUidacca: — Amaryllis Family.

URING the earlv

spring, as soon as the frost begins to leave
the first green things to appear are the

the ground, anion r
**- -

tips of the tapering leaves of this plant, in company with

the tulips, hyacinths and other early flowering bulbs. Nearlj-

all the species of the Narcissus produce yellow flowers. The

bot uucal name is derived from the Greek word iiarke, stupor, as it is

supposed the odor of some of them possess sodorific influence when

mh ikd 1 htv require a more, than ordinarily rich soil, and the bulbs

should be iene\\ed when the_y begin to deteriorate through age.

'T'HE champions all of high degree,

Who knighthood loved, and deeds of chivali-
Throng'd to the lists, and envied to behold

others, not their oavi

^ E,e can great: mine i,
^'^ The truer lance; but tl"
Xow present, who will com
And overcome it; and in m
No greatness, save it be sot
Of greatness to know well

the firmer seat,
•re is man\- a y<.

to all I am
; there dwells
le far-oft" touch

enroU'd.

W'Z

man setting his fate aside,
Of conielv virtues:
Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice
(An honor in him, which buvs out his fault).
But, with a noble furv, and fair spirit.
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death.
He did oppose his foe. — Sbakt'X/'eayg.

"T^HEY reel, they roll in clanging lists.

And when the tide of combat stands.
Perfume and flowers fall in showers.
That lightlv rain from ladies' hands.

^HE daffodil most dainty is.

To match with these in meetness;
le columbine compared to this,

IL

"yi.S much he dares;

And to that dauntless temper of his mind.
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor.

— S/iateapr,
107

^

-^m

l»htii^*

li

Dal)lia mviabilcs. Natural Order: Compositce — Aster Family.

%DREW DAHL, a native of Sweden, the friend and pupil of
Linnt-eus, was honored by having this magnificent flower
named for him. It was introduced into Spain by the Span-
nids about the year 1789, from the sandy plains of South
^ Ameiica, and Humboldt, one of the world's most-observing,
(^enthusiastic and scientific discoverers, found it growincj on

the elevated plateaux of Mexico. Under cultivation it sports into a
variety of hues, blooming freely from midsummer until late in fall.
The blossom is very symmetrical in shape, and each petal is arranged
in the most exquisite order, one layer above another, forming a most
beautiful rosette. The roots are removed from the ground as soon as
the foliage is destroyed by frost, and kept in a dry, warm cellar until
spring.

W

HERE ambition of place goes before fitness
Of birth, contempt and disgrace Ibllow.

— Chapmn,

IT ERE the supercilious dahlia
In imperial splendor shone,
While, beneath, the white-crowned daisy,
Unobtrusive, bloomed alone;

I, stooping, kissed the blossom

The proud dahlia seemed to scorn,

Feeling that within my bosom
A new impulse had been born.

—Lucy .V. Sauford.

T KNOW' myself now, and I feel within me

A peace above all earthly dignities;
A still and quiet conscience. The king has cur'd me,
I humble thank his grace; and from these shoulders.
These ruin'd pillars, out of pity taken
A load would sink a navy ; too much honor :
O 'tis a burden, Cromwell, 'tis a burden,
Too heavv for a man that hopes for heaven.

loS

'^m

^^

gaisg.

Bcllis pci-CUnis. Natlkal Okuku: CompositiC — Aster Family.

ELLIS, the botanical iianic, is ti-oin tlie Latin //cl/iif, prcltv,

and the French name )ii(irgiierih\ liom the Latin imii\<iaril(i,

a pearl; while the English name is from the Saxon (/tei^cs-ci^c,

^ day's eye, as it opens early in the morning. It is a delightful

,; little plant, blooming freely throughout the spring and summer

j/,:^^'*^jp "^^3 months, and used in medieval times to be worn by ladies and
S^" knights when they frequented the tournament. Alcestis, wife of
Admetus, king of Pheree, in Thessah", was called the daisy queen, as she
was supposed to have been transformed into this flower.

Jnuacriitr niib 33cniiJi|.

INNOCENT luakl. ami Miow-wliito flouei-
■^ Well are \'e pair'd in \(}iir opening liour

Tims shoiiid tlie ])ure

pillLD of the vear! that

'^ Thv pleasant course— «

As readv to salute the sun

As lark or leveret —

T

HE daisy scatler'd on
A sjolden tuft within
r fall thai daintv Howt

— ir/iM,r.
Thy long-lost praise Ihou shall reyain,
Nor he less dear to future tncn
Than in old time; — lliou not in vain

Art nature*' laN'Oi'ite. ~\\'ordsv:orth.

:ach mead and down,
I silver crown ;
! and may there be
oth not honor thee!

TAR of the mead! sweet daughter of the day,
Whose opening flower invites the morning ray,
om the moist cheek and bosom's chilly fold
) kiss the tears of eve, the dew drops cold'

.Sweet daisy, flower of love, when birds are paired.
'Tis sweet to see thee, with thy bosom bared.
.Smilins in \ irgin innocence serene.
Thy pearly crow n above thy vest of green.

-Dr, LrydfH.

\\ dimpled brook and fountain brim,

The wood-nymphs, deck'd with daisies
icir mcnv w.ikes and pastimes keep.
109

trnn,
-MilloH.

e^

3Em£:eli0m.

iJaravaCUin Licns-lcnnis. Natural Order: CoiiipusitiC— Aster Family.

^ ^~'"'' I RIOUS — extremely so sometimes — is the formation of our
iMiglish words; thus, Dandelion is from the French dent dc
lion, this being itself from the Latin dens leonis — each signi-
r\ing lion's tooth, because of the indentation of the leaves:
but the e in the original first word is changed to </, because
that approaches nearer to the sound than does our e. There
two species of this plant: the one above named, and one called the
^Dwarf Dandelion, the Latin name of which is Kriegia Virginica, named
Rafter Dr. Daniel Krieg, an eminent German botanist, who visited this
country to pursue his th\orite stud\'. The Taraxacum (from the Greek
tarasso, I change, on account of its medicinal properties) is larger, and
^'f>Hf is familiar to evervone, as its golden blossoms gleam bright and fre-
''^*' tiuent through the grass. The stalks are round and hollow, bearing
each a single flower: and the seeds, when ripe, possess a globular fringe of
feathery down, which buoys them up, and they float off" like the thistle seed on
the surrounding air. In spring, when the leaves are tender, they are boiled and
dressed for the table.

r^ANDELION, with globe of down,
L' The sc:hoolbo_v's clock in every town,
W'hich tlie triumt puffs amain,
To conjuie lost hours back again. — /-^

ing bloom
perfume ;

'pHINE full manv a pie;:
• Of blossoms lost to al
Thine the dandelion flowers.
Gilt uitli dew like sun witli showei

'T'HE sunnv days of childhood
' In simple joys are passed;
.\nd, like the early summer flower.
Too frail and fair to last.

T^HE singing of the happy birds

*^ Again I like to hear:
They carry back my memor\'
To many a bygone \ear.

— .S-, A. .!/;»«■

Yet memory, ever in delight.
Turns to those happy hours.

When skies above were ever bright,

Tlie ]>athway strewn with flowers,

— II ■////./«; R. Lavjren

^^

I

§la|rltmje.

^airrls In II|^ ^uiceI.

lirHILE writing verses for my Ic
** And there she stood! I rose i
'• How careless to put out the light !
I answered, " that I quenched niv 1:

'pO gild refined gold, to paint the lily,

To throw a perfume on the violet.
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper liglit,
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish.
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess. —Slin/.-espeare.

i, I looked up from the paper,
haste, and overturned the taper,
she said. " Is it surprising,"

ip when I saw the sun arising.''

w;

'HEN first I saw my darling's face,
know I did not see the grace

That afterward, unbidden.
Seemed filling all her dainty form.
As day by day, love, gently born.

Disclosed some trait long hidden. _

A LOVELIER nympli the penci
^ For the fond Graces form'd 1
And heaven's soft azure in her ev

'HE hath the art, ma belie.

To praise most sweetly well,
Iv in love's service doth she u.

For me, between her \oice
And all songs were there choice,
vould

'm>

?Ilapl)nc oknattX. Natural Order: Thviiiclacccc — MczercKin Family.

yl,.-^'TV""<S^|v^ O^'r ot the Daphnes are trom tho.se distant climes so rich

hi.xuriant in all forms of vegetation, Southern Africa,

<^ China and x^ustralia; but few of the species being dis-

minated in other countries. They are \v0rth3- a choice

■j^ jMiKe in the greenhouse, window, or conservator}-, as they

' - *" bloom in the bleakest season of the year, beginning in Decem-

bei and lasting until spring. The foliage is beautiful and evergreen,

the floweis white, abundant and fragrant. Some of the varieties

ha\e ios\ purple, and the Daphne oleoides lilac, blossoms. All are

highly odorilerous. The name is derived from the nymph Daphne,

beloved of Apollo, who was changed into this plant to escape his

pursuit.

well rejoice my soul to choose it. 1 3

^Edgai- Fa:'j,;-tt. P t

MS*-

gat'ttjel

£olium fieraUlC. Natural Okoek: Grii?iiiiu\c — Grass Family.

HE Darnel is a grass of a shining green, found naturalized

in cultivated fields and meadows, and is sometimes called Ray

or Rye Darnel. It is of perennial growth, the stalk being

from one to two feet in height. The Poisonons Darnel is

a plant similar to the above in appearance, the seeds, which

are poisonous, distinguishing it from all other grasses or

k grains, as it is the only one recognized with that pernicious quality.

The seeds of the first species, in their arrangement on the stem,

resemble the elaborate stitches in needlework called herringbone.

TitB.

N W/""^^' '■■'■■'^ prevails and inii>ioub men bear swav.

^ The post of honor is a private station. —Addison.

QIN, like a bee, unto tliy hive may bring T^HERE dNvelletli in tlie sinlessness of vnuth

^ A little honev, but expect the sting. —^Vatkvns. A sweet rebuke that vice may not endure.

— Mrs. Emhitr
IVTO penance can absolve our guilty fame.

Nor tears, that wash out sin, can wasli out shame.

AH, me! from real happiness we stray, /'"ROWS are fair with crous;

^ By X ice bewilder'd; vice, which always leads, ^ Custom in sin gives sin a lovely dye;
However fair at first, to wilds of woe. Thompson. Blackness in Moors is no deformity. .-Dckh

AL.SEIIOOD and fr
The products of all

NE'ER heard vet.

Less impudence to gainsay what they did,
Tli.in to perform at first. —SImkesj

■V nCE is a monster of so frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but to be seen;

Vet seen too oft, familiar
We first endure, then pitv

ith her face,
then embrace.

.1

'OINT

•Tis bu

rosperous
from, and

isdains.
—Pope.

I

^^S

gajl S^ilj*

1

; Cjcincroiallis tulm. N .

O K 1 ) i; K : /, i/iiuwc — L i/v J'aniilv.

EMEROCALLIS, meaning, in Greek, the beauty of a day,

\er\' handsome plant, and although the flowers perish

soon, others continually replace them during their season.

There are three species ot" the Day Lilies. The first is an

r^inhabitant of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean,

tall, naked stalk. Another

.ellow blossoms. The third

white flowers on long foot-

and has large, red flowers on
not so tall is from Liberia, with bright
was imported from Japan, and produce;
1^^ stalks.

[ijuctrrj.

P'-'T when I plead, she bids me play my part;

And when I weep, she says tears are Init water;
Xnd when I sigh, she says I know the art;

And when I wail, she turns herself to laughter;
So do I weep and w-ail, and plead in vain,
While she as steel and flint doth still remain.

—Sf'eiisrr.

T

HEN in a kiss she breath'd lur various :i
Ot" triflins; prettily with wounded hearts;
nind tor love, but still a changing mind,
• lisp atlected, and the glance design'd,
■ sweet confusing blush, the secret wink,
; gentle, swimming walk, the courteous si

The stare for strangeness, fit for scorn the frown

For decent yielding, looks declining down;

The practic'd languish where well-feign'd desire

Would own its melting in a mutual fire:

(iay smiles for comfort, April showers to movi

And all the nature all tlie art of love.

—Pariiell.

'pilERE'.S danger in the dazzling eye,
' That woos thee with its witching smile.

Another, when thou art not by.

Those beaming looks would fain beguile.

-Vrs. Osgoo<l.

OR such i

re the airs Yet a partial neglect

Of these 1

mciful fairs. Soon takes an effect

hink all ou

- homage a debt: And humbles the proude

■p^-*^,-^.

^^^;

^tvopa i3cllailCinua. Natural Order: Holaiiacciv — A'io-kts/iadc Family.

ATE personified (not as one, but threefold) was described in

ancient Greek mythology as three women with robes of

^eimine, as white as snow, bordered around with purple.

The first is named Clotho, the second, Lachesis, and the

thud, Atropos (literally, not turning), because she is immuta-

\o ble and unalterable. " To them is intrusted the manage-

^- ment of the thread of life : for Clotho draws the thread between

her fingers; Lachesis turns the wheel; and Atropos cuts the thread.

That is, Clotho gives life and brings into the world, Lachesis deter-

'% mines the fortunes that shall befal us here, and Atropos concludes

our lives." The flower of this plant is of a pale purple, the berries

of a glossy black, freely charged with a purple juice. The whole

plant is poisonous, especially the berries. Fortunately it is not

naturalized in the United States.

pvEATH is the crown oflife:

Were death denv'd, poor men would live in
Were death denv'd, to live would not be lite;
Were death denv'd, ev'n fools would wish to dii

pvEATH 's but a path that must be trod,
'-' If man would ever pass to God.

^HE bad man's death is horror; but the jus
-'■ Keeps something of his glory in his dust.

'T^IIE world recedes; it dii

Heav'n opens on my e

With sounds seraphic ring.

BREATHE in the face of a maiden,
I kiss the soft mouth of a rose;
t not that I hate them, but love them,
' black wings are spread tbrth above then

d Iheni my pinions e
them so well thai tin

And

I
Vet my heart with tl

And sad with thei

laden,
-Ellis.

1=^3^\

g0jft,Aier.

1

lEuSCUta cpiliimm. Natural Order: Couvolv/tlacac — Cuiivolviiliis Family.

UROPE is the native seat of the Dodders, which are of several

kinds, yet so similar in nature that the description of one

"^gnes an idea of all. This plant is an i'nhabitant of the

helds, being destitute of foliage, having a reddish orange stem

^ of a parasitical nature — that is, having no power of provid-

I " "^ ing nutriment for itself, as it depends upon some neighboring

^-j plant aiound which it twines. The root then decays, when it receives

Its nouiibhment from the plant that supports it, by means of small

projectmg hlaments, with which it penetrates them, absorbing their

y:. juices This particular species grows on flax, whence its name, from

the Gieek cp/, on, and //iioii, flax; the origin of the name Cuscuta is

^ unknown. The flowers are a vellowish white.

Pasjitfss

JF the tea

•"• To tell

;ues, vet all too few would be,
that thou hast shown to me.

r?OR vicious natures, when they o
'- To take distaste, and purpose no
I'he greater debt thiey owe, the mort

-T/,o.

.V,i

T^HE proudest of you all
Have been beholden to

vou would once plead for his life

T COULD stand upright

Against the tyranny of age and fortune ;
But the sad weight of such ingratitude
Will crush me into earth. —Deiilwm.

T II.VVE been base;

Base ev'n to him from whom I did recei
.Ml that a son could to a father give:
Behold me punish'd in the self-same kind:
Th' ungrateful does a more ungrateful find.

—Dryd

rji.sHO

^' .Shou

XOR waits on iierfidy. The- villain
Id bhish to think a falsehood; 'tis the i
wards, ' -C. John

OEE how he sets his countenance for dcce
^ And promises a lie before he speaks. — i

^.sS-

i

30C1 1130011

(EonUIS lloritia. Xatural Order : Cornaccc — Dogwood Family.

ROWING in our Northern States, and generally throughout
the temperate zone, this tree is well known. Anyone living
near woodlands must be familiar with its white blossoms that
lie like a pall of snow over the tree. It is about twenty or
twenty-five feet in height, the body being small and covered
with a rough bark, which possesses excellent tonic properties,
bimiiai to the celebrated barks of the cinchona trees of Peru, and
known as Peruvian or Jesuit's bark, as it was first introduced into
medical practice by the missionaries of that society. The name is
from the Latin coriiu, horn, because of the hardness of its wood:
and florida., flowery.

!|oncal^ Iru^ l|oUlHi|.

PACH thought wa
^ As through a cr
And heaven did this
Because she had no

i visible that roll'd within,

ystal case the figured hours are seen;

transparent veil provide

iltv thousrht to hide.

-DiyJ.n.

'T'HERE still exists a rank which tar transceni
The stars and coronets that shine in courts
It takes no sounding name to make men stare;
No blazoning heraldry proclaims its pomp;
Its modest title is, plain honesty.

ONOR and glory were given to cherish;
Cherish them, then, though all else should dei
ix to perish,

Though homely be its garb, though coarse its fare
And though it live unnoticed by the crowd;
Still, spite of fashion's fools, the honest man
Is yet the highest noble of the land !

H'

Landii

Sta

ks be these, that ar
that will shine on the duskiest

'T'HE gentle mind by gentle deeds is known,
For man by nothing is so well bewraved
As by his manners, in which plain is shown
Of what degree and what race he is grown.

OUT let not all the gold which Tagus

And pays the sea in tributary tides.

Be bribe sufficient to corrupt thy breast,

Oi' violate with dreams th\- peaceful rest.

€orallorl)na Oilontarljna. Naturai. Order: Orchldacetv — Orchis Fatnily.

^N old woods, from Canada to Carolina and Kentucky, this
singular plant may be found. It consists in a collection of
;"^^^ small, fleshy tubers, connecting and branching like coral,
*V U whence it is called Coral root, which is a literal translation
:^.> of its Greek botanical name; while odontorhiza in the same
- ^ language signifies tooth root. It has no leaves or verdant
luliaj^L, the flower stalk being fleshy, about a foot high, with a num-
ber of flowers in a long spike. The color of the blossom is brownish
green, with a white lip spotted with purple. It usually grows in old
woodlands throughout the northern and middle States.

SPEA
Miic

C^ OOD 1 would now repay with gi-e.iter good,
^ Remain Avithin — trust to thy household gods
And to my word for safety, if thou dost
As I now counsel — but if not, thou art lost!

—Byrnit.

K, speak, let terror strike slaves mute, \\^ '^'^^ stands upon a slippery pla

h danger makes great heai'ts most resolute. Makes nice of no \ile hold to st;;

1 Ai

S have I shun'd the fire tor fear of burning;
nd drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd.

/^UR dangers and delights are near allies; T^HE absent danger greater still appears,

^^ From the same stem the rose and prickle rise. Less fears he who is near the thing he lea

—AUyi,. —Damn

'yHOU little know'st

What he can brave, who, born and must
In danger's paths, has dared her worst !

—^rnnr,■.

ATOW I will unclasp a secret book. As full of peril and advent'rous spirit,

^ And to your quick-conceiving discontents As to o'erwalk a current, roaring loud.

I'll read you matter deep and dangerous; On the imsteadfast footing of a spear!

— Shakrspec

■gfe. '^ '^

J

gw^rf yimk

lioustcinia la'rillca. NA-ntRAL Okdek: Rubiaccic — Madder J'dnii/y.

ILLIAM HOUSTON, M. D., the friend and correspondent

^j of the botanist Miller, has received the distinction of havin^r

>the name of this elegant litde plant changed in his honor.

It was formerly called Hedyotis from the Greek hedus, sweet,

and oti\ to the ear, from its supposed value in curing deafness.

Its flowers are a pale blue with a yellowish center, and when

found in large patches, as it sometimes is, it gives the ground quite a

coerulean tinge. The Dwarf Pinks are found usualh- in low, moist grounds

by the roadsides and in the fields, blooming during most of the summer.

Some of the other varieties have pink or white flowers.

'T^HE bloom of opening flowers' unsullied beauty,
■* Softness and sweetest innocence she wears,
And looks like nature in the world's first spring.

T":

jels watch the good and innocen
ihere they gaze it must lie glorii

H

OPE

Her

sustain, and innocence impart
specific to tlie fearless heart.

M

SFORTUNE may
W'ho knows no gi

PAIR sunbright scene! —
^ (Not sunny all — ah! no) — I love to dwel
.Seeking repose and rest, on that green track,
Your fartliest verge, along whose primrose pal

benight the wicked; she

ilt, can sink beneath no fear.

—Hnbbin^tou.

Danced happy childhood, hand in hand with Joy,
And dove-eyed Innocence, (unwaken'd yet
Their younger sister Hope), while flowers sprang up
Printing the fiviry footsteps as they passed.

— Mrs. Sonthey.

H

APPY the innocent whose equal thoughts
Are free from anguish .as thev are from faults.

%

T AM arm'd with innocence.

Less penetrable than the steel -

INNOCENCE
^ False accusat

•ibb'd coats

That harness round thv warriors.

—Maddtn.

Tremble at pati

lUcseia lutcala. Natural Okder: Rescdacccc — Mignonette Family.

""NOWN familiarly as the Dyer's Weed, but botanically by the

Latin words reseda, from its medicinal value in assuaging pain,

and Iiiteola, yellow, from the dye which it furnishes, sometimes

(.ailed Dutch pink, this plant is of the same species as our

- well-known garden favorite, the mignonette. Both are mostly

natne on the coast of the Mediterranean; this one, however,

I y^j, h.Ls become partially naturalized in the United States. It is said

that its flowers follow the course of the sun, inclining east, south and

west bv day, and north by night.

W

|jsign.

HEN men's intents are wicked, their guilt haunts them,
But when they are just, they're armed, and notliing dai

ints thi

pURPOSE is but the slave to memory,

Of violent birth, but poor validity-;
Which now like fruits unripe, stick on the tree.
But fall unshaken when they mellow be.

— S/ta^cspeare.

—.Viddlcton.
Lidden do commonly
Proceed from fierce necessity : or else
From some oblique design, which is asham'd
To show itself in the public road.

ACTIONS rare and

-Sir Wm. Dai

VrOU have sent so many posts

Of undertakings, they outride performance
And make me think your fair pretences aim
At some intended ill, which my prevention
Must strive to avert. —Nabh.

H

ONE.ST designs justl;

resemble our devotions,
and wait for the reward.
-Sir Roh-rl HnwarJ.

W,

HEN any great design thou dost intend.
Think on the means, the manner and the end.

—D.-liliam.

%

■pRING, therefore, all the forces that you may.

And lay incessant battery to her heart;
Plaints, prayers, vows, ruth, and sorrow, and dismav.
These engines can the proudest love convert. ~Sfe,

119

^^^S-

gtijema^t.et*

iPiospnrOS cbciIUS. Natural Order: Ebenacecv— Ebony Family.

NE hundred and sixty species, most of which are found within
the tropics, are included in this order. The Ebonj' is the
wood of the above named, and some others which are found
1 Madagascar and Ceylon. Its usual colors are green, black
ind red, the black being the most valuable when free from
I J ij^\2 rind or veins, and is of a very astringent taste. It is often

J^v, ,V used m the manufacture of chess-men and toys, and is also suitable
toi inlaid or mosaic work. In its green or unseasoned state it readily
Ignites, owing to the abundance of grease it contains, and, if placed
on burning coals, yields an agreeable perfume. Sir Samuel W. Baker,
in his "Eight Years in Ceylon," says: "The Ebony grows in great
perfection and large quantity. The tree is at once distinguished from
the surrounding stems by its smaller diameter and its sooty trunk.
The bark is crisp, jet-black, and has the appearance of being charred. Beneath
the bark the wood is perfectly white until the heart is reached, which is the fine
black ebony of commerce."

T?i9f!)

OLEEP chains the earth, the bright stars glide on high,
^ Filling with one effulgent smile the sky;
And ,t11 is hush'd so still, so silent there,
That one might hear an angel wing the air.

k.

/^H, Xight! most beautiful, most rare!
^ Thou giv'st the heavens their holiest hv
And through the azure fields of air

Bring'st down the golden dew!
For thou, with breathless lips apart.

Didst stand in that dim age afar.
And hold upon thv trembling heart

Messiah's herald star!

NIGHT
God's

is the time when nature see
silent worshiper.
And ever with a chastened heart

In unison with her.
I lay me on my peaceful cougIi,

The day's dull cares resigned.

And let my heart fold up like flowers

In the twilight of the mind.

w'

'g'glaiitimje.

Kosa l"ubiC|illOSa. Natural Order: Rosacav — liose Family.

I 'STY ROSE is the literal meaning of the Latin botanical name
oi" this shrubby plant, the epithet rusty being applied because of
:* the parasitic fungus that attaches to it. Familiarly known as
I lie Sweetbrier, or Eglantine, it is one of our sweetest native
roses, so simple and unpretending that it has a home in the
hearts of all lovers of plants. A golden Eglantine, a violet
and marigold constituted the three prizes at the Floral Games of Tou-
louse, the most ancient in Europe, which still survive, with the addition
of four other prizes, after the lapse of more than four hundred years.
Planted beneath our windows and around our doors, it freights the
atmosphere with its odor, and gratifies the eye with its delicate blos-
soms. There are many varieties cultivated, some of which are double.
Its stem is armed with stout thorns, and the color of the berry when
ripe is orange red.

lom^.

TTOME is the sphere of harmony and peace,

The spot where angels find a resting place,
When, bearing blessings, they descend to earth.

t;

sweet to hear the watchdog's honest hark
• deep-inouth'd welcome as we draw near home ;
;et to know there is an eye Avill mark
coming, and look brighter when we come.

-Mri. Half.

[OME is the resort
Of \o\e, of joy, of peace and p
Supporting and supported, polish'c
And dear relations mingle into bli

H'

enty, where

T LOVE that dear old home! my mother lived there
Her first sweet married years, and last sad widow'd
The sunlight there seems to me brighter far
Than wheresoever else. I know the forms
or every tree and mountain, hill and deil ;
Its waters gurgle like a tongue I know; —
It is my home. —Mrs. Fra,ir,s K. Bill/.

121

riM

■^^m

%mtt.

SaillluiCUG tllanaltcn.sis. Natural Ok her: Caprifoliacca: — Honeysuckle Family.

AMED botanically Sambucus, this shrub is known in Denmark
as the Hyldc, and in England and America as the Elder. Its
scientific name is closely related to saiubiica, a musical instru-
ment of the Romans made from the wood of the Elder, trian-
^ gular in shape, and crossed with strings, the music of which
?^ -j^ was held in little esteem, as its tones were sharp and shrill
in quality. It is found in thickets in the United States and Canada,
flowing about old stumps and fence corners. The flowers are small
md oi a creamy white, bloom in large clusters as broad as a plate,
and have a heavy, sweetish odor, though not disagreeable. The ber-
ries are round and of a dark purple color, and full of juice; they are
used for pies, preserves, and also canned for winter use.

f^al

TN duty prompt at ev'rv call,

•*■ He watch'd and wept, he prayed and felt, for ai;

And as a bird each fond endearment tries

To tempt its new-fledged oftspring to the skies,

He tried each art, reproved each dull delay.

Allured to brighter worlds, and led tlie wav.

P^v

RESS bravely onward! not in vain
our generous trust in human kind ;

w

The good which bloodshed could
Your peaceful zeal shall find.

-Whittier.

nith.

^HERE zeal holds on its even course.
Blind rage and bigotry retire:
Knowledge assists, not checks, its force,
And prudence guides, not damps, its fire.

—7. (IV.>/,T.

Q PRE AD out earth's holiest records here,
^ Of days and deeds to reverence dear;
A zeal like this what pious legends tell .'

11

0^

theme 't'
is reason.

jre mipious to be calm
ransport, temper, here.

ZEA
I!,,

L and dutv are not slow.

l\

^i

■gttthawtcx-'s ^l^btsilialie^

%

tlltricta Cutctiaim. NArrRAi. Order: Otiagi-aca

'-^0^

UTETIA of the Parisians is the name by which the city of

P \\ IS was known to Julius Cfesar, and Lutetiana is therefore

cqunalent to Parisian. Circe was, according to heathen my-

thologv, the wife of the king of the Sarmatians, whom she

^^^\5 poisoned, and for which she was banished by her subjects.

" "^'°' ^he fled to Italy, and fell in love with Glaucus, a sea-god,

who was in love with Scylla. Circe poisoned the water in which

Scylla bathed, and thus turned her into a sea-monster. Tlie two words

constitute the botanical name of this plant, which is found in our own

country from Carolina to Illinois. It grows in damp, shady places.

Its flowers are rose color, and small; its fruit is inversely heart-shaped,

having conspicuous hooks.

T F you can look into the seeds of time,
1 And sav Avhich grain will gio%v and which «ill
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor tear
Your tavors, nor yonr hates. —s/mtes/iea

"yiS thine to sing, how, framing hideous spells

In Sky's lone isle, the gifted wizard seer,
Lodg'd in the wintry cave with fate's fell spear.
Or in the depths of Uist's dark forest dwells;
How they, whose sight such dreary dreams engross.
With their own vision oft astonish 'd droop;
When, o'er the watery strath or quaggy moss,
They see the gliding ghosts unbodied troop.
Or, if in sports, or on the festive green.

Their destin'd glance some fated youtli descry.
Who now, perhaps, in lusty vigor seen.
And rosy health, shall soon lamented die —
For them the viewless forms of air obey ;
Their bidding heed, and at their beck repair,
They know what spirit brews the stormful day,
And heartless, oft like moody madness, stare
To see the phantom train their secret works
repair. —Collins.

piTY me! I am she whom man
^ Hath hated since ever the world began;
I soothe his brain in the night of pain.
But at morning he waketh — and all is vain

^-

-^^

%%xMnt^

^!lili)0l"iuill CllMm. Natural Order: Cotiipositcv — Aster Family.

, CATTERED widely throughout Europe and America, though

a native of the East Indies, the Endive is of the same genus as

the Chicory, already described on page 82. Its name in the

\einacular is a formation from the Latin name intybus. It is an

annual of a hardy nature, and is often cultivated for and forms

an excellent salad, but is more used abroad than in America.

It is of value in medicine, possessing cooling and anti-scorbutic prop-

eities. and French physicians use it as a remedy for jaundice. The

lea\es aie a dark green and much curled.

OETTER to hunt in fields for health unbought,

Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught,
The wise for cure on exercise depend,
God never made His work for man to mend.

—Drv^l.-ii.

W

E own that numbers join with care and skill,
A temperate judgment, a devoted will ;

Men who
The painf
P.itient in

;uppress their feelings, but who feel
I symptoms thev delight to heal;
ill their trials, thev sustain

The starts of
With hearts a
Intent thev w

reproach of pain;
vith looks serene,
ill the solemn scene,

Gil

if a hope should rise from nature's strife
lid their skill and save a lingering life.

TTTHEN nature cannot work, the effect of art
For physic can but mend our crazy state.
Patch an old building, not a new ci-eate.

—Drydn.

T T E intent on somewhat that may ease
Unhealthy mortals, and with curious
Examines all the properties of herbs.

T"'

'HE ingredients 'of health and long life are
temperance, open air,
Easv labor, little care.

• Philip Sid.

0

MICKLE is the powerful grace that lies
In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities

1

»

m

5c^um aCVf. Xatluai. Order: Crassn/acdc — Orpine Family.

1

LAN rS ot this genus grow in very thin soil, sometimes in

the crevices of bare rocks, and, as the Latin name indicates,

'j would seem to be sitting there. The English Moss, which-

lb so often called Wall Pepper, is frequently cultivated as a

^ boi der for flower beds, and as an ornament to old walls,

J^tht surface of which it soon covers, as it spreads rapidly

-■ and 1 equn e*, so little for sustenance. The whole plant contains an

Kiid juice The flowers are yellow.

TTTHEN the whole host ot' hatred stood hard bv,

To watch and mock thee slirinking, tliou hast sir
With a sedate and all-enduring eye;

When fortune fled her spoiled and l;i\ orite child.

He stood unbowed beneath the ills upon him piled.

'T'HE star ot" the unconquered will

He rises in my breast,
Serene, and resolute, and still,
And calm, and self-possessed.

O fear not in a world like this.
And thou shall know ere long

Know how sublime a thing it is
To sufter and be strong.

T^RUE fortitude is seen in great exploits.

That justice w-arrants, and that wisdom guides;
All else is tow-ering phrensy and distraction.

-Addis,

■^IRD your hearts with silent fortitude,
^ Suftering yet hoping all things.

-Mrs. Hem

PORGETFUL of ourselves.

Giving but little heed
To the confusing strife.
The winding ways of life,
careful of its anxious crv of need.

T \ war was never lion's i
In peace, was never gen

s rage so fierce;

tie lamb more mild.

-Shakes feurt.

Thus we may meet the storm.
Still brave, and true, and strong;
And, like a golden chain,
Some lives may take the gain,

.Some hearts be gladdened by our simple so

m

%sc».U0%xm^

fscallouia VUbva. Natural Okdek: Saxijragacccc — Sax/fraj^c Family.

UlTE an acquisition to the flora of our Southern States will
|\ ^ be made whenever these plants shall become naturalized
|.y^ there. They are native of South America, and are con-
/ fined exclusively to mountainous regions. In cold climates
\Z->-- *-J \ all the Escallonias (of which there are about seven genera
,i.'*- and sixty species) are confined entirely to the greenhouse or con-
servatory, but where the temperature is warm or comparati\'ely mild
they sur^•ive the winter in open air. They are shrubby in growth;
the leaves are evergreen, appearing alternately on each side of the
branches; the blossoms are scarlet, white or pink, and are delicate
and waxy in texture. The plants require a light and friable soil, and
are said to bloom and thrive best when planted in the ground in the
conservatory.

ip

uiiun.

OPINION i- that
WliJ.-h rule.; Hi..

high and miglity daiiK-
Which rules tlie world; and in the mind doth frame
Distaste or liking; for, in human race,
She makes the fancy various as the face.

r\H, breath of public praise,

^ Short-lived and vain! oft gain'd without des(

rvPINION, the blind goddess of
^ To the virtuous, and onlv frit
Undeserving persons.

TTE lov'd his kind, Init sought the love of few; T ET not opinion make thy judgment e
^ ^ And valued old opinions more than new. ^ The evening conquest crowns the co

As often lost

tools,
friend to

Chapnu

■\7'ET in opinions look not always back; /^PINION governs ;dl mankind,

1 Your wake is nothing, mind the co.ning track. ^' Like the blind's leading of the blind.

r\ll, he sits on high in all the people's
^^ And that which would appear offense
His countenance, like richest alchemy.
Will change to virtue and to worthiness.
-Sim.

i:6

f-

Xerantl)cmuin aimuuill. Natural Order: Co///pos/icc — Aster Family.

NUSUAL favor marks the progress of this class ol plants,
* which is steadily advancing in the estimation of flower fan-
ciers; for where a few jears ago we had only the Gom-
phrena, we now have a dozen different kinds, all interesting,
-^ ,^_^. and most excellent for winter bouquets on account of their
'^■^imperishable flowers. They are noticeable, when the flower
IS expanded, for the lack of moisture in their petals, being crisp under
the fingers, whence their botanical name, signifying, in Greek, a drj-
flower. They usually bloom solitary, or one on a stem. The colors
of the various kinds are rose, white, purple, yellowy and red, each kind
of plant having a varietv of colors. Most any seedsman would gladly
furnish their names, and the cultivator would e.xperience a new sensa-
tion in seeing them bloom. For winter use they should be cut when
most pertect, and dried in the shade.

"pi.S the Divinity that stirs within us,

'Tis Heav'n itself that points out an hereafter.
And intimates eternity to man. -AJitisou.

^HE dream, wh

ich tells me life i

Fc

retelU

its e

id less day;

e mind, x

hich

wakes one thoug

Ma

• never know decav.

ove

those

dreai

IS which link to

Tlx

soul

with

friendly ties:

s shor

Though sin inake> dark the vale of
These brighten distant skies.

Oh ! when the spirit, freed from clay
Its wings impatient furls.

How will it soar in haste away.
To live in mvstic worlds!

f^

^c'^.

'pHE eternal life beyond the sky.
^ Wealth cannot purchase, nor the high

And proud estate;
The soul in dalliance laid — the spirit
Corrupt with sin — shall not inherit

A joy so great. -From Ihe Sfa,

i!

^m|rat0rimm..

(JrupatOVium clciians. Natural Order: Compositor — Aster Family.

jr^^^^r^ "ERY few of these plants are under cultivation, and though
i' the species is quite numerous, they are with few exceptions
/ entirely unattractive. The Eupatorium elegans is admitted
to the greenhouse for its Iragrant flowers, which are white:
the Eupatorium aromaticum, also admired for its odor, has
floweis of the same color, which bloom in the fall. The boneset
and hoai hound belong to this same family, and, though useful, are
homely herbs. They are said to have been named tor Mithridates
the Great (^also called Eupator, that is, of a noble father, or well
born), king of Pontus, who brought about a war with the Romans,
and when conquered by Pompey, and conspired against by his own
son, Pharnaces, rather than be taken prisoner by the Romans, com-
mitted suicide by taking poison, b. c. 6t,.

|.k,.

0

H, my good lord, that comfort comes too late:
'Tis like a pardon after execution. —Shakespei

'T'.HINK not tomorrow still shall be your car

Alas! tomorrow like today will fare.
Reflect that yesterday 's tomorrow's o'er, —
Thus one "tomorrow," one "tomorrow" more
Ha\e seen long years before them fade away,
And still appear no nearer than today.

-Giffoyd.

yjcivR. gift

* And falls,

TJOIST up sail while gale doth last.

Tide and wind stay no man's pleasin-e:
Seek not time when time is past,

Sober speed is wisdom's leisure.
After-wits are dearly bought.
Let thy fore-wit guide thy thought.

:s princely, but it comes too
like sunbeams, on

OMISSI

5IOX to do what is
Seals a commission to a blank of danger;
And danger, like an ague, subtly taints
Even then when we sit idly in the sun.

-Sliakfspear,:

H'

E came too late! Neglect had tried
Her constancy too long;
Her lo\e had yielded to her pride.
And tlie deep sense of wrong.

— Elizabeth Bogarl.

J^t^

r

■guyburlria;.

(JrUflljOrbia Sfilcillicns. Natural Order: Eiiphorbiacc.c — Spurge Family.

■^WiS. is a class of plants that are widely dispersed. Many
'I of them are entirely wanting in beauty or any other quality
- ' to leLommend them to notice, particularly those found in the
tempeiate regions of North America. The few admitted
\Mthin the precincts of the conservator}-, greenhouse or dwell-
ing aie from the tropics, chiefly from South America. The
above \ariety much resembles some of the Cacti; the stem is thick,
fleshy and branching, and fortified with strong, sharp thorns. The
lea\es are few and oval; the flowers small, but of a brilliant scarlet.
It is a native of Madagascar, and is only grown as a greenhouse
or parlor plant, where it can have heat in winter. According to
Pliny, it was named b}' Juba II., the king of Mauretania, in honor
of his physician, Euphorbus.

COME did :dl tiillv with just sharpne^^ blame.

While others laughed, and scorned them into shame;
But, of these two, the last succeeded best.
As men aim risrhtest when thev shoot in jest.

pvEAR heart, tor who
Counting as beads

each slowly-lagging day,
What joy detains thee? In what distant sphere
Art thovi content to keep so long away .•'

— 'Joel Benton,

R'

EPRO\'E not in his wrath incensed man.
Good coimsel comes clean out of season ther
But when his fury is appeas'd and pass'd.
He will conceive his fault and mend at la^t.

—Raiidolfli.

PORBEAR sharp speeches to her. She 's a lady

So tender of rebukes that words are strokes,
And strokes death to her. — Shakes}

fi

Prithee forgive me;
chide in jest; the best loves use it
;s: it sets an edge upon affection.

—.MiddUl

How dare you let your voice
Talk out of tune so with the voice of God
In earth and sky.' —Mrs. Osgood.

m

«^^

1

(IrutOCa Xiisciba. Natural Order: Hydrofhyllacca: — Water leaf Family

VLIFORNIA is the native seat of this charming little annual,

which has proved quite attractive and desirable for the various

shades of the blue flowers, which retain their freshness well

when severed from the plant for bouquets. There is some

diversity in their habit, some being erect or almost so, and

others are represented in botanical works as nearly procum-

icnt. The flowers are tubular bell-shaped, about an inch long, blooming

in racemes. There are a few novelties in this genus with different

colored floweis, some of which are biennials. They bloom freely, but

require a light soil.

% iifi.

AND his gift, though poor and I
Yet may prove an angel holv

ACCEPT of tliis; and could I add beside
^^ What wealth the rich Peruvian mountains hide;
If all the gems in eastern rocks were mine,
On thee alone their glittering pride should shine.
—Lyttlelon.

it may seem to other eyes,
a pilgrim's guise. —Whittier.

T FORM'D for thee a small bouquet,

A keepsake near thy heart to lay.
Because 'tis there, I know full well
That charity and kindness dwell.

QHE prizes not such trifles as these are:

The gifts she looks from me are pack'd and lock'd
Up in my heart, which I have given already.
But not delivered. —Shakesfenn:

T GAVE the jewel from my breast,
A She played with it a little while

As I sailed dow:
Fed bv he

Then weary of it — far from land,

With sigh as deep as destiny.

She let it drop from her fair hand

Into the sea. — yean Ing^eloiu.

w

IN her
Dumb

ith gifts, if slie respects
■wels often, in their sile

vords ;

More quick than words do n
130

voman's mind.

^Shakespeare.

m

s^

i

^8^lrriiglit<

(!;U)j|)Oliua l)1ipci"uilolia. Xatuual Order: EiiphorbiaccLV. — Spurge Family.

\ EBRIGHT is a simple little plant found in dry soils in the
United States. It is an annual, about a foot and a half high,
with smooth, purple stem, and leaves marked with oblong
h lilotches. The blossoms are white, appearing in clusters dur-
—^^ mg the summer. A medicine prepared from it was formerly
used for diseases of the ej^e. There is also another plant
(.ailed E}tbiight, a native of the White Mountains, with bluish-white
flowers appearing in spikes. Its classic name is Euphrasia, meaning
cheerfulness, in Greek, from the same root as Euphrosyne, one of the
three graces.

four ?^^s ar^ Jcuiilt|ing»

AND then her look — O, where 's the heart so \vi
■^ Could, unbewilder'd, meet those matchless eye
Quick, restless, strange, but exquisite withal,

Like those of angels. —Moore.

QOME praise the eyes they lev

^ As rivaling the western star;

But eyes I know well worth to i

A thousand firmaments afar.

to see.

-'John Stirling.

'TTHOSE laughing orbs that borrow
^ From azure skies. the light they weai
Are like heaven — no sorrow-
Can float o'er hues so fair.

—.Mrs. Osgood.

w

'INE things to sight required are:
The power to see, the light, the visible thing.
Being not too small, too thin, too nigh, too far,
Clear space and time, the form distinct to bring.

-Sir J. Davies.

T NEVER saw an eye so bright. And sometimes swam in tears;

And yet so soft as hers; It seem'd a beauty set apart

It soinetimes swam in liquid light. For softness and for sighs

ITER eyes, in he;

^ Would througl
That birds would ^

-.Mrs

Welb

region stream so bright

link it were not night

■K\

^^mmjel*

3^1ietl)Um qraiU'olcuS. Natural Order: UinbcUifera: — Parsley Family.

'ENNEL, also called Dill, is found in country gardens along
with coriander, anise and caraway, all of which produce seeds
'valuable for their pungent and aromatic flavor. The Fennel
grows abundantly along the chalk cliffs of England in a wild
~i and uncultivated state. Another species is cultivated to a
i;-3o great extent in Italy. It is also found wild in the United
States, and once introduced it propagates itself for years. The leaves
iare much divided, and spread out like a fine, thready plume. The
flowers are small and yellow, blooming in umbels like the parsnip.
(Its botanical name is from the Greek anethon, through the Latin
anethum, both signifying Dill or anise; and graveolens (Latin), heavy-
smelling. Fennel is {rom /cenictdum, Latin diminutive oi fanum, hay;
the etymology of Dill seems lost; the Anglo-Saxon, German and
Danish have the word substantially in the same form, but of what significance
is not known.

Hcril^il all Prnis^.

'T'O sing thv praise, would he.iv'n niv breath prolong,

Infusing spirits worthy such a song,
Not Thracian Orpheus should transcend m_v lays. —Drydei.

H

Spokf

E gave you all the duties of a man;
Trim'd up your praises with a princely tongue,

like a chronicle;

Making you even better than hi:

—Shakespei

loved, or warmly sought,
^ Enfeebles all internal strength of thought;
And the weak soul, within itself unblest.
Leans for all pleasure on another's breast.

—Goldsmith.

N praise so just let ev'ry \
■ And fill the general choru

VTATURE did her so much right
■'■' .\s she scorns the help of art;
In as manv virtues dioht

s of mankind !

-Pop.:

As e'er yet embraced a heart.
So much good so truly tried.
Some for less were deified.

-William Brozune.

m

■^^^

^igclla SlamaSCma. Xatiral Order: RaniuiculacciV — Crouifoot Family.

\ NATIVE of the south of" Europe and the Levant, deriving

its distinctive epithet from the world-renowned and ancient

"Damascus, this curious annual is grown as an ornamental

(lower in gardens and borders of walks. It is called Nigella

,;. from its black seeds, and has a variety of popular names —

■'f^ Love-in-a-mist, Devil-in-a-bush, and Ragged Lady. The

\Wi^ blossoms of the different "kinds are purple, blue, and white. They

l"^» bloom single or solitary, and are encircled with fine, feather-cleft leaves,

like the foliage on other parts of the plant, which much resembles the

. - iiiimatic garden fennel.

1

%x\\Xx

^\-

w

A-i

vroi

1 Y

I AT 's the bent brow, or neck in thought reclin'd?

The body's wisdom to conceal the mind.

,n of sense can artifice disdain,

len of wealth may venture to go plain. —I'mi/tg.

iTHERS bv

JOV talk to me in parables; ZITHERS bv guiltv artifice and arts

'ou may have known that I'm no wordy man; " Of promised kindness practice on our hearts

Fine speeches are the instruments of knaves. With expectation blow the passion up;

Or fools, that use them when they want good sense. .She fans the fire without one gale of hope.

0

-Ot'.fay.

—Gramilli.

.SERPENT heart, hid

with a Ho

vering face!

Did ever dragon keep

so fair a c

ave .' —SiMkespeart.

pATIENCE! I yet may pierce the rind
Wherewith are shrewdly girded round
The subtle secrets of his mind.

A dark, unwholesome core is bound,
Perchance, within it. Sir, you see,
Men are not what they seem to be.

-Paul H. Havne.

^^-

'pHEN quit her. my friend!
Your bosom defend,
Ere quite witli her snares you're beset.
—Byr.

1.33

\!

^Utigvamina Vl)i?0pl)ulla. Natural Order: Filices — Fcrn Family.

HAT is more beautiful than the gracefullj- sweeping Fern,
lit clothes the ragged, rocky clitTs, hanging like so many
lumes from every crevice, to catch the moisture of the
1j iiiiiid spring that slips out to trickle over the green moss
^^^;^ and hide in its bosom? Oh, marvelous is nature in her sim-
s pkst simplicity! The Walking Fern is one of the rare ones,
to be iound in locky woods. The frond or leaf is about six or seven
inches in length, and its peculiarity consists in bending the long, slender
tip backward until it reaches the ground, when it takes root, from which
a plant arises the following year. The botanical names were probably
given it because of its peculiarities, and denote, in Greek, root-leaved
counterpart or transcript.

iuriosil^.

>HE enquiring spirit will n
We would make certain

>t be control I'd;
II, and all behold.

— Sprafftti^.

'pHE skic^^ in tht
^ A cluster of

stars hangs like fruit in the tree,
The fall of the water comes sweeter comes clearer;
To «hat art thou list'ning, and what dost thou see.'
Let the star-clusters glow,
Let the sweet waters tlow.
And cross quickly to me.

— 'Jean Ingelmv.

OEARCHING those edges of the universe,
We leave the central fields a fallow part;

To feed the
And st.ir

v-e more precious things amerce,
e the darkened heart.

— Jrait Tilifelovj,

'HRO' the buzzing crowd he threads his wav.
To catch the flying rumors of the dav.

-Spra/rue.

'URIOSITY! who hath not felt

' Its spirit, and before its alt.ar knelt.'

ONCEAL yersel' as we.
cal dissection ;
keek thro' everv other

Wit

lengthen 'd, sly

— Spraffjte,

•pUT love is such

•L^ I cannot find it

For when I think I'

Then I am mos(

'34

w

^ctjjcrfjctti.

fllatmaria partljCnium. Natural Order: Comfosita:— Aster Fatnily.

■/fTT"^^ YRETHRUM (hot, or spicy, from the Greek pur, fire) was
y i 'j!)|i\lf formerly the botanical name of this plant, but the classifica-
M/ tion of Tournefort has recently been given precedence, and it
I -^Jm is now called Matricaria, from its supposed value in certain
J[ forms of disease. The English name, identical in meaning
^f^ w ith febrifuge, or fe\er-dispelling, from its medicinal proper-
ties, IS familiar to all. It is a very desirable plant for the garden,
continuing in bloom the entire season. The double variety is as full
^^ of petals as a dais}-, and is most excellent where many cut flowers are
'^'■^ desired It is in great favor among florists, as the white blossoms
retain their freshness for a considerable time, even though out of water.
There are varieties with red flowers mentioned, but they are not as
A-frequent in cultivation.

■firOULD'ST thou tVoTO sorrow find a sweet relief,
•* Or is tliv heart oppress'd ivith woe untold;
Balm would'st thou gather .for corroding grief,

Pour blessings round thee like a shower of gold.

TiriTH a look of sad content

Her mite within the treasure-heap she cas
Then, timidly as bashful twilight, stole
From out the temple. But her lowlv gift

— Carlos Wikox.

Was witnessed by an eve whose mercy views
In motive all that consecrates a deed
To goodness; so He blessed the widow's mite
More than the gifts abounding wealth bestowed.
— MoHtc^omrry.

T

HE charities that soothe, and heal, and bless,
Are scattered at the feet of man like flowers.

'pfnNK not the good.

The gentle deeds of mercy thou hast done.
Shall die forgotten all ; the poor, the pris'ner.

— \Vords~,'<orth.

The fatherless, the friendless and the widow.

Who daily own the bounty of thy hand.

Shall cry to heaven, and pull a blessing on thee.

-Ro-;

1

1.35

ir

m

"^iv ^alsHW

Tillies luilsaiuca. Natural Ordek: Coiiifera- — Pine Family.

ALSAMIC FIR (or Fir ]5alsani for the sake of euphony) sends

out its branches in an ahnost horizontal line from the trunk,

^ the hne shape bein<r formed bv the gradual diminution of the

, length of the branches until it reaches the apex, thus gi^■ing

a pyramidal outline to its form. The leaves are white on the

[l^^^^^K ^ ^-i low er surface, and green abo\-e. The sap or resinous juice is

y^/T G " obtained from the bark, from which it exudes, being about the

onsistencN ol thick honew of a light amber tint. It is useful medici-

'^^ mlh iioth inteinallv and externally.

R

AH! what avail the largest gifts of heaven,

'- When drooping health and spirits go am

How tasteless, then, whatever can be given!

Health is the vital principle of bliss.

And exercise of health. In proof of this.

EASON'S whole pleasure, all the joys of sense,
Lie in three words, health, peace, and competence.

—Pofe.
Behold tlie wretch who slugs his life awav,
Soon swallow'd in disease's sad abyss;
While he whom toil has brac'd, or manly pla
Has light as air each limb, each thought as cl(

- Thomsi

w

HAT health promotes, anc
Is all expenseless, and pre

'piIE surest road to liealth, s:iy what the

Is never to suppose we shall be ill.
Most of those evils we poor mortals know
From doctors and imagination flo

Clmrchill.

—Sir R. BInrkmorr.

then, whatever cheerful and serene
■ipports the mind supports the bod^ too.
lence the most \ ital movement mortals feel
s hope; the balm and life-blood of the soul.

k::

— Dr. 'John Armslroug.

N'

ATURE does require
Her time of preservation,
I, her frail son amongst my 1
Must give attendance.

REMEMBER, I rememb
The fir trees dark and Ir

jiertorce,
brethren mortal,

— Shakespeare,

I used to think their slender tops .

Were close against the sky. —Leigh Hunt. i

'IfUnj?.

%
ii

iiilUtm usitatissiimim. Natural Okdkr: Liiiacccc—Flax Faviilv-

OMPARED with plants not grown directly for food, the Flax
is probabhr the most useful as well as the most ancient known
to man. In various parts of the world it is grown in large
quantities, forming the industry of a large population, furnish-
ing employment both summer and winter in raising, gathering
and caring for the crop, considerable attention being required
in preparing the liber for the manufacturing arts. The fields have a
fine appearance when the Flax is in bloom, presenting an uninterrupted
blue surface to the eye that is truly pleasing. There are some hand-
some varieties of tropical Flax for both garden and greenhouse, with
flowers of scarlet, j-ellow, white, and rose color, some of them being
perennial.

Jjam^slit |nbuslri|.

TITHAT happiness the rural maid attends,

In cheerl'nl labor while each day she spends
She gratefully receives what heaven has sent,
And, rich in poverty, enjoys content. —Gov.

\JEAT little housewife, so demure,
^ Plying the needle swift and sure,

In quiet places,
What charm is in those darksome eyes,
What magic in your beauty lies.

And lovely graces!

OWEETER and sweeter,
*^ Sort and low.
Neat little nymph.

Thy numbers flow.
Urging thy thimble.
Thrift's tidy symbol.
Busy and nimble.

To and fro;

No sound to break your gentle dream;
Those lily hands from seam to seam

Are ever stirring;
All hushed — as summer's noonday hour.
When sleep the bee, and leaf, and tlower-

Save pussy's purring.

Prettily plying

Thread and song.
Keeping them flying

Late and long.
Though the stitch linger,
Kissing thy finger.

Quick — as it skips along.

J

li

bisCUS (Erionum. Nati'ral Order: Malvacccr — Mallov.' Family.

\ \NESCENT, as its familiar name indicates, this handsome
mnual was imported some years since from Italy; its botan-
ical name is made up of the generic hibiscus, or mallow,
iiid Trionum, of the constellation known by that name to the
'i^ ^Romans, and to us as Charles's Wain. The flowers are
similar in shape to the single hollyhock blossom, and are
about two inches across the top, the petals being a sulphur or green-
ish }ello\\, and the base of each a rich maroon brown. There are
vaiious otiier plants and shrubs under the general name Hibiscus,
some of which in the South Sea Islands grow sufficiently large to
be used with the bamboo in the erection of houses, such as the peo-
ple ot th It latitude require. They thrive best in moist, sandy soil.

IriOtng J^atii^,

T

Rl'ST
Boaut\

hut soon the charm will pass.

—Drydc,

T

I AT transitory flower, even while it lasts.

Palls on the roving sense when held too near.
Or dwelling there too long; by fits it pleases,
And smells at distance best; its sweets, familiar

By Ircqucnt

D

dull and do

-J'f'^ry.

O not idolatrize; beauty's a flower
Which springs and withers almost

TOVE raised on beauty will like that decay;
'-' Our hearts may bear its slender chain a day,

TDEAUTY, sweet love, is like the morning dew.
Whose short refresh upon the tender green

flow'ry bands in wantonness are worn —
norning's pleasure, and at evening torn.

time, but till the sun doth show,
gilt is gone, as it liad never been.

TOVE built on beauty, soon as beauty
Choose this face, changed bv no d<

•nEAUTY, like the fair Hesperian tree, [guard
Laden with blooming gold, had need the
Of dragon. watch with unenchanted eye,
To save her blossoms and defend her fruit
From the rash hand of bold incontinence.

—Millnn.

^0mr^0^icl«3f.cli.

V

illirrtbilis iJiUitpu. Natural Order: Ayctaginacca — Four-o'clock Family.

'i XiJ Pi^ ^ ^l^f^"^ *^ from the roots of this plant, which is a native of the
^^ ^ ^L^Vi West hidies, that the Jalap of commerce is obtained. The

' '^ ^ stem is about two feet high, having numerous branches, with

^^i^ I smooth, oval, pointed leaves, and tuberous root. Its flowers

^1 ji»J^^ aie large, blooming in clusters, verj- sweet and fragrant, and

^ ' * ■'Vi* \arious in colors. This, with the few species from Mexico,

.^|f\ all open about the time of day their name indicates, and continue a

>~M: pel feet succession of bloom during the whole summer. The plants

^^^^ bloom bettei the second 3-ear, if the roots are removed to a dry cellar

*^^||^ duiini; tht winter, kept from frost, and replanted in the spring.

itm^.

D

T.

>IME is a leathered thii
And whilst I praise
The sparkling of thy locks
Takes wing.

ESTRE not to
How long we

them ra\

long, but to live well ;
not years, but actions tell.

iRT is long and time is fleeting.

And our hearts, though stout and brave,
.Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral inarches to the grave.

A"

'pOUCII us gently, Tim
Let us glide down thy

Gently
Thr

lugh

HME, as he passes, has a dove's wing,

Unsoiled and swift, and of a silken sound.

—Cmtfer.

'imc! 'X'HE hours are viewless angels,

A That still go gliding by,
ve sometimes glide And bear each minute's record up

I quiet dream. To Him who .sits on high.

—Brvaii W. Proctor. —C. P. Cranrli.

■pVEX such is Time, that takes on trust
Our youth, our joys, our all we have,
And p.ays us with but age and dust;
Who in the dark and silent grave.
When wo ha^•o wandered all our ways.
Shuts up the story of our days! — Sir W. Ro trig h.

■.39

J

w

^0|fgl013,e.

Dillitalis JJUrjJUrca. Xatlhal Okder: Scrofhulariacea — F'igu-ort Family.

ITERALLY, the purple finger-flower, this plant is of easy
culture, and well adapted for the borders of walks and beds.
The blossoms, which grow in a long spike, are man}^, and
•q.:,]^ thimble-shaped, with dots of a color differing from the flower
in the interior. The whole plant is a violent and dangerous
'" ^ poison when taken internally in anj' considerable quantity,
producing delirium, convulsions and death. It becomes a valuable
medicine in the hands of a skillful physician. It thrives best in par-
tially shaded locations. There are a number of varieties, the flowers
^ being white, purple, carmine, brown, and yellow.

|.H,

"HIS poor brain! ten thousand shapes of fury
Are wliirHnt; there, and reason is no more.

H'

; E raves, his words are loose
As heaps of sand, and scattering wide from sense ;
So high he 's mounted on his airy throne,
Tliat now the wind has got into his head,
.\nd turns liis brains to phrenzy. —Dryden.

His I
And
On s

n is wrecked —

.er in the pauses of his speech
p doth work with inward muttering
his fixed eve is riveted fearfullv

ethii

that

other sight can sp

AM not mad: too well, too well I feel
The different plague of each calamity.

1 AM not mad;
' For then 'tis li

vould to heaven I w(
I should forget mysi
O, if I could, what grief shonld I forget!

'pHIS wr
A And I

;tched brain gave
became a wreck, f

Without one glimpse of reason or of hea^■

TF a phrenzy do possess the brain,

It so disturbs and blots the form of things.

As fantasy proves altogether vain.

And to the wit no true relation brings.

m

»•

h^

f

t

i^ritillttria makagris. Natural Order: Liliacca—Lily Family.

OT inappropriately named, from the l^aim /n'tinus, a dice-box,
as the flower is more nearly of that shape than in the other
lilies, this plant is a sister to the crown imperial, already de-
scribed, both blooming in the month of May. The flower
'^ IS Luge, nodding, and beautifully checked with pale-red,
• . ") pui pie or yellow spots, from which circumstance the name
s sometimes been interpreted "chessboard." It is indigenous
roughout Europe. It is usually solitary in bloom. In Spain it is
lied Checkered Lily, and in other places Guinea-Hen-Flower.

ycrsctuttoii.

T HAVE leani'd to endure, I have hugg'd

1 scourge back the madness that else would invade;

On niv brain tails the drop after drop, vet I bear,

Lest thou should'st discover the wreck thou hast made.

spair

T'

'HIS vou have practiced,
Practiced on us with rigor, this hath forced us
To shake our heavy yokes otf; and, if redress
Of these just grievances be not granted us.
We "11 right ourselves, and bv strong hand defend
What we are now possessed of

BUT

—Mrs. E. Onivs Smilli.

T what avail her unexhausted stores.
Her bloomy mountains and her sunnv shores.
With all the gifts that hea\en and earth impart,
The smiles of nature, and the charms of art.
While proud oppression in her vallevs reigns,
And tyranny usurps her happy plains?

-AMisoH.

'T'HEY lived unknown And history, so warm on meaner themes.

Till persecution dr.igged them into fame, Is cold on this. .She execrates, indeed.

And chased them up to heaven. Their ashes flew, The tyranny that doomed them to the fire.

No marble tells us whither. With their names But gives the glorious suft'Yers little praise.
No bard embalms and sanctifies his song: — Confer.

VTEITHER bended knees, pure hands held up.

Sad sighs, deep groans, nor silver-shedding tears.
Could penetrate her imcompassionate sire.

— Shakespeare.

•4'

&.

^mjchsiit.

i^iul)3ia COtciuca. Natural Order: Oiiagraccxc — Evening Primrose Family.

-^ V-
KIJCATE and beautiful for a house plant is the Scarlet
.iiM.t. a native of South America; and the storey of its
fe geneial introduction into England is somewhat singular and
"not without a touch of romance. A gentleman, while travel-
'^■^^ing, jiassed through some town not far from the great metropolis,
and there saw a plant with hanging bells, like ear-drops, which
attracted his attention. Upon his arrival in London, he informed an
eminent gardener of what he had seen, eulogizing the beautiful and
graceful arrangement of its flowers. The gardener went immediately
to the place designated, but the poor cottager declared that she could
^m|w not part with it, as her " good man, who was at sea, had brought it
^^f^^f^s a present the last time he was at home, and she did not know if she
should ever see him again." He however finally possessed himself of it by
offering her a large sum, and promising her the first slip. He brought it home,
divided and subdivided it, soon having a large number of plants, for which he
obtained a rapid sale.

irati

trol,

ig from her

TTER laugh, full of life, without any
But the sweet one of gracefulness
And where it most sparkled no glance could discover.
In lip, cheek, or eyes, for she brightened all over. —Mmr,:

*HE light of love, the puritv of grace, pRACE was in all her steps, heav'n

The mind, the music, breathing from her face. ^ In ev'ry gesture dignity and love

A LOVELIER nymph the pencil never drew,
For the fond Gmces form'd her easv mien.

And heaven's soft i

ITER ivory-polish'd front with seemly cheer.
Graced at the bottom w itii a double bow.
Where all the Gr.ices in their throne appear.
Where love and awful majesty do grow.

n-e m her eye was seen. —HayUy.

Expends itself, and shows a field more clear
Than candid lilies or the virgin snow;

Her

rays more sharp than darts,
Which wound all flinty, love-despising hearts.

-Pordage. »sVL

!ii ^^

^^

#jetttiaii.

(!3ciltiailrt acciulis. Natural Order: Gcntianacca: — Gentian Family.

ENTIAN is a plant of excellent tonic and febrifuge properties,
which are said to have been first discovered by Gentius, king
of ancient lUyria, in whose honor it was named. It is found
abundantly in the Western States, where the land lies low and
IS more or less moist, which soil seems most congenial to its
'*• giowth. It is not unusual to find acres of land dotted freely
its blue blossoms, particularly in openings in the woods. Besides
oui natne plants, we have other specimens from Wales, Australia, and
the Alps The two from the first-named countries have blue flowers,
the latter j-ellow ones. The more dwarf varieties are the best adapted
for rock culture.

|nlrin$tt l[tirl]^.

[RM and resolved by sterling worth to gain
Love and respect, thou shall not strive in vain.

Sir S. E. Brydge.

r\ HOW thy worth with manners may I sing,
^-^ When thou art all the better part of me?
What can mine own praise to mine own self bring?
And what is "t but mine own, when I praise thee?
— Shakespeare.

ALL that is best of beauty is its dower,
''■ All that is pure in piet\- its bequest,
The subtle spring of truth, the soul of power.
It gives our dreams their scope, our life its zest.

-Isidore G. Asc/icr.

T KNOW transplanted human worth
Will bloom to profit otherwhere.

qPHERE is a joy in worth,

A high, mysterious, soul-pervading charm,
\\'hich, never daunted, ever bright and warm.
Mocks at the idle, shadowy ills of earth,
.\mid the gloom is bright, and tranquil in the storn
—Robert T. Conrad.

"yLS what the heart adores, where'er the eye
Doth rest, on ocean, earth, or in the sky;
For love ne'er worships willingly a blot,
But looks for what is pure, for what is fair,
For what is good, as heaven and angels are.

'—SalUe A. Brock.

■DEAUTIES that from worth arise.

Are like the grace of deities.
Still present with us, though unsighted.

-Sir

43

J

'^ramtmm.

(!^C^"alUUlU SailClUUlCUlll. Natural Order: Gcraiiiaccic — Geranium Family.

r ANY are the varieties of this beautiful plant, most of which

^V are nurtured in the window or greenhouse, either for their

" ' ^=:o beauty of blossom or the delightful fragrance of their

1l ives. Some of them are from the Cape of Good

Ho]K, but this beautiful species, with its blood-red flowers,

' IS I native of Europe. It is well adapted to make a bril-

h ml show in the garden in summer, being again removed to the

house in the fall. The name is derived from geranos, a Greek

(^ word meaning crane, the seeds having a long spur (supposed to

resemble a crane's bill), which in planting should be cut ofi' with

the scissors, as it tends to push the seeds out of the ground before

6iJiifibniq*

THRUST in thee? Aye, dearest, there 's no one but must,

Unless truth be a fable in such as thee trust;
For who can see heaven's own hue in those eyes,
And doubt that truth with it came down from the skies?
While each thought of thy bosom, like morning's young lis
Almost ere 'tis born, flashes there on his sight.

— f. F. Hoffma,:.

r\UT of the depths of the starlit distance [up,
^-^ A pale gleam shows where the moon comes
And here in the dregs of this strange existence
May lurk the sweetness that crowns the cup.

And faith and hope and the spnit's patience
Sti-engthen the heart and lighten the eyes.

Ah, .soul! mv soul! there is hope for the nation
And God is holy and just and wise.

-Bnrl

Grn

TRU.ST in thee, and k.i
Or life or death is equal
11 weight is this: O let i

.'hom

to thee!

rust ;

-Imwif.

HAVE I not
And snow.

brought thee roses fresh
white lilies, pale with p
my inmost dream of Truth,
I beauty thou didst not inspire?

—Joe! Benton.

with youth. r\ H ! en
ure desire? ^ Whic

bleni of that steadfast mind

h, through the varying scenes of li

genuine piety refined.

Holds on its wav 'midst noise and strife!

f

•lii£i0litts.

(Ijlatliolus COiniUUnis. Natural Order: Iridacece—Iris Family.

F recent introduction into general cultivation in the United

' States, the Gladiolus has more than answered all anticipations,

I and too much praise cannot be 'elicited in its behalf. It has a

, bulbous root, round and flattened like an onion, though less

•^perfect in shape; the leaves are long and pointed, and shaped

^ -* like a small sword {gladiolus), from which it takes its name.

.^ ^„^ flower stalk rises about two feet. The flowers are large and

handsome, arranged around the stem for nearly half its length, the

lower ones blooming first. The colors are brilliant in the highest

degree, and the variety of hues and shades is almost numberless. The

-:_ new colors are derived from seedlings.

The

T

IS ours by craft and by surprise to gain ;
'Tis yours to meet in arms, and battle in the pla

I'LL ride in golden armor like the sun,

And in my helm a triple plume shall spring,
Spangled with diamonds dancing in the air,
To note me emperor of the threefold world.

—Mario.

QWORD, on my left side gleaming,
^ What means thy bright eye's beaming.^
It makes my spirit dance
To see thy friendly glance.

—Fr

■ofKc

GENERAL sets his army in array
In vain, unless he fight and win the day.

—Sir 7. De,

IMPETUOUS, active, fierce, and your
Upon the advancing foes he sprung.

Woe to the wretch at
His brandish'd lalchion

I'hom IS bent
s sheer descent.

I'LL do the best that do I may.
While I have power to stand;

While I have power to wield my sword,
I'll fight with heart and hand.

— A itoiiymotts.

In that day's feats
He proved the best man i' th' field; and lor his mead
Was brow-bound with oak. —S/tatcspeare.

H5

^i§

@l0|r^ ^l0Wjer.

(LroUiuS (£urOfnruS. Natural Order: Ranunculacece—Cro~iVfoot Family.

ERE and there in swamps throughout the north and west,

*^ the Trollius laxus, or wild Globe Flower, may be found, but

"" tlie varieties in cultivation are from abroad, Europe and Asia

each furnishing its quota. They can be grown from seeds,

yp^as well as by division of the roots. They are ornamental

^jc-^ ~'' •■ l" plants, handsome in growth, with flowers varying through

fjcthe different shades of yellow. The Japan Globe Flower belongs to

'^ another class of plants, and is of shrubby growth, usually six or seven

feet high. The flowers appear in small clusters near the ends- of the

r-^ branches, being also yellow in color.

\nm^}.

VJOT nobler are the hearts that work than hearts that only dream;

For real, as the things that are, are all the things that seem.
The waters gleam among the hiljs, the mirage on the sands.
And vet alike both image forth the selfsame Maker's hands.

— L. Bnice Moore,

T^ANCY high commissioned; send her!
She has vassels to attend her;

'T'ELL me where is fancy bred;
Or in the heart or in the head.'

She will bring in spite of frost.
Beauties that the earth hath lost
She will bring thee, all together.
All delights of summer weather.

-7<j/;« Keats.

SILVERY haze hangs o'er the earth

.'\nd through its

We look in vain for summer's garb.
Or spring-tide's dewv green;

How begot, how nourished.'
It is engendered in the eyes,
With gazing fed ; and fancy dies
In the cradle where it lies.

—Shakespeare.

PAN'CY is a fairy, that can hear.

Ever, the melody of nature's voice.
And see all lovely visions that she will.

—Mr.':. Osgood.

Bright, gorgeous tints, like Tyrian dies.

Gleam on the ravished siglit;
I fancy an enchanted realm

Revealed in mystic light. —Sallie A. Brock.
•46 ■

sheen

®0itr£<

Cagcnaiia inilgaris.

Natural Order: Cucurbitaccce — Gourd Family.

NOWN scientifically as Lagenaria, from the Latin lagcna, a
bottle, the common Bottle Gourd, or Calabash, is familiar to all.
It grows like a round ball, gradually extended into a handle.
When ripened, a slice is cut from one side, and the seeds are
■^removed, thus forming a very convenient vessel for dipping
y water, for which purpose it was used in early times. There
are upward of fift}- ditierent kinds of this interesting plant, all of
I . r •< them being natives of tropical countries. Some are large and gro-
\7y''?\j tesque, others small, fanciful, delicate, beautiful in shape and color, and

, OTthy of enthusiastic admiration. Hawthorne said they were " worthy

being wrought in enduring marble."

JAm\.

H'

A^':

E who, from zone to
Guides through the
In the long way that I i
Will lead my steps

yet I know past all doubting, truly —
knowledge greater than grief can dim —
,-, as lie loved, he will love duly,
I, better — e'en better than I love him;

flight.

M

Y winged boat,
A bird afloat,
wims round the purple peaks remote:
Round purple peaks
It sails, and seeks
lue inlets and their crystal creeks,
Where high rocks throw,
Through deeps below,
pROM the low earth round you.
Reach the heights above you;
From the stripes that wound you.
Seek the loves that love you.

zone,

boundless sky thy

nust tread alone

aright. —Willimn ClllU-i, Bryam.

And as I walk by the vast, calm river

The awful river so dread to see,
I say, "Thy breadth and thy depth forever
Are bridged by his thoughts that cross to me.'
— 'jean Itiffelow.
A duplicated golden glow.
Far, vague, and dim.
The mountains swim;
While on \'esuvius' misty brim.
With outstretched hands
The gray smoke stands,
O'erlooking the volcanic lands.

—Thomas Buchanan Read.

God's divinest burneth plain

Through the crystal diaphane
Of our loves that love you.

— Elizabeth Barrett Brou-niii^.

515

r

»rESS.

<!)

i^lltl)Oiautl)um OllCiratum. Natural Order: Graminca: — Grass Family.

HAT is more delightful to the senses of one pent up amid
^rthe brick and dust of a crowded citj' than to behold a spot
'of refreshing verdure? It rejoices the eye, and tills the
K soul with gladness. Who can look abroad at the waving
meadows and close-cropped pastures and not acknowledge the
beneficence of the all-wise Creator? No other color would be
so grateful to the vision, and no other color would always appear so
fresh and new. The grass, along with all grains, belongs to the exten-
sive order Gramineee, which contributes more to the sustenance of man
and beast than all others combined. It has an element of poetry in its
botanical name, which signifies sweetly-scented yellow flower; and has
for ages been considered an emblem of utility.

Hiiliiii.

H'

Unknown, unseen,

'T'HUS is nature's vesture wrought,
To instruct our wandering thought;

Thus she dresses green and gay,

To dispense our cares away. —Dyer.

VTOT enjoyment and not sorrow

Is our destin'd end or way,
But to act that each tomorrow

F'inds us farther than today. —Longfellow.

'T^HE chiefest action for a man of spirit,

Is never to be out of action; we should think
The soul was never put into the body.
Which has so many rare and curious pieces
Of mathematical motion, to stand still.
Virtue is ever sowing her seeds, —wehster.

m

T

HE even grass beneath our feet
Was something greener and more sv
Than that which grew below.

We breathed a

purer, better air;

Our lives seen

ed wider and more fair,

And earth

vith love aglow.

—Henry Abbey.

m

Jfeptta (&lcd)Oma. Natural Order: Labiatct—Mint Family.

ROUND IVY, or Gill-over-the-ground, is a very pretty plant

"^of rapid growth, to be found about hedges, old walls, and

among the rocks along the margins of creeks and small

streams. The stem, which is naturally prostrate, if suffered

^' to lie on the ground, takes root at every joint, sending out in

"^ turn new creepers, which grow from a few inches to two

teet in length. In a hanging basket it trails from the sides, completely

enveloping it, delighting in shade and plenty of moisture. The flowers

are of a bluish purple, blooming in May. The leaves are aromatic,

and were formerly used in brewing ale. It is sometimes called Alehoof,

and Tunhoof It derives its scientific name from Nepete, now Nepi,

in Ital_v; and Glechoma was the name given it by Linnaeus.

Jnju^mtnh

is no earthly flower, nor framed to bear
ts exotic bloom life's cold, unscenial air.

■fTTE .ire all children in our strife to seize
' Each pretty pleasure, as it lures the sight ;
And like the tall tree, swaying in the breeze.
Our lofty wishes stoop their tow'ring flight.

— Mrs. Hemans.
Till, when the prize is won, it seems no mor
Than gather'd shell from ocean's countless st(
And ever those who would enjoyment gain.
Must find it in the purpose they pursue.

w

ITH much we surfeit, plenty m,ikes us poor,
The wretched Indian scorns the golden ore.
—Drayl

AH ! here how sweet, my love, my own.

To dream, aloof from any sorrows,
Of one fair, changeless monotone —
Serene tomorrows and tomorrows!

i! sweet, in sooth, when God h.id furled
All colors at the calm sky-verges,

■\A night came silencing the world,
And loudening the long sea-surges!

—Edgar Fa-.fCfl

W

SE h

eavei

doth s

-e it

as

fit

In al

our

joys to

give

us

some

alloys.

our

sorro

ws, com

forts

— Fountain.

m

^t0MnA §^iiije<

1

£j)COpOllium romplanatum. Natural Order: Lycopodiacece — Club Moss Family.

"-a

^YCOPODIUM is one of the humbler types of vegetation
that in the earher stages of our globe occupied a place of
higher rank, and attained a size more worthy of consideration,
\ as some of the specimens now existing in a fossil state amply
\, show. When other and more important vegetation made
''"'its appearance, the less useful descended to a minor and
moie obscure position, till now it scarcely more than lends variety to
the scene This mossy plant has a round stem, and is frequentl}'
tound creeping along the ground in woods that are moist and shady,
bemg some five or six feet in length. There are several greenhouse
varieties useful for ferneries and hanging-baskets, but they require con-
siderable moisture to grow well. The name signifies leveled or hori>
zontal wolf's-foot.

'T'HERE are fancies strangely bitter in tlie surge of this restless sea,

And hopes, and dreams, and memories, all rising mournfully;
The waves that are softly breaking, with stai-ry luster kissed,
Summon a host of phantoms out of the ocean-mist.

-a,r

Rfid.

pRIEV'ST thou that hearts should change?
^ Lo! where life reigneth
Or the free sight doth range,
What long remaineth?

Spring with her flowers doth die;

Fast fades the gilded sky;
And the full moon on high

Ceaselessly waneth. —Aiionvmot

pOME, now again thy woes impart,
^ Tell all thy sorrows, all thy sin;
We cannot heal the throbbing heart.
Till we discern the wounds within.

— Crabbc.

WIND-HARP

■ 'Neath Zephyr'

ivelled into perfect song
soft touch;

Boreas did it a grievous wrong,
For he smote it too much —

He smote it so rudely, its delicate chords

Wailed in musical pain.
Saying, in plaintive and mystical words,

" We accord not again ! "

—Ho-.vard Gh"

•50

'.m

#mm ^rieje*

Nyasa fllultitlora. Natural Order: Cortiacea; — Dogwood Family,

IS is a tall tree found throughout the United States, either

in woodlands or along the roadside, growing both in dry

and wet locations. The bark is of a light gray, and rough

or broken on the surface, and at the height of fifty feet or

yy». more is a fine head of large, glossy, dark-green leaves. Its

~y\ flowers are small and of a greenish color, blooming in clus-

teis The wood is much twisted and soft, but fine grained, and is

used in the manufacture of naves of wheels and hatters' blocks. One

of the species bears a small, blue fruit, which is the favorite food of

the opossum.

Jntl^nsis

\TO wild enthusiast ever vet could rest,

'Till half mankind were like himself possessed

'T'HE restless spirit charm'd thy sweet existence,
Making all beauteous in youth's pleasant maze,
While gladsome hope illumed the onward distance,
And lit with sunbeams thy expectant days.

— Willis c'cinrt.

YOUTH with swift feet
The land of joy

T GAZE upon the thousand stars
■^ That fill the midnight sky;
And wish, so passionately wish,
A light like theirs on high.

QHE caught th" illusion — blest his name,
*^ And wildly magnified his worth and fan
Rejoicing life's reality contained
One, heretofore, her fancy had but feigned.

walks onward in the way,
11 before his eyes.

—Afrs. Butler.

I have such eagerness of hope
To benefit my kind;

I feel as if immortal power
Were given to my mind.

Oh! the joy
Of young ideas painted on the mind.
In the warm, glowing colors fancy spreads
On objects not yet known, when all is new,
And all is lovely. —Hannah Moore.

r

?/2

itawfe^w^i^A.

C)icrariuiU (pTOlUniii. Natural Order: Composita — Aster Family.

FEW varieties of the Hawkweed from France and Italy are

to be found in our gardens. The blossoms of the cultivated

' jilints are 3'ellow, silvery, or red in color. The flowers of

the above native plant are yellow, and throughout Canada

J and the United States it is found in the woods in dry situa-

^j^'^tions. The stalk is about two feet high, and the blossom

PL -us during the months of August and September. The ancients

iposed this, as well as the other species, to strengthen the sight of

ids of piey. The classic name is derived from icrax, a hawk, on

account ot the properties ascribed to it.

TONG while I sought to what I might compare
-"-^ Those powerful eyes, which lighten my dark spirit,
Yet found I nought on earth to which I dare
Resemble the image of their goodly light. Spenser.

pREATURES there he of sight so keen and high
^ That even to the sun they bend their gaze;
Others who, dazzled by too fierce a blaze,
Issue not forth till evening vails the sky.

—Petrarch.

TJER lively looks
■^ ^ Quick as her e

iprightly mind disclose,
and as unfixed as those;
Favors to none, to all she smiles extends.
Oft she rejects, but never once oftends.

—Pope.

TTLS blazing eyes, like two bright shining fields,
Did burn with wrath, and sparkled living fire
As two broad beacons set in open fields
.Send forth their flames. Spenser.

■VTOUR hawkeyes are keen and bright.

Keen with triumph, watching still
To pierce me through with pointed light;
But oftentimes they flash and glitter
Like sunshine on a dancing rill.

TN her two eyes two living lamps did flame.

Kindled above, at the heavenly light.
And darting fiery beams out of the same.
So passing pearceant, and so wondrous bright.
That quite bereaved the rash beholders of their sight.
—.Spenser.

i

m

^^

:^atft*

1

^ricrt O^Orttta. Natural Order: Ericacece — Heath Family.

E tind but few Heaths among the plants of a mixed green-
house, as the idea prevails that they require a particular
■> atmosphere and condition of temperature to grow them
fl o w ell In Europe, houses are devoted exxlusiyely to their
,,if,.... The British Heaths grow in bleak and barren places,
'- md aie utilized b}^ the poorer class to thatch their cabins, who,
ike the poor of every nation, are driven by necessity to make use of
ill the gitts of nature, when they can so ill afford the gifts of art. The
most cherished Heaths come from Southern Africa, of which there are
several hundred in cultivation. Anyone who has torn a fern from its
pi ice in a wild retreat, has noticed its hair-like roots. This is the case
with the Heath: and a desideratum of its culture is that its roots must
never become dry. neither must it rest in sodden soil; for once dry, the
foliage becomes sere and brown bejond recovery, and too much water decays
the roots.

luHiubit.

QWEET, solitary life! lovely, dumb joy,

That need'st no warnings how to grow more wise
By other men's mishaps, nor the anno}-

Which from sore wrongs done to one's self doth rise ;
The morning's second mansion, truth's first friend.

Never acquainted with the world's vain broils.
When the whole day to our own use we spend.

And our dear time no fierce ambition spoils.

-Eayl of Arnnn,,.

p\II! to lie down in wilds apart,
^^ Where man is seldom seen or heard,
In still and ancient forests, where
Mows not his scythe, plows not his share,
With the shv deer and cooing bird!

To go, in dreariness of mood.

O'er a lone heath, that spreads
A solitude like a silent sea.
Where rises not a hut or tree.

The wide-embracing skv its bou

\!

i^ljemimm*

C)tlcniuill ailtumnalc. Natural Order: Compositce — Aster FaiitUy.

^'HIS plant is named for the celebrated Helen, a daughter of
Jupiter, who was so renowned for her beauty that she was
seized by Paris, son of Priam, and carried to Troy, thereb}-
causing the Trojan war. She is said to have "availed her-
self of its cosmetic properties." In medicine it is a tonic,
pioduces an insensible perspiration; and it is also made into
snufl foi medical use, which gives it the common name of Sneeze-
wDit It glows in low ground or moist places in fields and by-waj's,
w holh uncultn ated, having an herbaceous growth of from two to three
tLLt in height The plant blooms in August; the flowers are yellow.

ifars.

chaii

TIIHAT gem hath dropp'd, and sparkles o'er

The tear most sacred shed for others' pain,

That starts at once — bright, pure — from pity's mine,

Already polish'd by the hand divine. -Byron.

O AISE it to heaven, when thine eye fills with tears.

The bow of light; and from the invisible skies
Hopes glor\

B"f

I LEST tears of soul-felt penitence!
benign, redeeming flow-
Is felt the first, the only sense

Of guiltless jo}- that guilt may know!

B

ve through weeping eyes.
—Mrs. F. A. Butler.

UT these are tears of joy! to see you thus, has fill'd
My eyes with more delight than they can hold.

'yHANK God, bless God, all ye w^io sufter not
More grief than ye can weep for. That is well —
That is light grieving! lighter, none befell,
Since Adam forfeited the primal lot.
Tears! what are tears.' The babe weeps in its cot,

The mother singing, — at her marriage-bell
The bride weeps, — and before the oracle
Of high-faned hills, the poet has forgot
Such moisture on his cheeks.

— Elizabeth Barrett Broxvuittg.

'T^HOU weep'st: O stop that shower of falling sorrows,
*■ Which melts me to the softness of a woman,
And shakes my best resolves. —Trap.

itjel.i0ttr0|3-.e'.

Qcliotropium |]ciUinamim. Natural Order: BoraginacecE— Borage Family.

ELIOTROPE is a small and elegant shrub about two feet

gh, a native of Peru. The flowers bloom in clusters, and

e of a delicate lavender or purple tint, with the fragrance

vanilla, and are especially desirable for bouquets. It is

![^\^said that Clytie, who had been loved and deserted by

Apollo, seeing his attachment for her sister Leucothea,

;^|ir^ pined a\^a^, with her eyes gazing continually upon the sun, and was

'^nfcat last turned into a flower called Sunflower, or Heliotrope. The

name is derived from the Greek Helios, sun, and trefo, to turn. It

53^9 is also called Turnsole, from its turning to Sol, the Latin for sun.
It was introduced into France by Jessieu, about 1 740. There are
several other flowers that follow the course of the sun, the best
known being probably the common yellow Sunflower.

D

EVOTIOX'S self shall ste.il a thought IVotn heaven;
One human tear shall drop, and be forgiven.

—Pop,:

T GIVE thee prayers, like jewels strung
On golden threads of hope and fear;
And tenderer thoughts than ever hung
In a sad angel's pitying tear.

TN vain doth man the name of just expect
* If his devotions he to God neglect.

As earth pours freely to the sea

Her thousand streams of wealth u

So flows my silent life to thee.

Glad that its very sands are gold.

LOVE her for that loving trusi
That makes the one she loves
id faith that's blind in loving;

— Sir J. Denham.
A love that smiles away all tears,
And looks not way beyond these years,
To see what love is proving. _c. C. C

0

NE grain of incense with devotion offered
'S beyond all perfumes or Sabsan spices
one that proudly thinks he merits it.

— Maf:^inffer.

i^S

r

m

pjcU^lr^rje,

Cjclkborus niriMs. Natural Order: Raii!incuhtcci.v — Crowfoot Family.

EVERAL plants are known under the name of Hellebore, and
though belonging to different and distinct families, the}- all pos-
sess highly poisonous qualities, as the literal translation of their
botanical name would signify, " food of death," from the com-
> bination of two Greek words, eJcin, to cause death (literally to
'.^ take away), and bora, food. Though fatal in inexperienced
, hands, they are exceedingly useful in the hands of educated medical
men. The ancients were also well acquainted with their merits, as
^they used them for all " mental diseases, such as madness and idioc}',
the best growing on the island of Anticyra in the ^gean sea." This
variety is from Europe, is about three feet high, with large, nodding
flowers, and is grown as an ornamental plant.

inlu

mm

IVTOR might nor greatness in mortality

Can censure 'scape ; back- wounding calumny
The whitest virtue strikes; what king so strong

T^

— Sliakesfei

Can tie tlie gall up in the slanderous

'HE world with calumny abounds;
The whitest virtue slander wounds;
There are whose joy is, night and day, Whatever fruit tl"

To talk a character away. —Pope. The wasp

■fllHEN sland'rous tongue thy honor stings,
'* This solace give thee rest: —

m brings,
11 choose the best.

—G. A. Burger.

'T'HE ignoble mind

Loves ever to assail with secret bloM
The loftier purer beings of their kind.

f^.

VtO wound which warlike hand of enemy
■'■' Inflicts with dint of sword, so sore doth
As doth the poisonous sting which infamy

^W. G.Simms.

Infixeth in the name of noble wight;
For by no art, nor any leeches' might
It ever can received be again. —spen.

U^^

156

Si I

f

Itjemir.

lHauuabls satioa. Natural Order: Urtkacca—Xcttlc Family.

\ABIS (Greek and Latin for Hemp) is a common and

11 -known plant, naturalized in waste places in the United

itts. It came originally from Persia and the East Indies,

V wliLre the natives make an intoxicating beverage from it. In

ome States it is largely cultivated for the fiber of the stalks.

and when properly prepared is manufactured into the coarser

lades of toweling and ropes. It grows quite tall and erect, branching

Lsyat inter\als, having foliage that is sharply cleft and palmate, giving the

rill ^ whole plant a light, airy appearance. The flowers are green, and the

1^ -iceds are ciowded up and down the summits of the branches. It is

'^idk'*'^ \ei\ approjiriate for sowing along fences, and is admirable for forming

^\-^ sucen^ to --hut off unsightly objects in a rear yard. In the fall, the

.■¥i >>(.Lds attiait the dear little birds, which sometimes visit them in large

' flocks, ali^i the frost and late season have exhausted other sustenance.

Ital^

H

EA\''N from all creatures hides the book of late,
All but the page prescribed their present state.

'HE Fates but only spin
The finest of the wool

W"

\T fate imposes, men

It boots not to resis

both wind and tide
-Shakcsfmr,

'T'HY downcast looks, and thy disorder'd thoughts

Tell me my fate : I ask not the success
Mv cause has found.

OUPREME, all- wise, eternal Potentate!
^ Sole Author, sole Disposer of our fate.
Enthroned in light and immortality.
Whom no man fully sees, and none can see!

P.\TE, show thy force;
Wliat is decreed mus

Original of beings! Power divine!
.Since that I live, and that I think, is thine!
Benign Creator! let thy plastic hand
Dispose its own effect. —Mallliezi' Prior.

oin-selves we do not owe;
be; and be this so.

^

Sl0MBli0cfe,

1

^ltl)lta rOSta. Natural Order: Malvacccc — Mallovj Family.

n"\VP>EN the Hollyhocks of this generation and the unpre-

tuidiiig flower of our ancestors there is a marked difference.

1 oi inei ly its single blossoms used to cluster around the stalk

IS it grew beside the cabin of the early settler or mingled

\\ ith the humble flowers in the dooryard of the villager. The

fJ Ilollshock of today — how supurb! Ruffle after ruffle has it

dckd to Its rosette, so silky and soft, until it is full to repletion,

'and (.lose has it crowded them along its tall stem; step by step has

It <id\anced to the lawn, gaining admiration as it approached the acme

of its peifection. The colors of the blossoms are various. The plants

1^^^ look ^^ell giouped, or planted in rows, or arranged as a background

to lower-growing plants. It blooms the second year from the seed, or

can be propagated bj' dividing the root.

J^mliiiion*

A'

MBITION is an idol on whose wings
Great minds are carried only to extreme:

A

MBITION

dist:

A goodly prospect, tempting to the view;
The height delights us, and the mountain top
Looks beautiful because 'tis nigh to heaven.

B'

lE not with honor's gilded baits beguiled.
Nor think ambition wise, because 'tis bra\ e ;
For though we like it, as a forward child,
'Tis so unsound, her cradle is her grave.

— Sir W. Daveiwilt.

W

HO soars too near
Melts them; — to r

TITHERE ambition of place goes before fitn

Of birth, contempt and disgrace follow.

— Gforffe Cliafma

AMBITION is a

• sun, with golden wings,
his own fortune brings.

— SItakespearc.

"VrOU have deeply ventured,
^ But all must do so who would greatly

t\

That causes all the ebbs

i=;S

nd flows of nations

J

f^

'^■'f,

:0H|(*

1

3Uk aquifolium. Natural Order: Aqitifoliacca:— Holly Family.

SfLEX, signifying originally in Latin a species of oak, came

K>it.,j|fej^ finally to be appropriated as the botanical name of the Holh';

^'?>^ • ■£ . J?:hfC^and aquifolium, from the Latin words actis, a needle, and

*, '^^ n "w ^ folium, a leaf, has been added to designate its marked char-

'.•rl ' -^^ acteristic of sharp-pointed leaves. We have in the United

,nV^. ♦ •. * t ,^ States several species, some of which are shrubs from six to

,^|^ twelve feet in height, others attaining the size of trees. The leaves
^^vjfe are glossy and evergreen, the lower ones being armed with thorns.
^^1^ In autumn, bright red berries deck their branches. There are over a

^Tss, hundred varieties now cultivated in Europe, where they are all hardy,

^^^ and most of them of fine appearance. In this country in northern

^.j^ latitudes they nearly all require protection from the severity of the frost,

t'.jby a covering of some kind. The wood of the Ilex opaca is fine grained

and compact, and is useful in wood turning: some of the others possess

properties useful in medical science.

^[arcsig^l.

r

OVE

kiew these things with curious eyes,
And moralize;
And in tliis wisdom ot' the holly tree

Can emblems see
Wherewith, perchance, to make a pleasant rhyme,
One whicli may profit in the after-time.

Thus though abroad, perchance, I might appear And should my youth, as youth is apt, 1 know.
Harsh and austere Some harshness show,

To those who on my leisure would intrude. All vain asperities I, day by day,
Reserved and rude ; Would wear away,

Gentle at home amid my friends I'd be. Till the smooth temper of my age should be

Like the high leaves upon the holly tree. Like the high leaves upon the holly tree.

-Roheit Soullwy.

^J^^

IITALK boldly and wisely in that light thou hast

^* There is a hand .above will help thee on.

—BaiUy.

•59

J

r

gt0mjestf<

m

ii

Cuuavia biennis. Natural Order: Crucifcrce — Mustard Family.

UN ARIA, from the Latin hum, the moon, has two varieties:
Sjt the rediviva, a handsome perennial, with light-purple flowers,
"^ and rather rare in the United States; and the biennis, a large
biennial with lilac-colored flowers. Both are natives of Ger-
^ '>^ many, and received the name from the distinguished Swiss
' ~ ^ botanist, DeCandolle, on account of their transparent moon-
shaped silicles or pods, which are the most attractive feature of tlie
plant The name has a special appropriateness not altogether arising
liom the shape of the pods, which is more nearly oval, but from the
additional peculiarity of the silvcrv separating tissues or dissepiments.
As the silicles remain unchanged, they are quite an acquisition to a
winter bouquet if plucked and carefully dried in autumn.

'pAKE heed what you sav, sir!

^ An hundred honest men ! why, it" there were
So many i' th' city, 'twere enough to forfeit
Their charter. —Shirlcv.

AN honest man is still an unmov'd rock,
^ Wash'd whiter, but not shaken with the shock :
Whose heart conceives no sinister device;
Fearless he plays with flames, and treads on ice.

H"

IS words are bonds, his oaths are oracles;
love sincere, his thoughts immaculate;
His tears, pure messengers sent from his heart,
His heart as far from fraud as heaven from carl!

'O be honest, as this world goes.
Is to be one pick'd out of ten thousand.

—Sliakcspear

kl

honest soul is like a ship at sea

sleeps at anclior when the oceai
But when she rages, and the wind blows
He cuts his way with skill and majestv.

T'

-Beaumont and FU-tclia

'HE man who consecrates his hours
By vig'rous effort, and an honest aim.
At once he draws the sting of life and death;
He walks with nature, and her paths are peace.

,il

^

^i

flonjcjsmjcWje.

1?

iioniteia pcvidlllUClUUn. Natural Order: Cafrifoliacea: — Honeysuckle Family.

^'iiffc Other blosso

" F the numerous varieties of this beautiful climbing shrub, the

one called periclymenum, or Woodbine, is perhaps the most

Lommon. The name is deri\ed from the German naturalist

Adam Lonicer, or Lonitzer. Its delicate flowers are so laden

. 7 with sweets that they attract that little opalescent jewel of a

^i humming-bird more frequently from his hiding-place than any

o\er which it floats like the spirit of another and more

gorgeous

flower. For a number of jears there have been several

very desirable imported plants of this species in cultivation. The Tar-

1^::^ tarian is from Russia, having either delicate purple or white flowers;

the Lonicera Japonica, a tribute from China, has yellow blossoms; and

3 able to vie with either is our own Coral Honeysuckle — bright, brilliant

and fragrant.

Ptjnbs of Jtrn^.

"ITTHOSE heart is at rest, he alone is a lover:

'^' The winters shall change not, the storms leave unshaken,
Whose love shall endure, though all blossoms be taken.
Whose love shall endure when earth's durance is over.
Whose love shall enfold, though the world have forsaken.

-Edv:,rd Ellis.

QEE the honevsuckle twine
^ Round this casement; — "tis
Where the heart doth incense
Aud the pure att'ections live
In the mother's gentle breast
By her smiling infant press'd.

B'

-Countess of li/t-ssiiiffto.

(ECAUSE of this, ma Mlc,
Thou knowest how richly w
worship till death's ending serves and
Thou knowest, because of this.
To have thee means all bliss,
anguish were to miss, to mourn, to

— Eiffor

■ell

sues thee.

lose

thee!

^TILL r
^ To be

'• captive, y>
bondsman

thoughts
; libertv.

'T*HE hummi
^ In rainbow

ng-bird, with busy wmg,
beauty moves.

Above
And

trumpet-blossom floats.
; the tube he loves.

—Caro/itte Gihnait

m

1

m^p.

C)UimilU5 lupulus. Natural Okdku: Urticacece — Nettle Family.

^

I LI/1 D mainly in brewing, the Hop is a coarse, though
ui)My,htly, vine, which has been named Humulus from the
im liu •lilts, the ground, because of its tendency to creeping,
\ ss pi operly supported. It is cultivated for its fertile catkins,
i\hn.h are of great importance in the manufacture of beer
V md de, as they tend to preserve and give body to those
v^ hquuK 1 he stem is an annual, decaying every fall, and springing
ag iin U om tin. ground in the spring. It grows to a great length, and
sun, from east to west. It is cul-
ts of the country, and in the fall

'V^ twines around Us supports with th^

^^ tnated in laige fields in various p

rfi^ cdlb togethei laige concourses of laborers who are paid a certain sum

O P*-' Pol^ to gather the hops, which is done usually amid great hilarity.

TJ E "S poor, and that 's suspiciou> — lie 's unknown,
*- *■ And that 's defenceless; true, we have no proof
Of guilt — but what hath he of innocence? —Byron.

A FINE and slender net the spider weaves,
-' *■ Which little and slight animals receives;
And if she catch a summer bee or fly.
They with a piteous gi-oan and niurmui- die;

But if a wasp or hornet she entrap.

They tear her cords, like Samson, and escape;

.So, like a fly, the poor oft'ender dies;

But like the wasp the rich escapes, and flies

-Dcnimi

T N the corrupted currents of this world,
*■ Oftense's gilded hand may shove by justic
And oft 'tis seen, tlie wicked prize itself
Buvs out tlie law. —Slinkti

JUSTICE is lame, as well as blind, amongst us; T TNHEARD, the injured orphans now compl;

The laws, corrupted to their ends that make them, *- The widow's cries address the throne in v

Serve but for instruments of some new tyranny. Causes unjudged disgrace the loaded file.

That every day starts up t' enslave us deeper. And sleeping laws the king's neglect revile.

—Ohvay. —Pric

i6z

Moxsit ®li«st«ttt,

;^CSCUlus Ijippocastanum. Natural Order: Sapindacece — Soapberry Family.

^\

L 1 1 .idniired for its beautiful tbliage, the Horse Chestnut
•> nlal^l^• cultivated for the shade it affords. Its name in
^«oui \-ernacular is an exact translation from the Greek
ot the latter half of the scientific name; and ^-Esculus,
.lom the Latin csca, food, was originally applied to a spe-
> (.iLs of oak, and probably to other like trees with edible
^ acoln^ 01 nuts The flowers are white, marked with pink and yel-
low It IS ot \ery rapid growth, and reaches the height of thirt}'
'■i^ oi foit\ feet 111 a few years. The tree is a native of the northern
!>' pai t ot the Asiatic continent. There is a similar tree, called the
Esculus glabia (smooth), found in Ohio and other western States,
^uierall} known by the name of Buckeye. The nuts are an irreg-
ulai, lounded shape, and a rich brown in tint. They are more or
less injuuous to all animals except deer.

Jurur^*

T

HE.SE thoughts he strove to bury in expense.
Rich meats, rich ^vines, and vain magnificence.

r\ LUXURY! thou curs'd bv heaven's decree.
^How ill-exchang'd are things hke these for thee!
How do thy potions, with insidious jov.
Diffuse thy pleasures only to destroy!

r.

shame that n1.^n, that has the seeds
Of virtue in him, springing unto glory.
Should make his soul degenerous with sin,
And slave to luxurv.

-Mannv.

'ELL luxury! more perilous to youth

Than storms or ciuicksands, poverty or chains

■flTAR destroys men, but luxury mankind

.\t once corrupts ; the body and the mind.

BUT just di:
And eVrv

"T^I.S use alone that sanctifies expens
And splendor borrows all her ray

163

-Haimah

More

disease t

-. luxu

cceed

■>,

•ry death

its o\\

n av

enger

breeds
-Pope.

from sen

-Pope.

-=^s3S

0cmf)Cfnlnum tcrtciiuni. Natural Order: Crassulacece— Orpine Family.

^^^'ARIOUS peculiar shapes are assumed by this and other
plants of the same class. Some grow erect like the com-
mon Orpine or Live-forever, while the Houseleek assumes
the shape of a rosette, each thick, pointed leaf arranged in the
'most sj'mmetrical order, all being so hardy that they survive the
most adverse treatment; growing in poor soil, or even on walls or
• housetops. Its name literally denotes, in Latin, the always ali\e of
roofs. The Echeveria, a native of California and Mexico, is the
handsomest of the family, as the leaves are co\ered with a tine
bloom, such as one sees on the cheek of a plum or a cluster of
reshl_\ -plucked grapes. The blossoms of some are scarlet, others
ire \ ellow. IManv of them are most excellent tor the Ax\ air of the
'sittmg-room, and do not require as much attention as most other house
or conservatory plants.

H

ER merry fit she freslilv 'gan to r
And did of joy and jollity devise,

Herself to cherish and her guest to cheer.

-Spen.

'T'HE long carousal shakes th' illumined ha
^ Well speeds alike the banquet and the bal
And the gay dance of bounding beauty's trail
Links grace and harmony in happiest chain.

'T>HE seasons all had charms for

'^ She welcomed each with joy ;

The charm that in her spirit liv'd

No changes could destroy.

t

'yEACH me half the gladness
That thy brain must know
Such harmonious madness
From my lips would flow,
n\A should listen then, as I am lis

m

C)01)a larilOSa. NATriJAi, Order: Asclc-piadacece — Alilk-wecd Family.

K I'^P^N HOUSES, conservatories and parlors in our latitudes

L^lull}' give shelter to these beautiful vines, which are indig-

' muLs to the warmer regions of India. It has been called

ll'i\a in lionor of T. Hoy, an English florist, and carnosa

tioiii the Latin caro, flesh, because of its thick, fleshy leaves.

"^ Tile branches are twining, and need a support to keep them

upright position. The leaves are of an oval shape, terminating

'w^^ Kt) in a sharp point, and are beautiful and attractive in themselves, havinrj

y i^o ''^ t'i<^ appearance of green wax: and the flowers, which bloom in dense

'O stands the statue that enchants the \vorld,
80 bending tries to veil the matchless boast,

The mingled beauties c

'yO famed Apelles, when joung Amnon broughl

The darling idol of his captive heart,

And the pleased nymph with kind attention sat,

To have her charms recorded bv his art.

— Wa//er.

ig Greece.

—T/iomJixmi.

AN hard and unrelenting she
As the new-crusted Niobe,
Or, what doth more of statue carry,
A nun of the Platonic qu.irrv.

^ \\'hich ne'er had be

sXIES and notions he pursues, A/f ^' share in pale Pvrene I resign,

)ut in thought: ■'•'^ And claim no part in all the mighty

Each, like the Grecian .irtist, wooes .Statues with winding ivy crown'd belong

The ini.age he himself has wrought. To nobler poets, for a nobler song.

1

m^ V"" umbels, are supremely beautiful, being waxy in texture, and in color a

most delicate rose-flushed white. The old flower-stems should not be

-'iSl£?~ I'emoved, as they bloom year after year. There is a variety that has

■^ a pale-\ellow or \\'hitish margin to the leaf It does not require a rich

soil. It has the habit, when well growing, of starting out its vine sometimes a

vard or more before the leaves make their appearance, and care should be taken

not to break these naked stems, as they are rather tardy in growing again.

i6s

^^?

^^m

^1?

Pjisucittt*,

C)l)aciutl)US oricntalis. Natural Order: Liliacece—Lily Family.

one is familiar witli tlie Hyacinth, which is a great
,orite and is \ery generally culti\-ated, both in the house
and garden. The bulb is large and purple, having several
lanceolate leaves which stand erect. The flower-stalk is about
'^j.^Sstwice the height of the leaves, and beautified with many bell-
like blossoms, varying in color in the different varieties. It is
--.iid to have received its name from Hyacinthus, a boy beloved b)'
Apollo, and with whom he was playing quoits, when Zeph3'rus, who
also loved the j^outh, becoming jealous and enraged, "blew the quoit
which Apollo had cast against the head of Hyacinthus, thereby caus-
ing his death." Apollo then changed his blood into the above flower.
It is a native of the Levant, but has long been cultivated in Europe
and America.

I^hIous^.

pElIOLD the blood which late the grass had dy'd,
^ Was now no blood; from which a flower lull hlo'
Far brighter than the Tyrian scarlet shone,
Which seem'd the same, or did resemble right
A lily, changing but the red to white. —Ovid.

T)UT there are storms
glare —

ihose

jhtn

i-er

Tempests, w-hose thunders neyer cease to ro
The storms of love when madden'd to despair -
The furious tempests of the jealous soul.

— Isaac C/asoii.

■pOUL jealousy! that turnest love divine

To joyless dread, and mak'st the loving heart

With hateful thoughts to languish and to pine.
And feed itself with self-consuming smart:
Of all the passions in the mind thou vilest art.

-Spen.

r\ JEALOU.SV! thou merciless destroyer,
^^ Moi-e cruel than tlie grave! what ravages
Does thy wild war make in noblest bosoms!

-MalM.

A.S envy pines at good possessed,
So je.ilousy looks forth distressed
On good that seems approaching;

And if success his steps attend,
Discerns a rival in a friend.
And hates him for encroaching.

i

•M^

\}

pnHramnjea.

flU^l■allC^ca f)Ortcnsia. Natural Order: Saxifrag-acccc — Saxifraoc Family.

ROM the circumstance that much water is demanded for its

jr* sustenance, this plant has been called Hydrangea, from the

j?^Gieek iidor, water, and aggvs, a pail. It was called Hortensia

b_\ the French botanist, Commerson, in honor of his friend,

v^ Madame Hortense Lapeaute. This species is supposed to be

i>,a native of China. Its stem is from one to three feet high,

haMug large, oval leaves. The flowers, which continue in

bloom toi several months, are at first green, passing through the

\aiious hues of straw-color, sulphur, \ellow, white, purple, and pink.

Tliey are said to bloom best in a rather shady location, as they

become blasted or scorched by the extreme heat of the sun.

■AKE up
Lest sooi

more than you by worth can claim;
you prove a bankrupt in your fame.

no spal
^ Vaun

ke the apostate angel, though in pain
ting aloud, but rack'd with deep despair
—Millon.

TTTE rise in glory, as we sink in pride;
• * Where boasting ends, there dignity begins.

ds,

pONCEIT, more rich in matter than

^ Brags of his substance, not of ornament :

They are but beggars that can count their wortl

'T'HIS self-conceit is a most dangerous shelf,
•*■ Where many have made shipwreck unawai

He who doth trust too
Can never fail to fal

luch unt
in many

snares.
—Earl of Sterlhle.

■p\RAWN by conceit from reason's plan,
^ How vain is that poor creature, man!
How pleas'd in ev'ry paltry elf
To prate about that thing, himself

IITHAT art thou.' Have not I
^^ An arm as big as thine.' a heart as big.'
Thy words, I grant, are bigger; for I wear not
My dagger in my mouth. —Slinh-speare.

167

p||0S0|r,

are the pure! Would'st thou be blest?

spotted soul. Would'st thou find rest?
Around thy toils and cares He'll breathe a calm,
And to thy wounded spirit lay a balm :
FroiTi fear draw love, and teach thee where to seek
Lost strength and grandeur with the bowed and meek.

BLEST are

pAST my heart's gold
^ And if it comes not

I'll be a bankrupt to thy hope.
Shall shut its gates on me.

into the furnace flame,
thence reiined and pure.

SHE
In

grew a sweet and sinless child,

sun and shadow, calm and strife —

rainbow on the dark of life,

love's own radiant heaven down smiled.

^ROM purity of thought all pleasure springs,
And from an humble spirit all our peace.

TIKE bright metal on a sullen ground.

My reformation, glittering o'er my fault,
Shall show more goodly, and attract more eyes,
Than that which hath no foil to set it off.

— Shakespeare.

IITASH me with thy tears! draw nigh me,

That their salt may purify me!
Thou remit my sins, who knowest
All the sinning, to the lowest.

—From the Greek (trans, by E. B. Bro-.fing').

"lOs^^-

ArET time serves, wherein you may redeem

\o\w banished honors, and restore yourselves
Into the good thoughts of the world again. - Shakesfea
1 68

1

CjnSSOpuS otTldnalis. Natural Order: Lablata: — Mitit Fa

'URING the Jewish dispensation the Israelites used this plant

their purifications (Exodus xii, 22). It is found in abun-

"dance on the hills of Palestine near Jerusalem. It is about

'two feet high, with a bushy stalk, an aromatic smell, and a

pungent taste. The common species is a native of Europe. It

landsome plant, having bright blue flowers and delicate leaves.

|lp It is usually culti\ated for its medicinal properties. The name of this

W^ plant is deri\-ed from the Hebrew ezub, through the Greek iissopos.

|ce*flattt.

lilIrSCmbinantl)CllUllU crjlStallilUUn. Natural Ohder: Mcscmhryacca-
Ice-Plant Family.

OT a little curious and attractive, this plant has its foliage

'*i\ntiiely covered with protuberances about the size of grains

\ ot iiarle}-, that appear like the most transparent ice, whence

IS called crystallinum ; the other part of its scientific name,

lom the Greek, denotes Midday Flower. The branches

'^.^-'^ .ue trailing, from ten to twelve inches in length, and pro-

t'-"- (UuL white flowers during the whole summer. It is from Greece.
Thcie ha\e been some new varieties introduced from the Cape of
i\/<\Tji („)ocl Hope, that are adapted for conservatory culture, the flowers
s^Jftj/^of which are yellow, purple, purple and pink, and purple and white
^^^ (.onibined They require very little moisture in winter, once or
twice a month being sufficient, but the quantity should be increased
to a geneious allowance when the blossoms begin to appear. The
ditleient \arieties, of which there are several hundred, have quite a
di\cisit\ of foliage.

/^H, she is colder than the mountain's snow
^ To such a subtle purity she 's w rought,
She "s pray'd and tasted to a walking though

4

N'

rO dews of love can warm the iceberg heart,
Or melt the Alpine snows upon her breast;
E'en flowers cease to spread their leaves ajiart.
If by her chilling foot they 're prest.

'pHO.SE glani
-'- The frosty

vork on me like the weak shine
throws on the Appenine,
When the hills' active coldness doth go near
To freeze the glimmering taper to his sphere.

The sculptur'd beauty of her marble face

Is chill and cold as e'er was marble stone;

Those veinlets blue, that o'er her temples trace,
Are like a springlet from a glacier thrown.
— C. H. T.

pANST thou no kindly ray impart,
^' Thou strangely beauteous one.'
Fairer than fairest work of art.
Vet cold as sculptured stone!

-Bt'aumojit.

^KSs*

169

r

vlbutiloil !~luiccinur. Xatikai. Orpkh: Ma/vacciv — Mal/ow Family.

^V.ESIDENTS bv natural selection of the warmer latitudes, the
Mallows bear the colder climates with an easy adaptability to
i f'^ltcni.umstances, and ta\'or us with their flowers without stint.
The plant, as the name indicates, is a native of the East and
West Indies, growing about the height of the hollj-hock, hav-
^i ing broad, velvety leaves, and producing flowers about an inch
across, the color of which is yellow. Another species of Abutilon, adapted
^only to house or conservatory growth, is a shrub from Brazil, growing
several feet in height, with broad, palmate leaves, and handsome, bell-
shaped flowers of yellow, curiously veined with a dark red. Planted in
the ground in the greenhouse, the trunk becomes several inches in thick-
ness, but can accommodate itself to limited quarters in pot culture. To
bloom well it must have the sun. The origin of the name Abutilon is
unknown; Avicenna was a celebrated Arabian physician and philosopher
of the middle ages.

Jlslimalictn.

QHE attracts me dail(
^ So soft, and beautit"

plant of hasty growth,
Tho' planted in esteem's deep-fixed soil,
The gradual culture of kind intercourse
Must bring it to perfection. —Joanna Baillk.

vith her gent
and heavenl

•pRIENDSHIP

H'

OW much to be .
On whom we can ahvays
Our jovs, when extended, wil
And griefs, when divided, are

Hillhojise.

priz'd and esteem'd is a friend,
th safety depend !
dways increase.

lush d mto peace.
-Mrs. Margaret Smith.

'T'HOU gav'st me that the poor do give the poor,

^ Kind words and holy wishes, and true tears;
The loved, the near of kin, could do no more.

Who changed not with the gloom of varying years,
But chmg the closer when I stood forlorn.
And blunted slander's dart with their indignant scorn.

1

m

3^

|:^3c>mice^.

Ouamoclit milqaris. Xatukal Order: Co)2vohulaceiC — Convolvulus Family.

\MOCLIT (an aboriginal Mexican name) is a vine of deli-
L itL cind air\- appearance, its leaves being small and feather-
H«.- like, and the stem slender, growing to about eight or ten
Lt in length. The flowers are small but beautifully bril-
liant, and very abundant. One or two new variedes have
'appealed, introducing both white and pink, which, combined
with the Lumson or scarlet, produce a pretty effect when trained
^'"^upon a tielhs oi other support. The seeds are somewhat difficult of
1* geimination, and should be soaked in warm water for a short time
'before planting, otherwise they are apt to decay before sprouting. This
vine passes varioush' under the names Ipomoea (from the Greek, and
signifying, like the ips, a vine worm), Quamoclit, and Cypress Vine,
and is nearly related to the morning glories and others passing under
the general name of Convolvulus.

%\\ni\vx%w\.

SVT golden p.icllc
From soul to sc

s on truth's
o'er all the

be callous
Id leaps or

IS ye will,
electric thrill.

-LovM-n.

/^H! there is one affection which no stain
^^ Of earth can ever darken; when two find.
The softer and the manlier, that a chain

Of kindred taste has fastened mind to mind :

^u.

but human lo'
near divine,
That my heart clings
Even to life like m

'Tis an attraction fi-om all sense refined ;
The good can only know it; 'tis not blind.
As love is unto baseness; its desire
Is but with hands entwin'd to lift our being higher.
-Pcrcival.

-: full heart reveal
o\ e it would conceal.

— Coleridere.

Love is sweeter far than rest —

That alone I know —
And the soul that loves me best

Will not let me go.

—Mary B. Datlffe.

w

l\

^^^

M

g^jcimjcipsis

&i\a COrOHOpitolia. Natural Ordek: Polcmoniacccc — Pole

Familv.

1 L \USE of its finely pinnatifid foliage, nearly resembling the

t\p:ess vine, this plant used to be, and perhaps is still, in

some localities, called Standing Cypress; but it belongs to

• mothei class of plants. It is a handsome plant, though not

1 blooming until the second year. Seeds should be sown ever}-

spiing for the ne.xt year's blooming, as should be done with

ill bicnnialb, m older to have them every summer. The first year, the

Ipomopsis rests like a tuft of finely-cut leaves close to the ground, and

v^ should be iemo\ed and kept in sand free from moisture and hard frost,

oi, il kit in the ground, the soil must be well drained, as they are liable

^^ to deL^^ with much dampness. The second year, the stalk rises and

branches, covering itself with thread-like foliage, while its tubular flowers

of scarlet, yellow, or rose, surround its stems for a foot or more.

H'

5 jumped the brook, he has cHinbed the knowe,
There 's never a faster loot, I know.
But still he seems to tarry. —SiJiuv Dobell.

■pE not long, tor
-D Exquisite inter'

the tedious minutes,
, I'm on the rack:
For sure the greatest evil man can know.
Bears no proportion to this dread suspense.
—Fm

0':

nnpatience gams upon my soul
Wlien the long-promis'd hour of joy draws near;
How slow the tardy moments seem to roll.
What specters rise of inconsistent fear.

—Mrs. Tighe.

r\ THAT man might know

The end of this day's business, ere it come!
But it sufficeth that the day will end.
And then the end is known. —Slmkesfcarc.

s°

tedious Is this dav,

is the night before some festival
To an impatient child that liath new rolji
And mav not wear them. —Shaken

AND

there are hearts that watch and wait
For those who toil upon the shore:
Their welcome footstep at the gate

Is heard — ah! nevermore! —Grorge Cooper.

\!

■^,

%v%&.

3v'\5 Samluuiua. Xaturai. Order: Iridacav—Iris Family.

"*' LANTS of this order are chiefly natives ol the Cape of

(iKod Hope; but the above species, sambucina (elder-scented),

unl some others, are natives of the southern part of Europe,

and are quite common in our own gardens. There are three

_^ other \arieties of the Iris which are very pretty. The first

'^^y" ' "-vtjMs a tall plant from the Le\ant, with sulphur-yellow flowers;

'the seLond is from China, being a small plant with striped flowers;

,and the Dwaif Iris, which is often used for the borderings of garden

\ alks. as It blooms earlv in spring. Orris root is manufactured from

''the loot ol the Iris florentina, and has a fragrance resembling violets.

It is used in various dentritices, and to perfume the breath.

Esscngcr.

ACIl
To

)ress'd, and open every
ijings, though they no

ol

'T'HE rabble gather round th.
^ And listen with their mouths wide open : some
Tell, some hear, some judge of news, some make it.
And he that lies most loud is most believed.

-DryJe,,.

T ET nie hear from thee b;
Of thy success in love
Bttideth here, in absi

Y"

first bringer of unwelcome news
Hath but a losing office; and his tongi:
Sounds ever after as a sullen bell,
Remember'd knoHing a departing friend.

— Shakespmr

.■e; and what news
of thv friend.

else

H

E whi^tles as he goes, light-hearted wi
Cold and yet cheerful ; messenger of
haps to thousands, and of joy to some
him indifferent whether grief or joy.

TRLS there, with humid bow,

Waters the odorous banks that
Flowers of more mingled hue
Than her purpled scarf can show.

—Co-.vfer.
r^ IVE to a gracious message
^ An host of tongues; but lei
Themselves, when they be felt.

ill tidings tell
— X/iaie.s/airt:

^

C)tllCia l)clii'. Natural Order: Ara/iacdc — Ginseng Family.

i€a:>22^\

9

li

^^ ^ ^4- :

■^i^

\ Y is an evergreen vine, native of Great Britain, and attains
the lieight of forty or fifty feet, sustaining itself by tults of
libers, which insert themselves into the crevices of the walls
that support it. Hedera is its old Latin name, and helix in
Greek and Latin signifies twisted. After having grown to its
utmost height, its climbing character ceases, " the leaf changes
iioin <i pcJmate to a lengthened oval shape; it then forms a bush two
oi thiee feet high, surmounted by an abundance of branches of inter-
tstmg gicenish flowers" that bloom in October. They frequently attain
a gieat age. One is mentioned by De Candolle as being four hundred
and thiit} -three years old, which measured six feet in circumference at
the base, covering a surface of over seventy square yards with its hand-
some foliage. It was used among the Greeks to decorate their heroes and
poets, and also as a crown to Bacchus, although he is represented at other
times crowned with grape leaves as the god of wine.

QHE clung to him with woman's love,
^ Like ivy to the oak,
While on his he.-id, with crushing force.
Earth's chilling tempest broke.

T^AST he stealeth on, though he wears no wings.

And a staunch old heart has he!
How closely he tvvineth, how tight he clings

To his iricnd, the huge oak tree!
And slily he trailcth along the ground.

And his leaves he gently waves.
And he joyously twines and hugs around
The rich mould ot" dead men's graves,

Creeping where n
A rare old plant

ife is seen,

T HAD a

A I was 1

friend th:

he liv'd not but in me;
We were so close within each other's breast
The rivets were not found that join'd us first.
—Dryo

'74

^

i

^^

lasmilUlllt offutnak. Natural Order: yasmiiiacciC — yasmiiic Family.

IllTE JASMINE is a splendid shrub, climbing on supports
I .1 JKMi^ht of tilteen or twent}' feet, and is much used in
' Euiope tor the covering of arbors and trellises. It is not
sutliciently hardy to endure the winters of our Northern
Mates \\ ithout the protection of a wall or other building to
defend it tiom the fierce breath of the ungenial north wind,
rs are beautiful and fragrant, and their praises have been beau-
Lord Morpeth (afterward earl of Carlisle), who says:

■'I ;isk not, while I ntar thee dwc

Arabia's spice or Syria's rose;

Tliy bright festoons more freshly

Thv viri;in white more freshlv

There is in the tropical parts of the United States a tine Jasmine with beautiful
yellow blossoms, that is hea\-il3- laden with delightful perfume. It is now culti-
vated in all warm climes, but was unknown in Europe until 1560, when it was
introduced by the Spaniards from the East.

^miatiiiii^.

ing jessiiniine and blushing rose

ivish grace their morning scents disclose.

-Pr,

AND oft whe
• In after ye
He pictured hi:

from that scorching shore,
.rs those odors came,
green cottage door,

Far,

The shady porch and window frame,

TTOW lovelily the jasmine flower

Blooms far from man's observing eye
And having lived its little hour,

There withers, — there sequester'd dies!

\- across the loam :
The very jasmine-flower that crept
Round the thatched roof about his home
Where she he loved then safely slept.
-Miller

Though faded, yet 'tis not forgot;

A rich perfume, time cannot sever.
Lingers in that unfriended spot.

And decks the jasmine's grave forever.
-Ryau

m

ilunifiCl" communis. Natural Order: Conifcra: — Pine Family.

fjf^ f UNIPER belongs to an order which is among the most useful to

-i^minkind, not only for the lumber which they yield, but also lor
T** ' ■' . ' . . .

the medicinal properties which lie in their resinous juices. The

\. Juniper inhabits hills, dry woods and groves, and is about eight

"^ feet high. The berries do not ripen until the second year after

the blossom; they are sometimes used in medicine. The Juniper

w ^s toi merly dedicated to Meg£era, Tisiphone and Alecto, the three

d m^hters of Nox and Acheron, who ministered the vengeance of

^ the gods. They were called bj' the Greeks, Erinnyes and Eumen-

Tides md bv the Romans, Ferria' and Dira;.

J^s^Ium,

'HE night, at least, with mt- Ibrge
Chestnuts, and cin-ds, and cream

vour care;
shall be your fare.

-Dry del

Hi:

knocked, was welcomed in, none asked his name

T^HEREIN
^ Not with

But he was beckoned to the stranger
Right side the chimney fire of blazin

peat.
—CamfWll.

he them full fair did entertain,
such forged shows as fitter been
F"or courting fools, that courtesies would fainc.
But with entire aflection and appearance plain.

H

I thought them folks that losi
And ask'd them civilly to sta

thei)

H'

as known to all the •
heir wanderings but

•agrant
reliev'c

tram,
their

'l"he long-remembered beggar was his guest.
Whose beard descending swept his aged breast.
The ruined spendthrift, now no longer proud,

Claimed kindred there and had his claim allowed ;
The broken soldier, kindly bade to stay.
Sate by his fire and talked the night away;
Wept o'er his wounds, or tales of sorrow done,
Shoulder'd his crutch and show'd ho\v fields were
won. —Goldsmith.

'T^HE man their hearty welcome first express'd,

A cominon settle drew for either guest,
Inviting each his weary limbs to rest.

176

-Drydei

^

gmsticiE

iJustina caviica. Natural Okder: AcanthacciV — Acanthus Family.

LL the Justicias are half-shrubby plants from the tropical

portions of the world, some of which are kept in the hot-

■' house, and others, though few, in the greenhouse. The

Justicia carnea has flowers of a flesh-colored tint, with many

■2^ in bloom at one time, which appear successively for a long

' -'j ^"^season. Justicia coccinea has scarlet blossoms which make

their appearance during mid-winter, continuing until spring. There

are some four or five other varieties, and all are fine plants. To

make them fine, healthy specimens, they require a strong light, or to

be kept near the glass, in moderately large pots, well drained.

^[Ema^ Jouclin

ESS.

H

ER form was fresher than the morning rose
When the dew wets its leaves; unstained and pure
is the lily, or the mountain snow. —Thompson.

N°::

vonder that cheek, in its beautv transcendant,
Excelleth the beautv of others by far;
No wonder that eye is so rich and resplendent.
For your heart is a rose, and your soul is a star.
— Mr^. Osgood.

T

HOU art beautiful, young lady

For few have borne, unconsciously
The spell of loveliness.

'T*HE fairness of her face no tongue car

For she the daughters of all woman
And angels eke in beautie doth excel.

- Spens,

w

w";

IL

HAT'S female beauty, but an air divine,
Through which the mind's all gentle grace
shine.'
•, like the sun, irradiate all between;
body charms, because the soul is seen.

A LAVISH planet reign'd when she was born,
■'*■ And made her of such kindred mould to heav'n.
She seems more heav'n's than ours. —Lee.

M 177

approach

Her loveliness, so absolute she seems

And in herself complete, so well to know

Her own, that what she wills to do or say

Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best.

—Milton.

r

g:jemmjell||ii<

Kc^nc^l1a lllOllopljnlla. Natural Order: Lcgiiniiiiosic — Pitlsc Family.

HENNEDYA, a native of New South Wales, is found in the
conservatory or greenhouse, occupying a prominent position
among the beautiful climbers, some of the species, however,
being as yet quite rare. The commonest variety has either blue
1 crimson flowers. There are others with scarlet, purple, and
iiL- with nearly black, flowers. They grow readily from seed,
i^h should be soaked in warm water previous to planting, and
be grown in pots, or placed in the ground when the weather is
and settled. The pots should be well drained.

ALL higher knowledge in lier presence falls

Degraded, wisdom in discourse with her
Loses discount'nanced, and like foil}' shows.

—Milton.

Ill ARK her majestic fabric! she 's a temple
•'■'^ Sacred by birth, and built bj hands divine
Her soul 's the deity that lodges there ;
Nor is the pile unworthy of the god. —Drydc

w

HAT 'S the brow,
Or the eye's luster, or the step of air.

Or color, but the beautiful links that chain
The mind from its rare elements. —Willis.

'T'HINK of her worth, and think that God did mean
This worthy mind should worthy things embrace;
Blot not her beauties with th_y thoughts unclean.
Nor her dishonor with thy passion base. —Sir J. Davies.

ind alone, (bear witness earth and heaven !) .Sit paramount the graces; here enthron'd.

The living fountai
Of beauteous and subli

in itself cont;
■; here, hand

cstial Venus,
ites the soul

A MIND of broad and vigorous scope,
A penetration quick and keen,
An insight into things unseen,
A liberal dower of faith and hope.

-KaU 7. Hill.
,7s

^i

^

gnAf^s ^liw^r.

y

(finjjripcMuiU pubrSCCns. Natural Order: Orchidacav — Orchis Family.

OST of these plants delight in damp, marshy ground, revel-
ing beside brooks, bending over springs, hiding in the
^csborders of woods, and sporting on the boundless
airie; dancing to the music of the wind or the rippling
water with as much grace and ease as Terpsichore herself.
^ ^i'" Some of the blossoms of the species found in the western
oods are very large, especially the above variet}', which will
>ld at least two tablespoonfuls of fluid, and is of a bright j-ellow
coloi, with dark, spots within the aperture. The shape is sim-
J5>^ ilai to the blossoms of the Calceolarias of the greenhouse — that
like a pouch or bag.

litkbit

t%%.

V

'HEY know how fickle common lovers are,
Their oaths and vows are cautiously believed,
For lew there are but have been once deceived.

—Dryde

TIKE conquering tyrants you our breasts invade,
Where you are pleased to ravage for a while:
But soon you find new conquests out, and leave
The ravag'd province ruinate and bare.

INCONSTANT as the passing wind.

As winter's dreary trost unkind;
To fix her, 'twere a task as vain
To count the April drops of rain.

OEPROVE me not that still I change
^'- With every changing hour.
For glorious nature gives me leave
In wave, and cloud, and flower.

Yon soft, light cloud, at morning hour.
Looked dark and full of tears:

At noon it seemed a rosy flower —
Now gorgeous gold appears.

w

■y trom ourser
know we in c

So yield I to the deepening light
That dawns around my way;

Because you linger with the night.
Shall I my noon delay.

—Frances S. Osgood.

■ each day in mind,

selves, ourselves to find. —Heath.

- ■ fcj^

ga'fcje^fl0iiajer<

£ininantl)Cimini lacimosa. Natluial Ordeh: Gcntianacecv — Gentian Family.

ins is a curious water plant, usually found in stagnant ponds
or quiet lakes, or even in rivers where the water has set
back in some hollow on its shore, and where the current
fails to stir its sleepy stillness. The leaves float on the sur-
face, the stems always accommodating their length to the
depth of the water. The flowers are small and white, from
half to three-quarters of an inch broad, and arranged in the form
an umbel, appearing one at a time on the top of the water and
g. It is sometimes called Floating Heart, and is found most
|uently in the States bordering on the Atlantic. Its botanical
ne is from the Greek lininc, a lake or pool, and mitheiiioii, a
wer; the Latin laciinom added, merely reduplicates the idea of
i^ pond or marsh. There are at present but nine species enumerated.

TTOW much they err, who, to their interest bUnd,

SHght the cahn peace which from retirement flows!
And while they think their fleeting joys to bind,
Banish the tranquil bliss which heav'n for man design'd.

—Mrs. Tight.

dwt

■PVEAR solitary groves where peac

Sweet harbors of pure love and innoccui
How willingly could I forever stray

strear

Beneath the sh.ade of your embraci

ng green

List'ning to the harmony of warbling birds,

'T'HE shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,

I better brook than flourishing, peopled towi
There I can sit alone, unseen of any,
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my distresses, and record my woes.

— Shakci:peart

Tun'd with the gentle murmur of

Upon whose banks, in various livery,

The fragrant offspring of the early year, [down.

Their heads, like graceful swans, bent proudly

.See their own beauties in the crystal flood.

— Roche.^ter.

ry\\ by thy side,

^^ Far from the tumult and the throng of men,
And the vain cares that vex poor human life,
'Twere happiness to dwell alone with thee.
And the wide, solemn grandeur of the scene.
• —Mrs. Ellet.

CoutoUX Ultiicaua. Natural Order: Verbciiacece — Vervain Family.

^ ^^-if^ ■ IS to the tropics that we are indebted for this beautiful
. jk^ '^ ciddition to our flora. The plants are shrubby, and can be

i-F?>,^ cultivated in the hothouse or conservatory, or may be placed
^^ -k 111 the garden during sum:

^-■^A giound, and many adopt the plan of placing it in

e garden during summer. It grows very rapidly in the
,:jj ^ L^i ^^--^ gi ound, and many adopt the plan of placing it in a medium-
j^* ^^'^^ bized pot, and putting the pot along with the plant in the
^ ground, as that plan curtails the roots and prevents the plant from
3&. growing too straggling, and thereby rewarding the cultivator with more
^>vu^ flowers. The blossoms have the peculiarity of coming out one color,
^^jMx and passing through different shades to another color; a quality which
^JaI^ always gives a pleasing aspect to the plant. They are very suscep-

tible to frost.

ligc]

*ULL many a stoic eye and aspect stern

Mask hearts where grief hath Httle left to learn.

^HYs,
* * Man

tand'st thou idle here? lend nie thy sword

Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,
Whose deaths are unrevenged.

! T_J IS awful presence did the crowd surprise,

Nor durst the rash spectator meet his eyes:
Eyes that confess'd him born for kingly sway.
So fierce they flashed intolerable day.

EN who their duties know,
■ But know their rights, and, knowing, dare maintain them.

His eye
Had that compelling dignity,
His mien that bearing, haught
Which common spirits fear.

jV/TUST not earth be rent

Before her gems are foim

T'

-Sir \V. Jnnes:.

*HIS too much lenity
And harmful pity must be laid aside.
nd high, To whom do lions cast their gentle looks.'

—Scoit. Not to the beast that would usurp their den;
Whose hand is that the forest bear would lick?
Not his that spoils her young before her face.
— Shakespeare.

^^m

■^i

MttiBpnv^

Dclfll)ilUUlll gvanililloruill. Natural Order: Rauunctdacccc— Cro-Jiifoot Farnily.

I FRIA is the native country of two of the prettiest species of

1 plants, and they are consequently very hardy. All the

ties were much neglected a few years ago, but recently a

t deal of care has been taken with' the double ones, some

t the shades of blue being very choice. Although the flowers

1 )m in spikes, which render them unsuitable to the modern

bouquet, florists have overcome that difficulty by detaching

e\ch blossom, giving it an artificial stem of broom-straw, or some-

^ thing similar, secured by a bit of thread or w^ire, and arranging

them as desirable. The perennial varieties are superior in every way

to the annual ones. It is called Delphinium from a fancied resemblance

of the flower in shape to the dolphin, and grandiflorum because of

large flowers.

Jniii]|*

TAUGH not too much; the witty man laughs least:

For wit is news only to ignorance.
Less at thine own things laugh; lest in the jest

Thy person share, and the conceit advance.

— George Herbert.

l\j ETHOUGHT it was the sound

Of riot and ill-managed merriment,

/"^OME, sisters, cheer we up his sprights,
^' And show the best of our delights :

Such as the jocund flute and gamesome pipe
Stirs up among the loose, unletter'd hinds.

We '11 charm the air to give a sound,
While you perform your antic round.
—Milton. — Shttkespei

ARE to our coffin adds a nail, no doubt;
And every grin, so merry, draws one out.

^ILL the bowl with ro
Around our temples

rme,

And let us cheerfully
Like the wine and roi
Crowned with roses, %
Gyges' wealthy diader

a while,
es, smile.
'e contemn

—Dr. Wahot.
Today is ours; what do we fe.ir.'
Today is ours; we have it here;
Let 's treat it kindly, that it may
Wish at least with us to stay.
Let 's banish business, banish
To the gods belongs tomorrow

m

r

X:amirjel<

ilClUVCUS UObilis. Natural Order: Laiiracctr — Laurel Fa7nily.

AUREL is a shrub which grows in heiglit from four to six-
feet, having a liberal supply of beautiful evergreen foliage, which

^ w as much used by the ancients in decorating the brows of their
hei oes. Chaplets of Laurel were given as a reward to orators,
1^^ philosophers and poets, ^sculapius, the god of physic,

" ^ wears a crown of laurel, because of its power in the cure
ol diseases Daphne is said to have been changed into a laurel when
she fkd iiom the embrace of Apollo, whence its botanical name; and
Luueola, lauius (laurel), seem allied to the Latin laus, praise. The
Lauiel tiee is of a very hot, acrid nature. It is always flourishing,
never old, and conduces, according to the ancients, to divination and
poetic raptures. The leaves, when put under the pillow, are said to
produce true dreams.

Utir^,

p LORIES, like glow-worms, afar oft" shine bright;
^ But look'd too near, have neither lieat or light.

AND should the aspiring man,
■^ Of other's hurts, not hurt

akes

5, not hurt himself for gain?
Not, when he stabs another for a purse,
Prick his own bosom for a dearer price,
And wound his heart to laurel-crown his head.

A"-

iLAS for human greatness! and alas

For glory's splendor on a mortal brow!
The stateliest realms must down to ruin pas
And mightiest monarchs to a mightier bow;
Alas! will death ne'er spare a gallant foe.'

-C. W. Ev.

/^LORY, like time, progi-ession does require;
^ When it does cease t' .advance, it does expire.

—Lord Orrery.

pLORY is like a circle in the water,
" Which never ceaseth to en&rge itself,
Till, by broad spreading, it disperse to nought.
—Shakespec

w

fame.'

"H.\T is glory.' Wh.it
The echo of a long-lost name;
.\ breath, an idle hour's brief talk.

■pOR this world's glory

-'■ Is figur'd in the moon ; they both wax dull,

And sulTer their eclipses in the full. ^Aleyn.

'S3

gamriestiiit.

'^

lliburiUllU iiliuUS, Natural Order: Capr/fo/iacccT — Honeysuckle Family.

'^Tjj^J'IBURNUM or Laurestine is a fine, handsome, evergreen

il^ shrub, a native of Europe, and in our Northern States is

Vf -^ considered as more adapted for the house than the lawn,

wheie It can be placed, in the Southern States. The flowers

bloom in small clusters, and are scarcely a pure white, having a

slight tinge of red; they appear in early spring. There is a new,

sweet-scented variety from China, but it is said to bloom less freely.

Some few others are also desirable, and no doubt in a few years they

will become thoroughly hardy, as they lack but little of the required

amount of vigor.

I |i, ill 1«b1«1'^-

Y heart seems breaking, Philip, as I linger all alone,
And there comes no sound of comfort save the ocean's restless moan;
?tretch my arms to heaven, and pray for your return,
the hope that dies, and the love that lives, can only pant and yearn.

T^HERE, as she sought repose, her sorrowing heart

Recall'd her absent love with bitter sighs;
Regret had deeply fix'd the poison'd dart,
Which ever rankling in her bosom lies:
In vain she seeks to close her wearv eves.

-Christian ReiJ.
Those eyes still swim incessantly in tears;
Hope in her cheerless bosom fading dies.
Distracted by a thousand cruel fears.
While banish'd from his love forever she appears.
—Mrs. Tighe.

A BOAT at midnight sent alone

To drift upon the moonless sea,
A lute whose leading chord is gone,
A wounded bird that hath but one
Imperfect wing to soar upon.
Are like what I am without thee.

■pAIR tree of winter! fresh and flowering,

When all aroiuid is dead and drv ;
Whose ruby buds, though storms are lowering,
Spread their white blossoms to the sky.

Green are thy leaves, more purely green
Through e\ery changing period seen :
And when the gaudy months are past,
Thy loveliest season is the last. —Mont!;omci

i

^

^aw-ewAcr.

CaDan^ula Spica. Natural Ohdkr: LabiatiC—Mint Family.

I ROPE produces immense fields of Lavender, grown for the

s ike of the flowers, from which is obtained the perfume

that is sold b}' all drugyists and perfumers. It has a ver}-

)' pleasant, agreeable odor. The Latin word from which it is

\*!^ derived is lavarc, to bathe, and brings to mind the marble

baths of the early Greeks and Romans, when the most exqui-

•-^\ site of sculpture, the most beautiful productions of art and nature,

r-J^ weie gathered together for their adornment, and flowers and spices

v\ ei e rifled of their sweets to add to the sumptuousness and luxurious-

ness of their ablutions. It is a perennial of easy culture, about

eighteen inches high, delightfully aromatic, and bears purple flowers.

The oil possesses tonic and stimulative properties, and is used in

medicine.

ionb'

VND lavender, whose spikes of azure bloom
*■ Shall be erewhile in arid bundles bound,

To lurk ami
And crown

her labors
kerchiefs

ith

rare perfume.

QWEET lavender! I love thy flower
^ Of meek and modest blue,
Which meets the morn and evening hour,
The storm, the sunshine, and the shower,
And changeth not its hue.

But thou art emblen

Thou art not like the fickle train

Our adverse fates estrange;

Who in the day of grief and pain

Are found deceitful, light and vain,

For thou dost never change.

)f the friend.

Who, whatsoe'er our lot,
The balm of faithful love will lend,
And, true and constant to the end,

May die, but alter not. — Strickland.
T BLU.SH to think what I have said— Thy virtue will excuse my passion for thee,

*■ But fate has wrested the confession from me: And make the gods propitious to our love.
Go on, and prosper in the paths of honor; ~'

>S5

^^,

^M

(EitniS liinoimm. Natural Order: Aitrauticar — Orange Family.

ITRUS LIMONUM, or Lemon tree, is a handsome tropical

tree of easy culture in any climate (excepting, of course, the

frigid zone), if given the protection of the house in winter, in

k cold latitudes. The foliage is small, glossy, dark and ever-

\ green; the flowers similar to the orange, and very fragrant.

* The fruit, as everyone knows, is a beautiful yellow, and is

omatic, and the pulp is filled with a most excellent, cooling,

ee. When loaded with fruit, such as is to be seen in tropical

, It presents a magnificent appearance. Mrs. Loudon says, "the

golden apples of the heathen are supposed to belong to this family."

Jbtr^iioit.

>RUDENCE protects and guides us; wit betrays;
A splendid source of ill ten thousand ways.

■pEAR me, Pomona, to thy citron groves,
^-^ To whei-e the lemon and the piercing lime,
With the deep orange glowing thro' the green,
Their lighter glories blend. —Thompson

/^ON.SULT your means, avoid the tempter's wiles,
^ Shun grinning hosts of unreceipted files,
Let heaven-ey'd prudence battle with desire,
And win the victory, though it be through fire.
-James T. FUhU.

T)UT now, so w-ise and wary was the knight,

^ By trial of his former harms and cares,

That he decry'd, and shunned still his sight.

The fi.sh that once was caught, new bait will hardly bite.

^Spenser.
er to your untried thought, TT E knows the compass, sail and oar,

my living into yours were wrought. '■^ Or never launches from the shore;

Hearts' dreams are the sweetest in a lonely nest: Before he builds, computes the cost,

Leave me while you love me — this is surely best! And in no proud pursuit is lost.

— Hovjard Glytidon. —Gov.

'yilUS I sliall be foi;
'^ Than if all my livii

N

ONE pities him that's in the snare.
And, warn'd before, would not beware.

—Herrlrl:
lS6

^^m

Catturn Satitia. Natural Order: Composite; — Asfcr Family.

r

D;:^

'_^^:?r-s-^

-•^NE of the most common of vegetables, Lettuce is also among

' the first to appear on the table in spring, when man as well as

beast hungers for the green things of the field. Of the many

kinds, each puts forward some especial claim to our attention,

oni the loose, curled leaves of the one, to the close, compact

^ff '^^^ heads of the other; but crisp and tender they must be, to

'-^C'^ foim the appetizing salads of which they are the chief ingredient.

li> \^ J-) The} ai e of very ancient cultivation, as they are mentioned by several

(^ 'j r,^ Latin authors, and the selling of lettuce formed the occupation of people

'f Ijl^XLin those days as now in our own. Lettuce dealers were called Lactu-

^Jt-P carius, though they probably sold other vegetables. After the season

n ] \ v3is over, the plants are allowed to go to seed. The stalk is about two

^\^ feet high, filled with a milky juice; and the flowers are a pale yellow,

numerous, but rather small in size.

HAVE not from vour eyes tliat gentleness
And show of love, as I was wont to ha\e.

—Shaliespcare.
VTOUR coldness I heed not, your frown I defy; U^^ heart was all on honor bent,

^ Your aftection I need not — tlie thne has gone by, ■*■ *■ He could not stoop to love;

When a blush or a smile on that cheek could beguile No lady in the land had power

My soul from its safety, with witchery's smile. His frozen heart to move.

—Mrs. Osgood. — AnoiiymoHS.

N'

rOT the basilisk

More deadly to the sight, than
The cool, ingenious eye of frozen ki

-Gov

"VTOUR breast is heaped like mountain snows, I do not flatter like a fool —

^ Your cheek is like a blushing rose, The diamond is a cutting tool.

Your eyes are black as ripened sloes. The rose is thorny, snow is cool.

Like diamonds do they glitter. And sloes are very bitter.

m

%nn€.

SjirilUVl ^^crsica. Nati-ual Ohdeh: 0/cacccv — Olive Family.

ERSIAN LILAC varies from the common varieties, both in
size and foliage, which is sometimes entire, and again cleft.
I// The flowers are white or purplish, and bloom in spikes. Our
common Lilac is a nati\e of Hungary, and is ver}- popular
a', an early visitor in spring, when it gladdens the bower
:.|^^\\lth its odor and blossoms. The Latin name Syringa, has
'^^^^^•its oiigin in the Greek tongue, where we find mriggias to be the
'"■■'^.namc of any kind of reed or cane that can be hollowed out to form a
M^^ pi pi or rustic flute. The Greek and Latin shepherds were very fond
^^*^ol this humble instrument, upon which they used to improvise their
iiiple tunes as they wandered with their flocks from one fragrant field
to another, or played for each other's entertainment as they rested sur-
S^'^rounded by their sleeping herds at night. The branches of the Lilac
'^ have a center filled with pith, which can be easily removed by running
a stout wire or other substance through them.

T OVE never fails to master what he finds,
■'-' But works a different way in dift'erent n
The fool enlightens, and the wise he blinds

0

MAID! with eyes whose azure
Holds a happy, joyous gleam,

What hath charmed thy listless leisure —
Made thy life a fairy dream?

Love is a god,
Strong, free, unbounded ; and, as som(
Fears nothing, pitieth none: such lov

Drydeu.
Love hath found me sitting lonely.

Whispered soft a charmed word ;
Evermore my heart beats only

To the music of that word.

-G. Ha.

T HAD so fixed my heart upon
A That whereso'er I framed a sch.

For time to come, she

With which I used to sweeten future cares:
I fancied pleasures, none but one who loves
And doats as I did can imagine like them.

^*

£ilium laubittum. Natural Ordek: Liliacae — Lily Family.

WS)

REEK Icin'on, interpreted to signify wanting in color, or pale,
^'is the origin of the Latin lilhtni, as that is of the English lily.
The Lilies are bulbous plants, having long, tapering leaves,
and flowers of most exquisite beauty. The\- are cultivated
'\Mthout much labor. The above is pure white. The most
" beautiful of all lilies are those from China and Japan, being
\u\ iich in color, and larger in size than our native plants. The
Lihum candidum is a native of the Levant. The Lily seems to vie
with the daisy tor its share of musical honors, for many is the lyre
that has been tuned to its praises. Mrs. Tighe, in remarking that
theie i>> no beauty in the bulb, says:

" Yet in that bulb, those sapless scales,
The Mlv wraps her silver vest —
Till vernal suns and vernal gales

Shall kiss once more her fragrant breast."

luril^.

QPRING has no blossom fairer than thy form;
^ Winter no snow-wreath purer than thy mind;
The dewdrop trembling to the morning beam

Is like thy smile — pure, transient, heaven-refin'd.

—Mrs. Lydia "jane Pierson.

INHERE is a pale and modest

In garb of green array'd.

That decks the rustic maiden's b

And blossoms in the glade;

Though other flowers around me bloom,

In gaudy splendor drest,
Filling the air with rich perfume,

I love the lily best.

T H.\D found out a sweet, green spot

Where a lily was blooming fair;
The din of the city disturbed it not;
But the spirit that sh.-ides the quiet cot
With its wings of love was there.

—James G. Percival.
1S9

ffl?

^^=^

g«g 0f the IJalkB'

QloiUiallaria majdis. Natural Order: Liliacca: — Lily Family.

TEN wandering through the woods and sweetly-sleeping
«\ales, in early May, we Hnd this beautiful plant peering up
'its head, crowned with umbels of white, odoriferous, and
■ modest flowers. It should be a frequent denizen of our
[^gardens, for its own modest beauty, as well as for its classic
' association, having been the theme of poets of all ages. Clumps
loots can be obtained of almost any seedsman, and once set will
'(.ontinue to increase, and give you bloom of which one can never have
too man^. In the vicinity of Madock, England, there are many acres
'covered with this plant, which, when in bloom, attract many visitors,
' and the spot is known in that section of the country as the Via Gellia.

.1 tht

M

l|clurn cl| llnjipiiiESS*

Y sated senses seem afloat upon a waveless sea;
For all around me, all above, is beauteous harmony!
—Sal lie A. Brock.

A BREEZY noise, which is not breeze.

And white-clad children b_v degrees
Steal out in troops among the trees.

Fair little cliildren, morning-bright.
With faces grave, yet soft to sight,
Expressive of resti-ained delight.

A rain of dew, till, wetted so.

The child who held the branch let go.

And it swang backward witli a flow

Of faster drippings. Then I knew

The children laughed — but the laugh flev

From its own chirrup, as might do

Some plucked the palm boughs within i
And others leaped up high to catch
The upper boughs, and shake from eacl:

A frightened song-bird ; and a child
Wlio seemed the chief, said, very mild,
"Hush! keep this morning undefiled."

pAIR flower, that, !apt in lowly glade.
Dost hide beneath the greenwood shade.
Than whom the vernal gale
None fairer wakes, on bank, or spray,
Our England's lily of the May,

Our lily of the vale! —Maui.
190

I\

^

m

%i0n'B Sieart<

JpljllSOSttlVa DivginiaiUt. Natural Order: Labiatcc—Mint Family.

ATIV^E to various portions of the Southern and Western

Stites, this plant maj' occasionally be found beautifying our

p,aidens, where it thrives well and increases rapidly. It is

rather handsome in appearance, \ar3ing from one to four feet

in height, with a square, thick, upright stem. The leaves

■^ou appear opposite each other, and are large and glossy, and

1 dirk green in color. The flowers are on the tops of the branches,

I foui -lowed spike. They are a pale purple in tint, with spots

the inner side. The plant blooms freely during August and

btptember There are no special virtues ascribed to the Physos-

te^u The botanical name (from the Greek) signifies a bladder-like

co\enng from the pufled or inflated appearance of the corolla.

|r5jucri|.

COMMANDING, aiding, animating all,

^ Where foe appear'd to press, or friend to fall.

THE
Nc

*HE brave man seeks not popular applause,
sor, overpower'd with arms, deserts his cause;
Unshamed, though foiled, he does the best he can ;
Force is of brutes, but honor is of man.

—Dryden.

-Byron.
'HE brave man is not he who feels no fear,
'"or that were stupid and irrational ;
But he whose noble soul its fear subdues,

THE
Fo

Lies

Nor .

F'!

HT valiantly toda;
nd vet I do thee

framed of the firm tr

the mind, the
ns the blind a

ind thee of it,
ith of valor.
— Shakespeare.

And bravely dares the dar

True valor
never-yielding purpose,
vard of giddy fortune.

— Tliom/'si

nature shrinks from.
— Joanna Baillie.

A TO fire nor foe, nor fate, nor night,
^^ The Trojan hero did affright,

twice, renewed the fight.

— Sir. J. Denham.

D.\RE do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more is none. —Sliakesfea
191

li

«5?

goasa.

require

Icitcritiu. Natural Order: Loasacece — Loasa Family.

ORMING a class of plants by themselves, the Loasas give
their name to an order of which there have been discovered
about seventy species; and those of peculiar beauty. Some
of them recline their long, branching stems upon the ground,
' like the golden bartonia ; others, like the Loasa, grow to a
^ greater length, and have more aspiring natures, rendering them
especially fine for the covering of trellises, arbors, or rock work. The
\^ flowers are curious; the outer petals, of which there are live, have
each a hooded appearance, while within the center are five more of
'P a diflierent shape, the whole being filled with numerous stamens, like
a delicate tringe. In training the plant, gloves should be used, as
the hairs with which the plant is covered produce a stinging sensa-
tion. The blossoms are red or yellow. Pleasures, like this plant,
some precaution in handling, lest they sting in the enjoyment.

ILEASURE with instruction should be joined;
So take the corn, and leave the chaff behind.

-Drydel

"DUT pleasures are like poppies spread —

You seize the flower, its bloom is shed ;
Or like the snow-fall in the river, —
.\ moment white, then lost fore\'er.

qPHERE rich varieties of joy
^ Continual feast the inind;
Pleasures which fill, but never cloy
Immortal and refined.

11 7E may roam through this world like a child at a feast,

Who but sips of a sweet and then flies to the rest;
And when pleasure begins to grow dull in the east.
We may order our wings and be off to the west.

AND while the face of outward things we find
-'*■ Pleasant and fair, agreeable and sweet.
These things transport. _i-,v y Davies.

^

"TTIS time short pleasure now to take,

^ Of little life the best to make,
And manage wisely the last stake.

i

192

$0*«Ma^

LolU'lia tultlEUS. Xatuual Order: Lohcliaccxv — Lobelia Family.

■^^''I^iV ' (,®/T is difficult to sel>ict from this class of plants the one pos-

<.->\TT^c,'~ ^^^ssin<^ the most claims to our attention, as they are all

nj ^iV'i^<-'xceedinoi3- pretty, though very diverse in habit. Some of

^*^;;^ iheni grow upright, others spread their slender branches in

3j' *^':, the most wanton manner. There are about eighty species

'"•^^ of them, which, with the exception of about a dozen, are

.cs of the Cape of Good Hope. These have been improved by

1^ liyDridizing. The flowers of most of them are an exquisite blue, a few

^- .j^ h\-bridizin,

■^^^1^ are white, and others are of the different shades of crimson, purple.
T^^l maroon and scarlet. The delicate varieties are fine for hanging-baskets,
the upright ones for garden or window culture.

labuclc

Xii\.

IT E hated men too much to I'eel remorse,

And thought the voice of wrath a sacred call,
To pay the injuries of soine to all. —Byro.

I'LL keep my way alone, and burn awav —

Evil or good I care not, so I spread
Tremendous desolation on my road ;
ril be remember'd as huge meteors are;
From the dismay they scatter. —Proctor.

T .SEE thou art implacable, more deaf

To pr.iyers than winds and seas ; yet winds and seas
Are reconciled at length, and sea and shore:
Thy anger, unappeasable, still rages,
Eternal tempest, never to be calm. —Milton.

'yHERE are some things I cannot bear.

Some looks %vhich rouse my angry hate,
.Some hearts whose love I would not share.
Till earth and heaven were desolate. —Willis.

OUT turn the heart's sweet current into gall,
Xo earthly power can heal the deadly flow
'T will poison the affections, till the blood

Grows venomous and fiery, and beneath

Its blasting influence are wither'd up

The springs of love and hope. —Mrs. Hale.

T

HEV did not know how hate can bin"n
In hearts once changed from soft to stern.

-Byro,

m

^m.

%0cnBt.

tiobiuia pSCUbacacia. Natural Order: Leguminoscv — Pulse Family.

OIUM \ the botanical name of the Locust, is derived from the
L itiniztd surname of John Robin, an eminent botanist enjoying
I ^<^* tile pationage of Louis XIV., and was bestowed in honor of his
iicmoij, and pseudacacia denotes false acacia. There are no
extensive forests of this tree on the American continent, but
It IS found mixed with other trees in various localities. It is
I ii planted for groves and shade trees around rural residences. The
: i^e, though small, is beautiful, and during the spring an abundance
of tiagrant blossoms burden the air with their perfume. The wood is
sometimes used in the mechanical arts, being hard, close grained and
durable.

tiub^.

'UCH is life: all fair today, dark tomorrow, dull and gray;

Changing ever, like the moon, or the fleecy clouds of Jun

-/. H. Clinch.

'T'HUS doth the ever-changing course of things

Run a perpetual circle, ever turning;
And that same day that highest glory brings.
Brings us unto the point of back-returning

-D^jniel.

P'RE mirth can well her comedy begin,
'-' The tragic demon oft comes thundering i
Confounds the actors, damps the merry show
And turns the loudest laugh to deepest woe.
— HV/w

r^H! life is a waste of wearisome hours,
^-^ Which seldom the rose of enjoyment adorns;
And the heart that is soonest awake to the flowers.
Is always the first to be touch'd by the thorn.

T.S there no constancy in earthly things.'

No h.appincss in us but what must alter:
No life, without the heavv load of fortune?

What miseries we are, and to ourselv
Ev'n tlien when full content seems tc
What daily sores and sorrows.

-.Biv?

i

*HE pang that wrings the heart today
Time's touch will heal tomorrow.

194

J

^^^g:^-

"M

%0^h0Bptxm%xm^

£opl)OSpcrmUin SCaU^CUS. Natural Order: Scrophulariacac — Fig-Mort Family.

HIS vine is more frequently found in our greenhouses, but
it can be used in the garden if the seeds are started early
in the house or hotbed. The flowers are extremely hand-
some, being from two to three inches in length, tubular
in shape, expanding at the mouth, and in color pink or
scarlet. There is a plant called Lophospermum rhodochiton
(rose-clothed), that has brown flowers, and is sometimes called Rho-
dochiton volubile. Both are from Mexico and adjacent countries, and
glo^\ about ten feet in height. The name is composed of two Greek
words, lop/ios and spcrma, signif3'ing crested seed; and scandens,
Latin, is translated climbing. The plant has been selected as the
(^emblem of ecstasj-. Every heart should be filled with joy as abund-
antl}- and feelingly as a luxuriant vine that spreads and airs itself
fA^'^/in sunny enjoyment.

^tslas^^

'WELL, swell, my joys; and faint not to declare
Yourselves as ample as your causes are. —Jons.

T WAS born for rejoicing; a "summer child,"
^ And kindred I claim with each ■
The light frolic breeze — or the streamle
Or a cloud at its play — or a bird on

A'

LL in a mesh of dreams entangled ;

Sweet lips — twin petals of the rose be:
With the diamond dews of night!

—Grorge Coopei

T

HERE
Have r

no state in which the bounteous gods
placed joy, if men ^vould seek it out.

T

id the breast

HE paths of bliss are joyous, and
Of thoughtless youth is easy to be blest.

' -William Herbert.

W

(OY loves to cull the
And wreathe it round h

fe

ELL, there is yet one day of life before me.
And, whatsoe'er betide me, I will enjoy it.
— Joajiiia Baillie.

flower,
happy brow.

— James G. Brooks.

m

Cupinus JJCilnpl)nlluS. Natural Okdeii: Lcguminosa:— Pulse Family.

MONG our handsomest native plants, the Lupines find a
p recognized place, more especially the above, which is a iine
''*^ariety from Oregon. Its height is from three to four feet,
the foliage soft and silky, and the flowers yellow, purple, or
,'.>^ white. There are numerous other varieties from different
j'l'^parts of the United States, both annual and perennial. The
^Lupinus mutabilis (changeable) is from South America, and is said to
be changeable in the color of its blossoms. The ancients used a spe-
cies of Lupine for food, thinking it strengthened the intellect; and on
the stage the seeds were used by the plaj^ers instead of real money.
The Latin name signifies wolfish, from lupus, a wolf, as it absorbs the
fertility of the soil, to the detriment of other things; and polyphyllus,
from the Greek, denotes many-leaved.

%

Tcrattousnsss.

'T>HE turnpike road
Lies through theii

T 'M quite ashamed — 'tis mighty rude

To eat so much — but all's so good

I hav

Mv lord alone kr

thousand thanks to giv

people's hearts, I find,
mouths, or I mistake mankind.
—Dr. Walcot.

holydav; provide me better cheer;
'Tis holydav ; and shall be round the year ;
Shall I my household gods and genius cheat.
To make him rich who grudges me my meat?

"pis

*OiSrE men are born to feast, and not to fi<
Whose sluggish mind, e'en in fair honor's

Still on their dinner tun

DEVOND the sense

Of light refection, at the genial board
Indulge not often; nor protract the feast

—Joaiiim Bnillie.

To dull satiety; till soft and slow

A drowsy death creeps on th' expansive soul,

Oppress'd and smother'd the celestial fire.

VTOT all on books their criticism waste,
•'■ ' The genius of a dish some justly taste.
And eat their way to fame. —Yomig.

196

^^m

M^

^1

aQiii0lia.

flluiVlolia iVailMtlora. Natural Order: Magnoliacea: — Magnolia Fa7nily.

^F all the flowers bestowed upon the South, there is none to
which a Southerner refers with more pride than to the blos-
soms of this elegant tree. The Magnolia grandiflora flourishes
throughout most of the Gulf States and on the Atlantic coast
as far north as North Carolina. It grows chiefly in swampy
lands, yet attains its greatest height in a light, fertile soil,
where, if planted by itself, it will assume the shape of a perfect pyra-
^iireJO '^'^- "^^^ leaves are evergreen, the old ones forming a striking con-
tmh~> trast to the young and tender foliage, which is of a much lighter shade.
The flowers are of the purest white, about eight or nine inches in
diameter, and till the air with their honeyed fragrance. As the slight-
est injury causes the blossom to soon turn brown, they have often been

only necessary to write the message with some pointed instrument on one of
the broad petals, and cause the flowers to be delivered in a bouquet to the
person desired, and the wounded parts would soon betray the secret committed
to the floral page.

IL

Jttu? cF f itiiin

■\TATtrRE is man's best teacher. She unfolds
■'•' Her treasures to his search, unseals his eye,
Illumes his mind, and purifies his heart.
An influence breathes from all the sights and soimds
Of her existence; she is wisdom's self. —Sirat.

LOVE thee for the blossoms and the bees,
The hills, the vales, the mountains and the seas;

nds, the clouds, the skies of azure blue,
e moon, the stars, and planets circling through

NATURE! how in every charm supreme!
Whose votaries feast on raptures ever new!
for the voice and fire of seraphim,
sing thy glories with devotion due! —Beaiiu:

The earth, the sun, and everythmg that's fai

Abo\-e, below, all round and everywhere —

The soul, the mind, to their Creator call.

To him, the Father, First and Last of all.

—Lah

'T*HE gi-een earth sends its incense up

*■ From every mountain shrine —

From e\ery flower and dewy cup

That "reeteth the sunshine.

whole

. Ulalm Snlncstris. Natural Order: Malvacece — Mallow Fa7nily.

\LUED at all times for their emollient properties (whence

the name from the Greek malasso, I make soft, through the

Latin )iialva\ the Mallows are a mucilaginous order of

I 1 mts, allied to the hollyhock family. They are frequently

found in rural gardens as ornaments. The above species is

about three feet high, with purplish-red flowers, and is called

High Mallow, to distinguish it from the Low Mallow, a prostrate

t> species, the seeds of which children call cheeses. The Mallow crispa
_ is a veiy tall annual from Syria, with very large, roundish leaves, the
bordeis of which are adorned with a very full, crisped or curled
luffling, and would appear to advantage as a foliage plant in the
holders m summer. The Musk Mallow is from Great Britain, hav-
J \ei} pietty flowers of a rose color, blooming in midsummer; the
plant being pervaded b}- the od(ir from which it takes name.

iij0bni$5»

H

OW far that

IV /TORE sweet than odors caught by him who sail

Near spicy shores of Araby the blest,
A thousand times more exquisitely sweet,
The freight of holy feeling which we meet
In thoughtful moments, wafted b}' the gales
From fields where good men walk, or bowers
Wherein they rest. —Wordinvorl/i.

ed in a naughty world.

S/iatesJiearr.

pOOU, the more

^ Communicated, more abundant grows;

The author not impair'd, but honor'd more.

—Milton.

'pO be good is to
Are happier tha

be happy ; angels
1 men because thev

I

j\ I AN should dare all tilings tliat he knows is right,

And fear to do no act save what is wrong;
But guided safely by his inward light.

And with a permanent belief, and strong,
In Him who is oiu- Father and our Friend,
He should walk steadfastly unto the end.

— Phiebe Carey.
I9S

II

i!

'^.

ll|rlje-^0C&*

II

2lccr Saccljariimm. Xatural Order: Accracece— Maple Family.

ANADA and the New England States produce the Rock
Maple in great abundance, forming in some districts a greater
]-iart of the forests. It grows to a great height, has a some-
what rough, gray bark, and in summer a fine crown of foliage,
which in fall takes on itself the most brilliant hues that
greet the eye in an autumn landscape, sporting through all
the shades from yellow to crimson, as if it had caught and imprisoned
the glorious colors of a sunset sky. The Black Maple is another tree
of the same class, both yielding the sap from which the sugar bearing
theii name is manufactured.

!^$$?ni?»

■you know my wishes ever yours did meet:

If I be silent, 'tis no more but fear
That I should s.iy too little when I speak.

-Lady Care-.'.:

'T^HE maples in the forest glow; Like living coals the red leaves burn;

'^ On the lawn the fall flowers blaze; They fall, then turns the red to rust;

The landscape has a purple haze; They crumble, like the coals, to dust;

My heart is filled with warmth and glow. Warm he.art, must thou to ashes turn?

- Sylvester Baxter.

\H! what delight 'twould be,

Would'st thou sometimes by stealth converse with me!
How should I thy sweet commune prize,
And other joys despise!
Come, then! I ne'er was yet denied by thee.

—John Norris.

A"

T ABJURE your sight;

■^ Ev'n from my meditations and my though

I banish your enticing vanities;

And, closely kept within my study walls,

As from a cave of rest, henceforth I'll see

And smile, but never taste your misery.

'-Goffe.

JFt,

thou canst feel.

That thou hast kept a portion back.

While I have staked the whole;
Let no false pity spare the blow,
But in true mercy tell me so.

-Adelaide Anne Procter.

ptari§«rlA.

(HagetCS erccta. Natural Order: Compositce — Aster Family.

'^.^ •>*-<;,. , »^

^^^^^'▼^X^k ARIGOLDS are mostly herbs of tropical America, and

iv belong to the same order as the artemisia, chrysanthemum

' ^^^o.- and China aster, which order is said to comprehend

one-ninth of all flowering plants. The Tagetes is named in

honor of Tages, an Etrurian deity, a grandson of Jupiter,

w h( 1 is said to have sprung from the plowed earth, in the

I.7I in of a boy, and taught the Etrurians the art of foretelling events,

or divination. A description of so familiar a plant is almost un-

tiecessary, as everyone must know it has the yellowest of flowers

and an abundance of them, interspersed with plumy foliage. The

French Marigold has dark, velvety blossoms, which, varying through

the different shades of maroon, are really pretty. All the varieties

have a peculiar fragrance, rather balsamic than otherwise.

¥

'tt5lll|.

FT those whose cruelty makes many mourn,
Do by the fires which they first kindle burn.

— Earl of Sterline.

N°

Y:\

counsel from our cruel
ut ills once done, we bea

"VrOU are more inhuman, more inexorable,
O, ten times more, than tigers of Hyrcar
— Shakespeare

"ITTHY didst thou fling thyself acr<
•'^ My tiger spring must crush th.
But cannot pause to pity thee.

me be cruel, not unnatural;
will speak daggers to her, but

LANTASTIC tyrant of the amorous heart.
How hard thy yoke! how cruel is thy dart!

t

'pnOU art come to answer

A stony adversary, an inhuman ■
Incapable of pity, void and empty
From ev'ry drachm of mercy.

—Shaltespea

r

^arl^ram-^iiT^^t*

®l-igaiUim maiovaiia. Natural Order: Labiatcc—Miiit Family.

!N our grandsires flourished, and almost every plant received
ine familiar, diminutive appellation that seemed to bring it
>into closer association with humanity than our now high-
-sounding names, this plant was called Sweet Marjory. It is
V aromatic, and is grown more frequently as an herb for
. S*S kitthcn use than for ornament, and is useful in seasoning various
! tides ol food. The flowers are pink, blooming in spikes. It is a
t^ native of Portugal. There is also a wild variety found in fields, and
sometimes in the woods, that has nearly white flowers, and much the
same properties as the other. The literal meaning of the name (from
the Greek) is "joy of the mountain."

PIusl^ss.

pONFU.SION th
^ Fast throbbing,

ill'd me tlien, and secret joy,

stole its treasures from mj heart,

And mantling upw

ird, turned my face to crimson.

—Brooke.

/^N Beauty's lids the gem-like tear
^ Oft sheds its evanescent ray.
But scarce is seen to sparkle, ere
'Tis chased by beaming smiles av

Just so the blush is formed — and flies —

Nor owns reflection's calm control;
It comes, it deepens — fades and dies,
A gush of feeling from the soul.

—Anne Peyre Dinuies.

■pROM every blush that kindles in thy cheek,
-*■ Ten thousand little loves and graces spring.
To revel in the roses. —Royje.

■pOR I that old, old story h.id told —

The story of anxious hopes and fears -

While over her ringlets' dark-brown gold

Was falling a shower of pearly tears —

Tears that hung on her eyelids' fringe

Like dew on the fresh-born buds of May —

And her blushes deepened their roseate tinge,
As I tenderly kissed those tears away.

r\\\\ little blush that cc
^ Are you a blush, or
I see reflected?

—Snilie A. Bract.

ines and goes,
vender rose

—George Coof'er.

lEattlii^lii*

lllattljiola aimua. Natural Order: Cntcifow — Mustard Family.

I'l^IVING its name from the Italian physician and botanist
'. A. Mattioli (i 500-1 577), this flower has alwa3's commanded
^"more attention in Europe than it has in America. There it
'is reallv the flower of the people; and in cities nearly ever}-
•'window ledge must have its pot of Stock, to cheer by its
•nee, and serve as a reminder to its possessor, that there is a
world of nature outside and beyond tlie turmoil and strife of city life.
In the garden it is even more desirable, the plant assuming a pretty,
upright habit, branching symmetricall}', with the flowers arranged
close around the upper parts of the stems or branches. The Ten-
week Stock is an annual and requires no particular care. The peren-
nial and biennial kinds should be protected during winter by some
covering — a hotbed sash, or something equally good, as in cold climates they
are apt to be winter-killed. They are all desirable plants; the colors are the
various shades of red, crimson, yellow, purple, white, blue and rose.

'EIZE, mortals, seize tlic transient 1
Improve each moment as it flies:

Life 's a short

''HILST timorous knowledge stands considering,
Audacious ignorance liath done the deed.
For who knows most, the most he knows to doubt ;
The least discourse is commonly most stout.

w*

-Daniel.

— man a flower

— Anonymous.

JET us take the instant by the forward top,

^' For we are old, and on our quick'st decrees;

The inaudible and noiseless foot of time

Steals, ere we can effect them.

— Shakespeare.

T

AKE the
For hon.

a strait so narrow,

Where one but goes abreast.

QHUN delays, they breed remorse;

*^ Take thy time, while time is lent thee;

Creeping snails have weakest force.

- .Shakespeare.

Fly their fault, lest thou repent thee.
Good is best when soonest wrought;
Lingering labors come to naught

gftamrEm£i^<

1

IllaUVauMa SCinpcruirCUS. Natural Order: Scrophulariacece — Fio-ivort Family

ANDSOME and delicate, the Maurandia is a delightful vine
for indoor culture, as its foliage is attractive and pretty, being
small and neat in shape, similar to the point of a spear, and
entirely unobtrusive. The flowers are about the size and
^5^ shape of the foxglove, and, in color, purple, white, or rose-
colored. They are most excellent for inserting in the sides
'of hanging-baskets or window-boxes, and are used by florists for that

f=*^^' purpose. They are perennial, but as they bloom the first season after
^, _.^ ^ planting, are used for summer decoration out of doors, and of course
'v®^ perish on the approach of frost, except removed to the house. The
name has been given in honor of Prof. Maurandy.

icurlcs

*0 gently blending courtesy and

That wisdom'!

I'd borrowing friendsliip's heart
-O. U: Ifolmes.

OHEPHERD, I trust thy honest offered courtesy,

Which oft is sooner found in lowlv sheds
With smoky rat"ters, than in tap'stry halls
And courts of princes. —Milion.

A

SMILE for one of mean i
A cointeous bow for one
So modulated both that each
Saw friendship in his eye.

ligh,

OTUDY with care politeness, that must teach
The modish forms of gesture and of speecli.

—SUninirfet

ITTOULD you both please and be instructed too,
* • Watch well the range of shining, to subdue;
Hear every man upon his favorite theme,

Or giv

;r be more knowing than you seem;
■est genius will afford some light,
a hint that had escaped

jr sight.
-Stillingfle,

TLL seemes (sayd he) if he so valient be.

That he should be so sterne to stranger i
For seldom yet did living creature see
That courtesie and manhood ever disagree.

203

m

n^mttA<

I

lUuVUta I'Otula. Natural Order: Compositce — Aster Family.

■' ^JJ^I'^RHAPS the commonest of all uncultivated plants is this
,'{,/-_ \'^ idadside outcast, growing trom the deep-rutted soil, utterly
\A disregarding all the ordinarj- conditions required for herbal
^^i:^^<fd perfection, it sports its numerous blossoms, and during the
][p3^, .^3|' whole summer its flowers make white the borders of the
, dusty wa3^ It is an annual, though so abundant as to seem
■^!^,iA/ '''.perennial, and only the greatest perseverance can eradicate it or
(t^f. reduce it to subjection. Of European origin, it was probably introduced
""^^^ with grain. The flower is really pretty, combining the purest of yel-
NW^low, with the most opaque white, in an admirable and artistic manner,
and could it onl}' have been odorless and rare, would have been
received with ecstatic admiration, instead of contumely and contempt.
^^The origin of the botanic name Maruta is obscure, and its meaning is
'^ quite uncertain. Cotula was the half-pint measure of the Greeks and
Romans.

I^umoi

R

UMOR doth double like the voice and echo.
The numbers of the lear'd. —Shakesfea

'T'HE flying rumors gather'd as they roll'd;

Scarce any tale was sooner heard than told,
And all who told it added something new,
And all who heard it made enlargement too;
In every ear it spread, on every tongue it grew.
—Pope.

T FROM the Orient to the drooping West,

Making the wind my post-horse, still unfold
The acts commenced on this ball of earth :
Upon my tongues continual slanders ride.
The which in every language I pronounce.
Stuffing the ears of men with false reports.

A WHISPER woke the air —
■'*■ A soft, light tone, and low.

Yet barb'd with shame and woe, —
Now, might it only perish there!

No farther go! —Mrs. Osgood.

n UMOR is a pipe

^^ Blown by surmises, jealousies, conjectures,

And of so easy and so plain a stop,

Th.it the blunt monster with uncounted heads —

The still discordant, wavering muititude —

Can play upon it.

■SJmlcesffi

204

^^^S-

^"

P^e£icli,

iUciliiadO Satilia. Natural Order: LcoHiiuiiosiC — r/ilsf Familv.

UROPE has long been the seat of the Medick, which has

1 1 1, ome thoroughly naturalized there, though it is supposed

ii have been originally derived from the ancient Media

(now Northern Persia), whence its name. It is of the same

i;^^,'^. Older as the clover, and is somewhat naturalized and culti-

"^^ \ated in America lor the same purpose, but it has not proved

3^ V;^ 'If' \aluable, being probably not as well adapted to the climate. It
t^-S-^^ IS of perennial growth, with stems about a foot and a half high.

J^ IS of perennial growth, with stems about a foot and a halt high. The
Medicago scutellata, is an annual of the same class, and is grown in
.^ , the garden for its curious seed vessels, resembling snail shells, which
|j:^gi\es the familiar name of Snails to the plant. The Medicago intertexta,
*" called hedgehog, has prickly pods, and is cultivated for ornamental pur-
poses, as are some others of the same species. The pods are used in
winter bouquets along with dried grasses of various kinds.

J;I^rit^Iiur^J.

R'

'.W well, scatter not, ijather clean that is shorn,
Bind fast, shock apace, hav

ARTH of man the bounteous mother.

W"

He who best would aid a brother
Shares w-ith him these gifts di

-'John Stirling.

[LT thou repine

To labor for thyself? and rather choose
To lie supinely, hoping heaven will bless
Thy slighted fruits, and give thee bread unearned.'
—Jo/m Philips.

IIIHO abuseth his cattle and starves them for meat.

By carting or ploughing his gain is not great :
Where he that with labor can use them aright,
Hath gain to his comfort, and cattle in plight. —Tuss.

U -r

I'E me, ye gods, the product of one field.

That so I neither may be rich nor poor;

g^ And having just enough, not covet more. _/),

Y

'OU sunburnt sickle men, of Aug
Come hither from the

^.

and be merry.
—Shakespt-are.

w

"Mtlilet.

illdilotUS alba. Natural Ordkr: Leguminosa: — Pulse Family.

r\LL herb, passing tVequL-titly under the cognomen of Sweet-
scented Clover, the Melilot used to be cultivated in gardens
"idi the fragrance of its foliage, as well as its flowers, which it
ictains for a long time in a dried state. By many it was con-
sideied as desirable to place among clothing, as the famed
Nhuender and roseleaves was by the belles of the last cen-
|g,tur> It IS usually about three feet high, and in an uncultivated state
lb found in meadows, particularly in soils left by running streams, in
l"^"''," which it seems to delight. The flowers are small, arranged up and
'%down the stem in the style of a loose raceme, and in color white,
with a slight tinge of yellow intermixed. It derives its name from the
1^ Greek, and signifies honey lotus.

|^Hitn%iijt^,

T WOULD brin:
^ Cure your dis:

balm, and pour it in your wound;
temper'd mind, and lit-al your I'ortun

AND now philanthropy! thy ray
'- *■ Dart round the globe from Zei

O'er each dark prison play
Like

nbla's to the 1
heering light.

T N faith and hope the world will disagree,
^ But all mankind's concern is charity :
All must be false that thwart this one great end,
And all of God that bless mankind or mend.

—Pope.

T

HE primal duties shine aloft, like sta
The charities that soothe, and heal,

Are scatter'd at the feet of man, like flowers.

— Wordsworth.

YET was she no
And wisely m;

not profuse, but fear'd to waste,
managed that the stock might la

That all might be supplied, and she not grieve

When crowds appear'd she had not to relieve;

Which to prevent, she still increased her store;

Laid up, and spared, that she might the more.

—Drydcn

K\

when the sickly taper shed
Its light through vapors damp confined,
Hushed as a seraph's fell thy tread,
A new Electra by the bed
Of suffering human kind.
Pointing the spirit in its dark dismay
To that pure hope which fadeth not away.

1

i^rm^iiffi IH-je^C

JprOSCrpilUUa Jjalustlis. Natural Ohder: Onagraccw — Evening Primyosc Familv.

IKE so many others, this plant, which inhabits moist places,
'^ such as ponds, swamps and ditches, has its mythological asso-
ciations, being named, it is thought, from Proserpine, a Roman
ooddess stolen by Pluto and conveyed to his kingdom. Ceres,
^ iier mother, searched for her a long time in vain, but at
' '■■ "^ '"last hearing that she had been taken to Pluto's kingdom,
;, she expostulated with Jupiter, and finally obtained permission for her
daughter to remain one half the j^ear with her, the other half in the
infernal regions. The name, however, may have been derived from
W the creeping habit of the plant (Latin proscrpo, I creep), as the stems
creep at the base in the mud or shallow water, the upper part only
emerging.

T?'

iHi

TTULL soon, I know it, while they shall strain to free

From these idolatrous arms you shall be torn ;
You are fated from my days to pass and be not.

Like all of rare and fair they have ever worn I
I am doomed, although the stealthy doom I see not;

I feast, albeit I die tomorrow morn! —Edgar Fazac,

'T'HE ship which goes to sea inform'd with fire-
Obeying only its own iron force,
Reckless of adverse tides, breeze dead, or weak
As infant's sporting breath, too faint to stir
The feather held before it,— is as much
The appointed thrall of all the elements.

'pHE grass withereth, the flower fadeth,
^ Ay, and I know "'tis well,"

For they shall live again when springtime's
Sweet birdlings' songs shall tell.
Above their knell. -Clmrlotte CorJner.

As the white bosom'd bark which wooes the wind.
And when it dies desists. And thus with man:
However contrary he set his heart

To God, he is but w

orki

ig ou

t His will

And at an infinite angle.

more

or less

Obeying his own soi

I's

necessity.

-Bailey

TATE -soon
^ The longe

or late.

t da

V hat

1 end;

If the summer

wai

t,

The winter

still

must

wend

With sad steps and slow u

ito th

e fields ot

Fate.

-L. Bruce

Moore.

i}

'^lia,iii0ticite.

lU'SCLia OLiOrata. Natural Ordp:r: Rcscdacccc — Mignonette Family.

^N France, Holland, and various other parts of Europe, the
Mignonette, originally a native of Egypt and North Africa,
is trained into a tree shape, by taking a straight, healthy
ant, and bending a piece of willow or whalebone over it,
in the shape of a hoop, and tying the shoot to it, and as it
increases in height another hoop is added until the plant has
become woody. A French writer remarks that she has seen them as
old as fifteen years, and even double that age. The flowers, after they
have withered, must be removed, in order that it may retain its vital-
ity. It grows also in beds or masses, and perfumes the whole garden.
Some of the \-arieties are dense and bushy. Though humble and
'insignificant, its fragrance makes it a general favorite. Its name in the
^vernacular is from the French and means little darling, its botanical name

'is from the Latin rcscdo, I assuagt

four Qualili^s Surpass four Ibarras.

TT is not mirth, tor mirtli she is too still;
*■ It is not wit, which leaves the heart more chill.
But that continuous sweetness which with ease
Pleases all around it from the

POR you remember you had set.

That morning, on the casement edge,

A long, green box of mignonette,

And you were leaning from the ledge:

sh to please.

— TIk n

.\nd when I rais

They met i
Such eves! I

sed my eyes, above

th two so full and bright -

vear to vou, mv love,

That these have

lost theii

jht.

Bp:auties that

.Still present with i

from worth arise

.ice of deities,

s, though unsighted.

— Sir y. Suck/in^.
T KXO\y the gentleman

To be of worth and worthy estimation,
And not without desert so well reputed.

— Shakfspt-ari\

^^^

'yms tVagrant bloom of garden birth,

.So modest, yet persuasive —
Because the sweet it saps from earth

By fullness is invasive — [I've met —
truest measure of my love, of all the flowers
Une '^herbe d'amour" — petite in girth,

Delicious mignonette! —Mary B. Dodge.

J

IT

illtUtl)a uiliMs. Natural Order: Labiat.t — Mint Family.

■ijEVERAL plants are known under the common name of mint.
, the Spearmint being probably the most agreeable to the taste.
,j It is used in making sauces for some varieties of meat, especially
; lamb; medicinally it is said to allay fevers, and act against spas-
modic affections. The Peppermint is well known through the
.R- essences sold by all pharmaceutists. Both plants are nati\es
Europe, and affect moist places, frequently growing beside shallow
streams and in low, wet meadows, where they seem much more
brittle and tender, from the amount of water they suck up into their
stems. Either plant grows well in the garden, spreading rapidly by
^ means of their creeping roots. The flowers are purple, and in slender
racemes. According to mythology, Minthe, a nymph of the woods
streams, and beloved by Hades (Pluto), was turned by Proserpine
into one of these plants.

'irlui

V

IRTUE stands like the

and all which rolls around

Drinks life, and light, and glory from her aspect.

COUNT life
When life'

•ill last
o'er;

)_v virtues — these \\
lame-footed race is
And these, when earthly joys are past,
Shall cheer us on a brighter shore.

-Mrs. S. J. Hale.

V

IRTUE, dear friend, needs no defense;

mnocence:

Quivers and bows and poison'd darts
Are only used by guilty hearts.

T riRTUE could see to do what virtu.

By her own radiant light, though
Were in the flat sea sunk.

would

im and moon
—Milton.

/^NLY a sweet and virtuous soul,

Like season'd timber, never gives;
But, though the whole world turn to coal,
Then chiefly lives. -George Htrberl.

'T'HE path to peace is virtue; what I show,
^ Thyself may freely on thyself bestow;

Fortune was ne
But set aloft bv

)rship'd by the wise,
usurps the skies.

—DrvJen.

r

m

fstl«-t0ie.

jJI)0^a^CU^l■ClU tlaUCSCCUS. Natural Order: Loranthacccc — Mistletoe Family.

OUR hundred species or more of the Mistletoe are now
known to botanists. The leaves are thick and fleshy, the
ilowers a whitish \ellow, bearing a half transparent white
berry, with a sticky pulp. It is more abundant on elm trees

V. than on any other, and only when it was found on the oak
. was it considered a sacred thing b}- the Druids, or priests
lo{ the ancient Britons; when so found, they had a great tri-
umphal procession to gather it, after which, with much solemnity, they
laid it on a white cloth, and divided it among the people as a charm
against disease. These plants are parasitic in nature, living on the
uices of the trees on which they rest. This particular species, the
American mistletoe, derives its name, which was given it by Nuttall,
from two Greek words denoting thievish tree.

iltslntlcs io tic iucrtomc.

0

UR natures
Yet still we

ike oil : compound us with anything,
ve to swim upon the top.

;ason together;
darken ahead:

pOME, my soul, let u
^ Come, for the shade
Care and sorrow tighten the tether,

Life's sun through the mists grows dim and red.

-Beaumont and Fletcher.

Come, ere the long, low light of the summer
Fade to the brown of the autumn leaf:

Come, lest the foot of the careless comer

Lag weary in paths made rough with grief

-Barton Grey.

Great souls,
By natiu-e half divine, soar to the stars,
And liold a near acquaintance with the gods.

TVTATURE, that framed

of four elements.
Warring within our breasts for regimen.
Doth teach us all to have aspiring minds :
Our soul.s, whose faculties can comprehend
■ondrous architechture of the world.

And measure ev'ry wand'ring planet's course,
.Still climbing after knowledge infinite.
And always moving as the restless spheres.
Wills us to wear ourselves, and never rest
Until we reach the ripest fruit of all.

f

0ti:ltisbo0£<

^COUitum ^apcllus. Natural Order: Raminciilacca: — Croxvfoot Family.

HIS plant takes its name from the peculiar shape of its

flowers, which resemble a monk's cowl or hood, and are

of various colors — blue, white, and rose-color. It has a

lather pleasant appearance, and when once established

requires but little attention, as it grows well in any soil, and

thrives from year to year. The extract of the plant is

extremeh poisonous, but, used medicinally, it is the strong bulwark

of the homceopathic practice. It is used successfullj- in combating

fevers, and the first stages of most diseases, as it acts against all

inflammatory conditions of the bod}-, but should never be used in the

fluid state except as advised by a physician.

M
%

\x{x^\\ Jlrranlr^,

OOLEMNLY he swore,

^ That by the faith which knights to knighthood bore.

And whate'er else to chivalry belongs,

He would not cease till he revenged their wrongs.

— iJn'</.v;.

A TRUE knight,
■^ Not yet mature, yet matchless; firm in word,
Speaking in deeds, and deedless in his tongue;
Not soon provok'd, nor being provok'd, soon calm'd

His heart and hand both open, and both free;
For what he has, he gives; what thinks, he shows;
Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty,
Nor dignifies an impure thought in breath.

-Shakespe,

A FORM more active, light and strong
■^ Ne'er shot the ranks of war along;
The modest, yet the manly mien.
Might grace the court of maiden queen.

IL

AT AUGHT is more honorable to a knight,
■'■ Nor better doth beseem brave chivalrv.

Than to defend the feeble in their right.
And wrong redress in such as Avend

^-

wi.

good blade carves the casques of
My tough lance thrusteth sine,
strength is as the strength of ten.
Because my heart is pure.

m

^pOIUCCft Nil. Natural Order: Coyivolviilacete — Convolvulus Family.

a well known cl
ejected by some for its

imber and general favorite, though
commonness, or because it is found

/^IIh*^ so fiequently in the humble walks of life. It however forms

a \eiy grateful shade from the noonday sun, and is used

Unoie than any other annual vine for that purpose. The

flowers are various in color; the bud is curiously twisted,

which, when expanded is of a beautiful trumpet-shape, the tints being

far more delicate than any brush could lay. In the Southern States

^ it grows wild, adorning the hedges and bywajs with its blossoms,

id supplying the humming-bird and bee with their morning repasts.

^jpsi^*

lyiY heart is like the sleeping lake,

"^ Which takes the hue of cloud and sky,

And only feels its surface break

When birds of passage wander by.

TTTITHOUT, the happy birds are singing
* Their last song in the gathering gloom ;
And languorous airs soft scents are bringing
From musky buds and bloom.

— Gepf^f Cooper.

H'

ERE let us couch in fern,
And gaze adown the forest's dim arcade.
Where little patches of bright sunlight burn.
Companioned of deep shade.

'yHE cricket on its bank is dumb;
*■ The very flies forget to hum;
And, save the wagon rocking round.
The landscape sleeps without a sound.

TTERE stretched, the pleasant turf I pre;

In luxury of idleness;
Sun-streaks, and glancing wings, and sky
Spotted with cloud-shapes, charm my eye:
While murmuring grass and waving trees.

-John Clare.

Their leaf-harps sounding to the breeze.
And water-tones that tinkle near.
Blend their sweet music to my ear;
And by the changing shades alone
The passage of the hours is known.

Alfr.

B. Stre

IKl^i^fmimig grille*

Siabioaa atropuriJUrca. Natural Okder: Dlpsacecv— Teasel Family.

()URXI\G BRIDE (Sweet Scabious) is a perennial plant,
hut <is It is onh- half-hardy in the Northern climate, and
-o. blooms the first season, it is sown ev^ery summer and
li illowcd to perish with the frost; although it would be
woith the trial to see if some light protection would not
--iNe It. as most perennial plants bloom better when the
I well established. For many years it has been a favorite
fc( gaiden ilowei, being neat in habit, with very pretty tapering foliage
and desiiable blossoms. The buds are bunched together like a
1>>^ semi-spheiiLal cushion, the rounded side up, the lower row of
llf^', floietb ot which open first, and, when all are' expanded, fairly
crowd each other for room. They are velvety in texture, and in
f some of the purples and maroons the colors are so intense that
H the e\'e can scarcely penetrate the depth of their tints, as they are
only a shade or two from being black; hence the epithet, atropurpurea, or dark
purple. There are some light varieties, also white. They have the odor of
musk.

UnfcrlunHlo ^Hntl^mcnl.

T HAVE thrust .iwav in s
I h.Tve laid to rest each

ilence e.ach loving thought of you;
memory, so tender and so true ;
I have prayed upon my bended knees for power to forget.

And the answer to that prayer is this-

lo\t

I'ou, lov

NEED not say how, one b\- one.
Love's flowers have dropp'd from o

And that they cannot bloom aga

N<

[OT one sigh shall tell my story.
Not one tear my cheek shall stair
Silent grief sliall be my glory —

Grief that stoops not to complain.

TTNHAPPY he,

ho lets a tender heart,
Bound to him by the ties of earliest love.
Fall froin him by his own neglect, and die,
C [ Because it met no kindness. —Perchal.

IH me! I thought you loved
Our human e

well -

s are blind ;
only re.ids life's parable,
Who never looks behind. —Barton Grey,

•^^^

ir

pittlUitt.

DcrbttSCUin tl)afiSU3. Natural Order: ScrophuIa>-iacece—Figv:ort Family.

LRBASCUM, or Mullein, is a common wayside plant, that

Ik we will dignify with a place in this volume as a slight

recompense lor the abuse it has ever, and will ever, receive.

^^ Condemned as a weed, considered as evidence of an untidy

landholder wherever it is seen occupying the fields, its statel}'

stalk a target for every roadside rambler's stick, it has at least

some Mitues, and less vice than it generally obtains credit for, and

t^ shall leceive a tribute for the memory of childhood, when we remem-
- - bei seeing its golden blossoms so far above our head. The whole
plant piesents a gray appearance, from the dense woolly texture that
'co\eis Its leaves and stalk. It is said to have been used in ancient
rtimes as wicks for lamps, or was placed in small vessels of oil, and one
end lighted, the oil continually creeping up its dense surface, supplying the flame
with fuel; and many a country lassie has been indebted for her rosy cheeks to a
pilfered leaf, whose rough surface she has furtively applied to her smooth skin.
The plant has several medicinal properties, being demulcent, anti-spasmodic, and
useful as an anodj'ne. The German name is zvollkrant, signifying wool-plant.

iooh "^atur^.

/"'OOD humor only teaches charms to last,
^ Still makes new conquests, and maintains

TTE keeps his temper'd mind serene and pure,
And ev'ry passion aptly harmonized,

Amid a jarring world.

- Tliompsi

A SWEETER and a lovelier gentleman,
Framed in the prodigality of nature.
The spacious world cannot again afford.

—Shakesi

qp HOUGH time her bloom is stealing,

A There 's still beyond his art —
The wild-flower wreath of feeling.

The sunbeam of the heart. —Hallec/.:
214

i

r

txB% ^lami.

m

jnimulus mOStljatUS. Natural Order: Scrophitlariacc<E—Fig'.vort Family.

UT few things in nature have the odor of musk, particularly
in the vegetable kingdom; and this little, unobtrusive plant,
so delicate and fragile, is cultivated tor this property, other-
wise it would be passed by for its more showy sisters; yet
its blossoms look like drops of yellow gold among its pale-
green leaves. It is a native of Oregon. The other varieties
"^■^ of the Mimulus are grown for their curious and striking flowers,
which are usually yellow, velvety, and spotted with crimson, maroon, or
brown. They are well adapted for garden or house culture, but require
p moisture, and a little shelter from the scorching sun. Mimulus is derived
^ from the Greek minw^ signifying an ape, from the grinning appearance
of the corolla. Another variety is known as the Mimulus ringens, or
Monke^'-flower.

A

HUNDRED thousand welcomes! I could weep,
And I could laugh; I am light, and heavy; welcome.

'T^HERE 'S not a fiber in my trembling frame
That does not vibrate when thy step draws near;
There 's not a pulse that throbs not when I hear

Thy \oice, thy breathing, nay, thy very name.

—Frances Kemble Butler.

—Shakespeare.

"IITHEN lovers meet in adverse hour,

'Tis like a sun-glimpse through a shower,
A watery ray an instant seen,
Then darkly-closing clouds between.

—Scoii.

AND doth not a meeting like this make amends
■'^ For all the long years I've been wand'ring away-
To see thus around me my youth's early friends.
As smiling and kind as in that happy d.iy?

Tgi

'es

me

wonder, great as my

content.

To

see

you

here before me.

-Shak

spea

TN that
A Tomoi

same

plac

row t

ulv

T"

E joy of meeting p.\vs the pangs of absence,

thou hast appointed me
ill I meet with thee.

&

■=^S,

it0tEril<

Siimpis alba. Natural Order: Crucifcra:— Mustard Family.

I'EIVED into this country probabl}- from German}- or England,
It is a very ancient European herb, it has always been
^teemed as a condiment for the table and for its excellent
medical qualities. It is exceedingly prolific, and wherever once
sown, will take care of its own reproduction. In England
'"'■-'- it is cultivated in quantities for its seed, and on a small scale
^,«^^^ m some parts of America. It is sometimes grown in hotbeds as a salad,
^H ^^ and the \ outig leaves of the garden Mustard are frequently boiled as
^C ' green.s. It .sends up a strong, branching stalk, about four feet high,
^^jl_^^ whiili i.s in summer covered with numerous small, sulphur-colored flowers.
Tlie seeds are formed in small, delicate pods, which, when ripe, burst, and
'''^ let their contents scatter o\'er the ground. The seeds are very pungent
to the taste; but those of the Sinapis nigra, or Black Mustard, are still
more so: the flour of mustard, the form in which it is used as a condi-
ment, is a combination of both — two-fifths black, and three-filths white. The
pungency is developed only where the flour is brought under the influence of water.

Inhifbr^nti

ALA.S! my lord, i
•'*■ I could suggest
Than those regards

T ET me this fondness from my bosom tear;

Let me forget that e'er I thought her fair;
Come, cool indifterence, and heal my breast;

alking would prevail,
uch better arguments
lu throw away on me.

Wearied, at length, I seek thy downy rest —
Not all her arts my ste.ady soul shall move,
And she shall find indifterence conquers love

GRACIOUS person; but yet I cannot love him:

He

?ht ha^

T)UT in those lands where people are,
'^ Few men at all take any heed;
While still he sings, and from afar,

,er long ago.

— Shake.tpeare.

.So beautiful is the song, indeed
That twilight loiters hours to hear,
Eavesdropping with a roseate ear.

^&-

frtle*

fllnitus COlUlUUnis. Natural Order: My rtacex— Myrtle Family.

ij ■ Til ENS adopted the Afyrtle as an emblem of municipal
^ autiiorit}', and the victors in the Olympic games were crowned

^' ^ with wreaths of it; it was also sacred to Venus, the goddess
of love, and her temples were encompassed with groves of
^ iVIyrtle. We find in Virgil, that in Baiae (a small town in
> C'.impania, on the coast between Cumae and Puteoli, a
iLiort of the Romans on account of its warm baths and

*^^ 1 l\ Ol lit

pleasant location), "there was a large Myrtle grove, where a warm,
sudorific vapor rose from the earth." King Faunus beat Bona Dea,
his wife, to death with myrtle rods, because she lowered the dignity of
a queen by becoming intoxicated with wine. He afterward repented
his severity, deified, and paid her divine honors. It is a handsome,
ornamental evergreen shrub, grown usually in the greenhouse, and was
much admired by the ancients for its elegance and fragrance.

Jutij,

dost thv

powt

r\H. love! thou

^-' And wilt not bear a rival in thv reign;

Tvrants and thou all fellowship disdain.

TOVE

L^ A,

^E knoweth everv form of air,
And every shape of earth ;
And comes, unbidden, everywhere,
Like thought's mysterious birth.

— iriV/is.
SUBTLE, unbound power,
That slips the soul from it
And makes

-Drydc-i
OVE

a pearl of purest hue,
^-^ But stormy wa\es are round it,
And dearly may a woman rue
The hour that first she found it.

—A/:'ss Laiidott.

A

'pRUE, ah! true, and well I mark
All your words would teach —
And my soul beyond the dark
Stretches forth to reach

buoyant and lighter than air.

—C. H. T.
Faith yet fuller, more complete.

While my lips attest
It is love makes heaven sweet —
Love is jitore than rest!

-Mmv B.

i

(UropiroluiU mains. Natural Okder: TropccolacecE— Nasturtium Family.

^F this handsome class of plants, there exists quite a number of

annual \arieties, some of which are dwarf or low-growing,

others climbing five or six feet high, adhering to their support

'X^ b\ their long leaf-stalks. The flowers are brilHant, usuall}' of

y^'5 some shade of orange or yellow, combined with red, crimson,

maroon, or carmine, and in shape very aptly compared to a

helmet, and the leaf to a shield. Hence the botanical name, from the

) Greek tiopieoii a tropliy, which meant strict!}- the pile of captured

helmets, shields etc., raised by the victorious party on the field of battle.

i^fijj 'v. The vernacular Nasturtium is from the Latin nasus tor/us, twisted nose.

'JL because of the pungency of the plant. There are also two or three

n i y^-i' tuburous or bulbous varieties, that are as yet rather unfrequent in cul-

r"^ \j tivation, and are more delicate in foliage and flower than the well

known species mentioned abo\e. The Canary Bird Flower, Tropeolum aduncum

is said, when fully grown, to live on air alone if detached from the roots. They

are all nati\es of Peru.

"\7"ET it may be more lofty courage dwells

In one weak heart which braves an adverse fate,
Than his whose ardent soul indignant swells,
Warm'd by the fight, or clieer'd through high debate.

— Jfrs. I^orton.
'pHE wise and active conquer difficulties 'y>HERE is a tear for all who die.

By daring to attempt them; sloth and folly ^ A mourner o'er the humblest grave;

Shiver and sink at sights of toil and hazard. But nations swell the funeral crv.

And make the impossibility they fear. And triumph weeps above the brave.

-''""■'•• -Byro,

'INHERE 'S naught within the comp.iss of humanity
But I \vould dare and do. —Sir A. Hunt.

K

ND though in peaceful garb arrayed, A highborn heart and martial pride,

And weaponless except his blade, As if a baron's crest he wore.

His stately mien as well implied And, sheathed in armor, tread the shore.

—Srott.

r

g^jem0jpfeila.

^'einopl)ila insitinis. Natural Order: Hydrophyllaccxe—Waterlcaf Family.

EMOPHILA, meaning, in tlie Greek, lover of the grove, is a

V"lo\v-growing, delicate, herbaceous plant, about six inches high,

iid a' nati\e of California. The narrow leaves are notched

tcph' on tlie sides, and are slightly downy; the flowers are

small, but pretty, some being white with a purple spot on

each petal, as if fairy hands had given each a pinch with

md finger; another is blue, edged with white, and vice versa

blue with a white center; altogether a dozen or more different

uieties. The plants delight in shady grounds, making themselves

iliiubly desirable on that account, and present a nice appearance as

1 border for walks and margins of beds, or, if fancy dictate, they

can be sown in a mass by themselves.

yruspErifg,

pvAME NATURE gave him comeliness anc
And Fortune, for a passport, gave him \v

id health,
vealth.

"IITHEN fortune raiseth to the greatest height, CVc both our fortunes, good and bad, we find

The happy man should most suppress his state, ^ Prosperity more searching of the mind;
Expecting still a change of things to find. Felicity flies o'er the wall and fence.

While misery keeps in with patience.

And tearing when the gods appear too kind.

—Sir Robert Hozrard.

^ And purpl

came smiling to
e greatness met n

lonth, and woo'd
pen'd years.

"PROSPERITY puts out unnumbered thoughts AJOW rising fortune elevates his mind.

Of import high, and light divine, to man. He shines unclouded, and adorns mankind.

—Toung. — Savage.

■PvAILY and hourly proof

Tell us, prosperity is at highest degree

The fount and handle of calamity.
219

^^^

r

li^ttu.

lll'tita Moica. Natural Order: Ui-ticacecc — Nettle Family.

l\TICA, from the Latin tiro, I burn, is the very expressive
.I'll! appropriate botanical name of this familiar nuisance, as one
I iMiiot come in contact with it without being stung. Through
11^ innumerable tubular hairs there passes a viscous, venomous
--■iLn. fluid into the pores of the skin, creating a sensation that is
'^'■fintensely disagreeable and indescribable. Hence the term
<'ncttled is a synonym for chagrin or any mortifying sensation. The
"Greek epithet dioica denotes belonging to the household, or familiar.
"ip^Tlie flowers of the nettle are small and green. The leaves of the
ik-r yo'J"Ji plants are sometimes used as a potherb, but of course have to
*^^ be gathered with gloves. Some of the Asiatic varieties yield a fiber
\^ that is sometimes utilized as a substitute for hemp. There are in all
ibout twenty-three genera and three hundred species of nettles.

^bnbn

'Tj'ROM door to door vou might have seen him speed,

Or plac'd amid a group of gaping fools,
And whispering in their ears witli his foul lips.

-Pollotk.

I shaft, at random sent.
Finds mark the archer little meant;
And many a word, at random spoken,
Mav soothe or wound a heart that's broke

OLANDEROUS reproaches and foul infamies,
^ Leasings, backbitings and vainglorious crakes,
Bad counsels, praises, and false flatteries;
All these against that fort did bend their batteries.

—Sputser. —Scott.

TF I am traduc'd by tongues, whicli neither know

My faculties nor person, yet will be
The chroniclers of my doing — let me say,
'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake
That \irtue must go through. —.'ilmkesfrnre.

OKILL'D by a touch to deepen scandal's tints While mingling truth with falsehood, sneers with smiles,
^ With all the kind mendacity of hints. And thread of candor \vith a web of wiles.

^

r

w,

^

li

(DUEICUS alba. Natural Ordek: Cupttlifcnc—Oak Family.

\ KRY one is familiar with the appearance of this noble genus
c.t trees, or has read more or less in its praise. The wood
oi timber of many of the varieties is exceedingly useful to
in, in many of the mechanical arts, but more especially in
^^ttv^'^'^liip-building, on account of its great strength and durability.
"** It IS also of historic interest to all Americans, as it was in
,^the hollow of an oak at Hartford, that the Charter obtained by Gov.
I'^J^ Winthiop, the younger, for the colonists of Connecticut, from Charles I.
''[SiPol England, was secreted from October 31, 1687, to May, 1689. ^'''
\<^ Edmund Andros made an unsuccessful attempt to rob them of it, but
^was thwarted by William Wadsworth, who spirited it oft' and hid it
in the Oak, which from this circumstance was called the Charter Oak.
It IS supposed to have been upward of three hundred years old when
blown down by a storm, Aug. 20, 1856. The Oak has been considered by the
heathen as honored above all other trees, because the sacred mistletoe grows
upon its branches.

!|cnijr.

'HESE be the sheaves that honor's harvest bears;
The seed thy valiant acts; the world the field.

IJONOR and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part, there all the honor lies.

ll/TINE hoi
M Take he

or is my life; both grow in one;

nor from me, and my life is done.

-Pope.

— Shakespeare.

TTEAVX, that made n
n Tlian ever king did

le honest, made

me more

when he made

a lord.

-Ro:i,c.

00 much the thirst of honor fires the blood;
^ .So many would be great, so few be good;

'pHE tall 0
A The fur\

ak, towering to the skies,

of the wind defies;

For \\\\Q would \irtue for herself regard,

Fro,n age to

age, in virtue strong.

Or wed without the portion of reward.'

Inured to sta

wX and sufter wrong.

/ -Z.,.*..

-Mo„lgomery. _

1^^..

21

^-.^'h

r

mis.

^IdCUiI SlltilXl. Xaturai, Oi!Dp:r: Graminca; — Grass Family.

\ MILIAR throughout our own and other lands is this tall,
^1 asslike plant. It is grown in large fields for its useful and
nutritious seeds, which grow in long, loose panicles. In Scot-
and much pains are taken to prepare a meal from it, and
when boiled into a mush, as we use cornmeal, or baked into
^- oat cake, Ibrms an excellent article of diet, very wholesome
and nutiitious, so that the cannie Scot's time-honored predilection for
oatmeal is found based upon sound physiological principles. The
whole seed is used everywhere as food for horses and cattle. It is
said to flourish in cold, hut to degenerate in warm, climates.

ioutilr^ Jif^.

I'LL cull the farthest mead for tliy repast;
■• The choicest I to thv hoard \\\\\ bring,
And draw thy water from tlie freshest spring.

'T'HERE health, so wild and gay, with bosom bare
•*■ And rosy cheek, keen eye, and flowing hair
Trips with a smile the breezy scene along.
And pours the spirit of content in song.

-Pindn,

, ATATURE I'll court in her sequestered haunts,
By mountain, meadow, streamlet, grove, or cell,
Where the pois'd lark his evening ditty chants,
And health, and peace, and contemplation dwell.
—SiHoUet.

0

UR fields .are full with the time-ripened grain,
Our vineyards with the purple clusters swell;
r golden splendor glimmers on the main.
And vales and mountains her bright glory tell.

0

HOW canst thou renounce the boundless store
Of charms which nature to her votary yields;
le warbling woodland, the resounding shore,
The pomp of groves, and garniture of fields.
^Kentlie.

Wl

—Lord Thurlov.
E be a cot beside the hill;

A beehive's hum shall sootlie my ear;
ivillowy brook, that turns a mill.
With manv a fall shall linger near.

0

F1ELD.S, O woods, 0

shall I be made

The happy tenant of your shade.'

m
1

Xcrimu (Olmnili-r. Xaituai. Order: ApocyitacciC — Dogbane Family.

ROWING erect and branching regularly, this tall evergreen
shiub keeps a good shape with very little attention. The
most common species have rose-colored, single or double
flowers, while some of the others are red, striped, crimson
and white, and one pure white, partly double. The flowers
Jf * ol the latter are apt to scorch it" too much exposed to the
burnmg i<us ot" a midda}- sun when in bloom. All of these varieties
aie ndtues ot the Le\ant and some parts of Palestine, growing near
sti earns in those localities, but are quite common in house cultivation
in \meric i, being placed out of doors in summer. In Florida it is
tound in swamp}^ lands, attaining the size of a tree. The Oleander
belongs to a very poisonous family, and no part should be placed in
the mouth, as instances of occasional fatality are on record.

TET no man know tliv business save
.\ man of mind.

-Bailey.

T F light wrongs
•I No more shall

great; it"

OEWARE of desperate steps; the darkest day,
O Live till tomorrow, will have passed aw.i_v.
—Co:eper.

tew, not ma
There 's naught so sacred with us but may f
A sacrilegious person; yet the thing is T''XCERTATX ways unsafest are.

reach it. And doubt a greater mischiet' than despai

-^louso,,. ' ^Sir J. De„l,am

No less divine 'cause the profane

TH
f

EN tlv betimes, for onlv the\

-yHOSE edges
A sober mo(

soonest turn that are most keen,
moderation stands sure.
No violent extremes endure.

A VALIANT m.in
•' *^ Ouglit not to unc

tempt a dang

id bv selected

—Aleyii

H

EAT not a furnace for your foe so hot
That it diitli singe yourself —Shake.<:pmre.

223

®

'iCStStiCi*.

1

(OlctaClUUS aigcutca. Natural Order: Elaagnaccce — Oleaster Family.

II \ER-LEAVED Oleaster is a native of Missouri, and is con-

'-uli led a shrub worthy of introducing into ornamental shrubberies.

'j 'llu foliage is handsome, and covered with a silvery scurf; the

II .inches are red. In Europe there is a variety cultivated which

duces a fruit having, when dried, much the flavor of the

^x • ci lie. It is of a reddish color, and about the shape and size

iM J *'' ■' plum- It is called Ela^agnus angustiflora, or Narrow-leaved

Okastei Several other of the species are worthy of attention, one

j;^^' "being an evergreen variety from the East Indies. The botanical

name seems to imply, in Greek, upright olive — a significance retained

in the vernacular, which is derived from the Latin.

J'njuibriit^*

PROVIDEN'CE, not niggardly, but wist

Here lavishly bestows, and there deni(

Tliat bv each other's virtues we mav rise.

Gti

mark the matchless working of the power
That shuts within the seed the future flow^er
Bids these in elegance of form excel.
In color these, and those delight the smell;
Sends Nature forth, the daughter of the skies.
To dance on earth, and charm all human eyes.

'y HERE, when the tangled web is all explained.
Wrong suffered, pain inflicted, grief disdained,
Man's proud, mistaken judgments and false scorn
Shall melt like mists before the uprising morn.
And holy truth stand forth serenely bright,
In the rich flood of God's eternal light!

—Co:

■per.

—Mrs, Norton,

TIE that doth the ravens feed.

Yea, providently caters for the sparrow,
Be comtbrt to my age. —,9/iaie.ife,

** The

it that will

doubt

are of heavt

n.' or

thi

ik th

immorta

Pow'rs are

slow, 'cause

thev

tak

e the

P>

vilege

To choose

their own t

me, w

hen

thev

w

11 send

Their blessings down.

— /

lavmaiil

'T^HUS wisdom speaks

To man; thus calls him through this actual form
Of nature, through religion's fuller noon,
Through life's bewildering mazes, to observe
A Providence in all! —Ogilvie.

224

4

-^M

lixst<

11

Oka CJ'Uropira. Natural Order: Olcacav — Olive Family.

tJ

iHIEFLY cultivated for its fruit, the Olive abounds in Spain,
Italv, and the southern parts of France. The fruit is first
bruised to the consistency of paste, after which it is mixed
with hot water, and strained through flannel sacks. The oil
is then separated from the water, and bottled or barreled for
transportation as the Olive oil of commerce. Minerva (in
„3f- Gieek, Athene), the goddess of war, wears a crown of Olive leaves as
an emblem of peace; for, say ancient authors, "war is only made that
peace mav follow." It is said, also, that when she was disputing with
^ Neptune about the name of a city, she caused an 01i\-e tree to spring
out of the ground, which being considered more useful to man than
,;,^ the horse her competitor brought, she had the privilege of calling the
city Athena, alter her own name. This is the Athens of our time.

A

PEACE is of the nature of a conquest;
For then botli parties nobly are subdued,

And neither party loses.

ANGEL of Peace, thou hast wandered too long;
•^ Spread thy white wings to the sunshine of love,
Come while our voices are blended in song,
FIv to our ark like the storm-beaten dovu.

r^OWN the dark future, through long generations.
The echoing sounds grow fainter, and then cease ;
And like a bell with solemn, sweet vibrations,
I hear once more the \oice of Christ say Peace,

TOVELY concord, and most sacred peace,

•L' Doth nourish virtue, and fast friendship breeds;

Weak she makes strong, and strong things does

|E.\CE o'er the
And white-robi

rid

Till it the pitch of highest praise exceeds.

-Spenser.
wand extend,
ir his ravage end.

Peace! and no longer from its brazen portals
The blast of war's great organ shakes the skies !

But beautiful as songs of the immortals.
The holy melodies of love arise. —Longfellor:

ler olive wand extend,
once from hea\cn descend.

—Pofe.

-^m,

1

©rEtigc*

(flitrUS auvantium. Natckal Order: Aiiranticca:—Ora)igc Family.

HIS tree is of the same famih- as the citron, the lime, and
the lemon. It is an evergreen of middle size, and when
covered with its bright, golden fruit, is one of the most
attractive sights in nature. The pulp of the Orange is
divided into sections of as great regularity as is that of the
lemon, the outer covering of each being dry and of con-
siderable strength, while w'ithin are little sacs of irregular length
hlled with a cooling, delightful and refreshing juice, that renders it
jiopular with all. The flowers are of a creamy white. It is a
n itive of tropical climates, yet can be grown in a good greenhouse
w ith ease, requiring little attention. In the West Indies, where it is
! itiv^e, as well as in Florida, Louisiana and California, it is cultivated
m orchards for exportation, and yields fruit plentifully. Seedling trees
lequire budding or grafting to make them bear in the greenhouse.

as

lil,.

■pENEATH the cares of earth she does not bow,
•'-^ Though she hath ofttimes drained its bitter cup!
But ever wanders on with heavenward brow,
And eyes whose lovely orbs are lifted up!

— Amelia B. Welby.

QO dear to heaven is saintly chastity,
^ That when a soul is foutid sincerely so,
A thousand liveried angels lackey her,
Driving far off each thing of sin and guilt.

—Milton.
pHA.STE as the icicle
'-' That -s curded by the frost
And hangs on Dian's temple.

OWEET beauty sleeps upon thy brow,

^ And floats before my eyes;

As meek and pure as doves art thou.

Or being of the skies.

— Robert Morris.

-Shakespea

T

IE summer's flower is

to the summer

Thou-h to itself it onl

■ live and die;

if tluit flower with has

■ infection mee

The basest weed outbraves his dignity;
For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
Lilies that fester, smell far worse than weeds.

—Shnl-espeare.

^1

!i

(Orcl)is SfJCCtabilis. Natural Order: Orchidacca: — Orchis Faiiiily.

W li.ue many varieties of this plant growing throughout the
\\l nititl States, on our prairies or in shady, rocky places.
%\ - rill. \ usually produce very handsome and various colored
// ilowei^. The most beautiful, however, are the Tropical
f^^Un-iuds, lound in the South Sea Islands, growing on branches
of tiees and other substances, and depending so much on the
an toi their sustenance, and so little on root nourishment, that they are
called air plants. They are more gorgeous in bloom than anj' terrestrial
plant. In England there are extensive houses for their culture alone, and
' we believe some few in this country. They are mostly grown in small
cork boxes, or on pieces of wood, in a warm, moist atmosphere. Some
few grow in rooms successfullv, but no water must touch the foliage
or flowers, only enough to moisten the substance containing the roots.

YET graceful ease, and sweetness void of pride,
Miglit hide her faults, if belles had faults to hide
If to her share some female errors fall.
Look on her face, and vou 'U forget 'em all.

\ ROSEBUD in its first green coat,
*■ Yon wrapped your shawl about saw tliroat,
And crossed the lawn, when we went boating;
I touched the fragrance of your hand ;
The fog came down and hid the land,
As white as snow, and we were floating.

— Will \V,iUare Hanin:

belle,

Safelv

OECAUSE thou wcar'st,

A strcjng, pure, silent spell,
from all dark ways my feet retrieving;
Because thou werl to me
As lulled air to wild sc.i, [ins

Storm-furro«-ed, fiercely free, and strongly griev
— Edffar Faiucett.

r;

her cheeks the vermil red did shew.
Like roses in a bed of lilies shed;
The which ambrosial odors from them thr
And gazer's sense with double pleasure

OHI

IE was a form of life and light.
That, seen, became a part of sight;
.\nd rose, where'er I turned mine eye.
The morning star of memory.

1?

I

^^

SaltV uiiniltalis. Natural Order: Sa/icacav — Willo-,v Family.

\RII TIES of the Willow are very numerous, all of them

(kli^hting in soil in which there is an abundance of moist-

uu md are consequently oltener found along the margins

1 btiLims, or in low-lying, wet meadows, than in any other

ilit\ This species does not develope into a tree, the stems

"V t* ii'^iiij Mngh to the height of ten or twelve feet; they are very

^^ pli ible, ind w ell adapted to the industry to which they are applied.

^ifhijrst ^ mimnlis signifies twigs or branches adapted to plaiting. One of the

" sc\ en Rom m hills on which Jupiter was worshiped was called \'imi-

'mlis Colli'5 iiom the Willow-copse which once stood there.

l[ritiikn

t$$»

'TTHE brave do never shun the light;

Just are their thoughts, and open are their tempers;
Truly without disguise they love or hate;
Still are they found in the fair face of day,
And heav'n and men are judges of their actions.

T'

*HY words had such a melting flow,
And spoke of truth so sweetly well,
They dropp'd like heav'n's serenest snow,
And all was brightness where they fell!

'-Moore

W"

ATE'ER the emotions of her heart

Stranger to every female art.
Alike to feign or to disguise.

TTE'LL suit his bearing to tlie hour.

Laugh, listen, learn or teach,
With joyous freedom in his mirth,
And candor in his speech.

A STALWART form, a manly port,
-^ ^ A fearless brow, an eye of truth,

A step as free as that of youth,
A presence fit for camp or court;

—£/;>« Cook.

A knee a cliild would love to clnnb;
A face a woman needs must trust.
Quite free from guile and clean from lust,

Nor marred, though nobly marked by time.

-KaU-

Hi.'/.

r

©aiimntla icgalis. Xatural Order: Filices — Fcrn Family.

*

fW

K^^^f^\ ^^N England this fern is called Ro3'al Osmunda, as its Latin
^'# Ji*&'.'>i^^ name signifies, and is given a place in the ferneries of the
^j-^ "^l :9:[^most fastidious amateur. In America it is found in damp
^ll'^'^loj ■^'4- meadows and swampy lands, sending up its fronds sometimes
*^^ three

and four feet high, but in less damp and congenial
•^^4t " * * ^^ places it diminishes its height nearly one half There is
k ^^ ''^ '"-"-'} anything more graceful than the Fern, of whatever species,
^/'^.^ from the common brake in the woods, or fence corners, to the most
•^^ delicate tropical one cherished in hothouse or greenhouse. No glaring
:olor to strike the eye, nothing but its own simple and elegant outline,
^i^ and tliat e\'er-satisfying, restful and never-tiring tint of nature, the pre-
dominating green.

IITHY, when the bahn of sleep descends on man,

Do gay delusions, wand'ring o'er the brain,
Soothe the delighted soul with empty bliss?

TTTELL may dreams present us fictions.
Since our waking moments teem

-Dr. Jo/,„so„.

HEN sleep's calm wing

s on m^

brow

And dreams of peace m\

spirit 1

ull,

With such fanciful convictions
As make life itself a dream.

Before me like a misty star

That form floats dim and beautiful.
— Campbell. G D Pi

INNOCENT dreams be thine! thy heart sends up

Its thoughts of purity, like pearly bells,
Rising in crystal fountains. Would I were
A sound, that I might steal upon thy dreams.
And, like the breathing of my flute, distil
Sweetly upon thy senses.
T^RE.\MS are the children of an idle brain.

Begot of nothing but vain fantasy,
Which is as thin of substance as the air,
And more inconstant than the wind.

— S/itjlcespcare.

339

A"

LAS

-Willix.
that dreams

dreams

That fancy cannot give
A lasting beauty to those forms.
Which scarce a moment live!

—Rufiis Dawes.

f

®JfEHs<

1

©talis floiibuil^a. Natural Order: OxaUdacca; — Oxalis Family.

I MOST everyone is familiar with our native Oxalises, under

lliL name of Wood Sorrel, that children are fond of plucking

lot itb pleasant acid juice, which, when extracted and concen-

ti ited, IS highly poisonous. The name denotes in Greek sour

^ salt, which is sufficiently appropriate. The foreign species

eome from Chili, Cape of Good Hope, Europe, and Africa,

cultnated for their bloom. The root is bulbous, and should

Ik potted in the fall for winter bloom. Those that have merely fleshy

^^ loots bloom in summer, and should always rtynain in the soil. The

t^ bulbous \ ai let} should be kept in dry sand during the summer. The

oxalic acid ot commerce is prepared from saccharine and farinaceous

substances through the action of nitric acid, and is used for removing

spots of iron rust and ink stains from linen or other articles.

JitrEnlnl J^ffrrlion.

TDUT does not nature for the child prepare

The parent's love, the tender nurse's care,
Who, for their own forgetful, seek his good?

/^H! mother's love is glorifying,
^ On the cheek like sunset lying;
In the eyes a moistened light.
Softer tlian the moon at night!

— Thomas Burbuige.

—Bhckmnre,

T^OR if there be a human tear

From passion's dross refined and cle
'Tis that which pious parents shed
Upon a duteous daughter's head.

SOMEHOW while lingering to watch you here.
Thy tyrannous mother-love makes me forget
11 else but that you are divinely dear!

OWEET is the image of the brooding dove!
^ Holy as heaven a mother's tender love!
The love of tiiany prayers, and many tears.

Which changes not with dim declining years,
The only love which, on this teeming earth,
Asks no return for passion's wayward birth.
^Mrs, Noriott.

230

jjtronia offuinalis. Xaturai. Order: Raitiiiici/lacciV — Croufoot Family.

HE Pajony is supposed to have derived its name from
Pa^on, a disciple of ^sculapius, who used it for the healing
of Pluto, thereby arousing the jealous feelings of his pre-
ceptor, so much so indeed that he compassed his death.
Both the root and leaves are used in medicine as an anti-
spasmodic and tonic. The flowers are very large and
y in all the species. The common variety is a native of Switzer-
land; the white, of Tartary; the Siberian, as its name indicates, of
Siberia. The Chinese Pzeony is a shrub from three to four feet
high, with ample foliage, and verj' large, brilliant, fragrant flowers.
They are mostly hardy, except in extreme northern latitudes, and
oduce various colored blossoms.

%\^VX\.

HAME sticks ever close to the ribs of honoi-,
Great men are never found after it.

—MiddMon.

TTTHEX knaves and fools combined o'er a
When justice halts and right begins t(
Even the boldest start from public sneers,
Afraid of shame, unknown to other fears.

T'

>HAT hol.v shame,
What clear renowi
Whose blush remains

vhich ne'er forgets
it us'd to wear;
i-hen virtue sets,

pONFOUND me not
^ The blood that warn
To fill mv cheeks with

T CAN bear scorpion stings, tread fields of fire.

In frozen gulfs of cold, eternal lie;
Be toss'd aloft through tracts of endless void.
But cannot live in shame. —'Joanna Baillu.

To show her sunshine has been there.

\- trembling heart,
les. -Traf.

'T'HE mind that broods o'er guilty w

Is like a scorpion girt by fire;
In circle narrowing as it glows.
The flames around their captive close.

*OME seek to salve their blotted name

' W'ith others' blot, till all do taste of shame.

—Sir P. Sidney.

^

^i

r

^

;2lpiuin pctrosdinum. Natural Order: UmbcUiferce— Parsley Family.

h\

•^] \RSLEY, a well known herb from the kitchen garden, is

\f\ us(.(l for flavoring food, chiefly soups, and the garnishment

it nuat and game dishes when brought to the table. It is

iLi\ partial to rich soil, and agriculturists say that soot

[..r^-j'^'.^ placed around the plant is very congenial to it. There are

--lc/^se\eial varieties produced by cultivation, diflering in size and

^k'' also in the curliness of the leaf, which is of a dark green. The seeds

J should be soaked in warm water several hours before planting. All

Sy> the varieties are natives of Greece and the island of Sardinia, and are

.nearly allied to that great table favorite, celery. The name Apium is

by some thought to be derixed from the Celtic apoii, or avon, a river,

because the plant delights in moist situations; according to others the

?^" Apium denotes its relationship to celery, (botanicall)-, Apium, and this

<^ from opis, a bee), while Petroselinum is the equivalent to Parsley,

denoting in Greek, rock-curl}-, or rock-marsh — scliuou, parsle\', from elos, a

marsh, or clisso, I twist.

FRIENDSHIP shall still thy evening feasts adorn,
And blooming peace shall ever bless thy morn.

■p LEST be those feasts with simple plenty crown'd,
^-^ Where all the ruddy family around
Laugh at the jests or pranks that never fail,
Or sigh with pity at some mournful tale.

n^HE banquet waits our presence, festal joy
Laughs in the mantling goblet, and the night,

''is pity wine should be sc
For tea and coffee leave

w

lEN the laugh is lightest,

\\'hen wildest goes the jest,

len gleams the goblet brightest,

And proudest heaves thy breast.

nin'd by the taper's

dazzling

beam,

als departed day.

—Brown.

deleterious.

us much more serious.

-Byron.

And thou .art madly pledging

Each gay and jo

'ial guest

—

A ghost shall glide

amid the

flowers —

The shade of Love'

departed

hours.

-

.I/r.c. OstTood.

^^^S

IpaSSiflora rcrrulca. Natural Order: Passi/ioracciV—I'as.sioi/ Flo-vcr Family.

r OSTLY natives of the tropical portions of America, the

\\ Passion Flowers climb to a great height — frequently from

' '' .,5«-thirty to forty feet, the stem attaining the thickness of

or four inches in diameter. The foliage is palmate,

divided into five lobes in the Brazilian variety, and

^ into three parts in the North American plants. The flowers,

.^ though transient, are large and beautiful. The petals, which are

;^^ blue without, are lined with purple and white within, and

k spread themselves out in a flattened manner, with a row of filaments

K arranged around an inner circle, while erect stands the supposed

1^' resemblance of the cross. Several varities are native in the United

' ~ States. Among them are found flowers of red, purple, crimson,

• and red and white. Some of the species are adapted to the hot-

4 house, and others to the greenhouse or conservator}\ All are beautiful

and attractive. The flower was named jlos passionis by the early missionaries,

who in their religious zeal imagined they saw emblems of the crucifixion — the

crown of thorns, nails, hammer, etc. — in the various parts of the curious blossom.

^

fol^ Jotij*

"11 7E see Thy hanci-
*^* We hear Thy \'
And then we turn aw

■it leads us, it supports us;
ice — it counsels and it court
V, and still thy kindness

Forgives our blindness,
'HY wonders do singly stand,
Nor far removed where feet have seldom stray'd
Around us ever lies the enchanted land,
marvels rich to Thine own sons displayed.
-7o,„l Very.

\ SINGLE passion flower pressed

Is what my wistful eye engages,
And all the sign of love once blest

Lies buried 'tween the written p.iges.

yoitn Bcnvrin^.
hundred voices I desire,
To tell thee what a hundred tongues
Yet never could be worthily exprest:

deeply thou art seated in my breast.

POR this

[tire,
vould

Hov

But oh! the flower to you and me
A deeper mystery unrolls,

For written on its leaves I see

The record of two burning souls

l^Jea--B^^yJe-et.

1

£atl)nrUS OllOratUS. Natlral Okder: Lcoi,,iihtoscv — Pii/se Family.

ATII\RUS ODORATUS, or Sweet Pea, is one of the
Aoiiteb of olden times, that has been crowded out b}- more
LLnt novelties; but as fashions rotate, old things return to us
> ntw , so now we hope these really-beautiful flowers will
*^^u , <i<r,un come to the front, and press their claims upon all
" "''flower-loving people. They are most excellent for screens
01 arbors (whence the botanical name, from the Greek lathon, Ij'ing
hid), inan\ of them growing to the height of six feet; and although not
produtmg as much leafage as the morning glory, they fully make up
foi the lemissness by the abundance and fragrance of their blossoms.
Thc\ aie mostU Irom tropical climates, being natives of Ceylon, Sicily,
and Jiarbar}'. In color they are white, purple, blue, nearly black, and
variegated; and are most easy of cultivation.

J)$p3rlitr^.

BUT whv do
And her ev
' Because I fear

tou go?" said the ladv

ile both sate under the yew;

;s were ahve in the
'ou," he answered;

depth,

because vou

kraken beneath
re far too fair.

And able to strangle mj- soul in a mesh of your gold-colored ha

QO, closing his heart, the judge rode on,
And Maud was left in the field alone.

QING on! we sing in the glorious weathe
^ Till one steps over the tinv strand,
So narrow, in sooth, that still together

On either brink we go hand in hand.
Tlie beck grows wider, the hands must se\'

On either margin, our songs all done,

— Whittier.
W'e move apart, while she singeth ever.

Taking the course of the stooping sun.
He prays, "Come over" — I may not follow;

I cry, "Return!" but he cannot come;
We speak, we laugh, but with voices hollow;

Our hands ai-e hanging, our hearts are numb.

-Jean Iiigelo-.

TJERE are sweet peas, on tiptoe for a flight —

With wings of gentle flush o'er delicate white.
And taper fingers catching at all things.
To bind them all about with tiny rings.

^34

Jersica milgaris. Natural Order: Rosacac — 7io.fr Family.

ATIVE to Persia, the Peach is one of the most delightful of
tiuit trees. The different named varieties, numbering nearly
two hundred, have been mostly produced b}- a process called
li\bridizing, to which nurserymen pa}^ assiduous attention.
i^'S--^ *- The flowers most frequently seen are a beautiful rose tint.
^ ^o^" There are those, however, that are pure white, and also a
double \ ai iety. In size they are a little larger than the blossom of
the chem. The fruit is among the most delicious bestowed upon
man, and its medicinal properties are considered healthful, nutritious,
^jV) and Loohng to the system. The bark of the tree, the blossoms, and the
skins of the seeds, are poisonous, being highly impregnated with
prussic acid, which is distinguishable even in the odor of the flowers.
In Great Britain the Peach is usually cultivated and trained against
a south wall, in order to have the fruit ripen rapidly, the seasons
being too inclement for it to be grown in large orchards, as it is
■found in the United States, where its cultivation forms a considerable industr\-.

TDUT an imprison'd mind, though living, dies
^-^ And at one time feels two captivities:
A narrow dungeon which her body holds,

But

body

'T^HEY chain'd us each to a marble stone,

And we were three — yet each alone;
We could not move a single pace,

herself enfolds.

—Dr. King.
We could not see each other's face,
But with that pale and livid light
That made us strangers in our sight.

M

AKE ha«t.
Lest Zeu>

and lock the fetters
behold thee lagging.

him.

I

QHE meant to weave me a
Of some coquettisl) deceit
Cleopatra-like, as of old.

J^fe:-

To et
To h:
And

f

§^jemtsticm0m

1

JpCntstciUCm CampanulatUS. Natural Ordek: Scrophiilariacea — Figivort Family.

APIDLY advancino; in favor since its introduction from Mexico,
the Pentstemon is a handsome plant, finding a place in every

(^|»gaiden when its beauty is once beheld; but it should be win-
teied in a cool part of the greenhouse, or some place free from
irost. It can be raised from seed, and is said to bloom the
iirst year if sown early in the spring. The blossom is tubular
I \^^ m sliapL, hanging three or four in a group, with the mouth of the flower
l^c'l^downwaid. The color differs in different individuals, being scarlet, blue,
P*s> and }ellow, all remarkably handsome in whatever hue they sport. The
)^^ stalk is from eighteen to twenty inches or more in height. They make
nae (.onsei\ atory or window plants, and will please all amateurs.

|igl|-lrch<

■pOAST not these titles of your ancestors.

Brave youths, they 're their possessions not you
When your own virtues equal'd have their names,
'Twill be fair to lean upon their fames.
For they are strong sujiporters. —Ben Jot

ACROSS the garden path she went,
■'*■ Herself the sweetest flower there,
Though richest blooms of Orient

Their fragrance mingled in the air.
Her swarthy bondmaids held aloft
A canopy of colors gay,

pUT off your giant titles, then I can

Stand in your judgments' blank and equ;
Though hills advanced are above the plain
They are but higher earth, nor must disda
Alliance with the vale; we see a spade

Or brushed with tufts of plumage soft
The humming insect tribe away.

For Sim, nor wind, nor gauzv wing.
Must venture on a touch too free;

.She was the daughter of a king.
And bore herself right royally.

—Mary E. Bradlry.

Can level them, and make a mount a glade;
Howe'er we differ in the herald's book.
He that mankind's extraction shall look
In nature's rolls, must grant we all .igree
In our best parts, immortal pedigree.

-Dr. fh-i

%i^^^

=6^

§^^riwimliU.

^

OilUa luajov. Natural Order: Apocyiiacccc — Dogbane Family.

;HESE pretty little trailing plants are allied to the stately
oleander, and are mostly found in the tropical or warm
climates. One of the species has variegated foliage, and is
an admirable plant for covering the ground beneath hedges
and other high-growing shrubs, giving a succession of bloom
during the whole summer. In cool latitudes it is grown in
pots, bemg readily propagated by slips. The Vinca minor is an ever-
green plant of straggling growth, the procumbent stems being several
feet in length, and threadlike, fully illustrating its Latin name, which
comes from vincio, I bind. The Vinca major is more erect in habit.
It requires much heat in winter, but does well in summer in a sunny
l5< border. The Madagascar Periwinkle is a very handsome upright
Ci'^-X'VI^ species, suitable for indoor culture, and has leaves of polished green,
A^^\^ and pretty white or rose-colored flowers, with a dark eye in the
center. All the species bloom freely, and are easily cultivated.

FRIENDSHIP our only wealth, our List retreat and strength,
Secure against ill fortune and the world. —Ro-.ue.

PEW are the hearts that have proved the truth

Of their early affection's vow;
And let those few, the beloved of youth,

Be dear in absence now.

LAV this into your breas
' Old friends, like old s^

O, vividly in their faithful breast

Shall the gleam of remembrance play.

Like the lingering light of the crimson v
When the sunbeam hath passed awav!

— Horace Tv.'iss

ords, still are trusted bes

'T'HAT heart, methinks, [print VTES, the summer of life passes quickly away,

W^ere of strange mold, which kept no cherish'd Soon the winter of age sheds its snow on the heart.

Of earlier, happier times.

when life x

•as fresh,

And love and innocence

made holyd

'-}lim,ouse.

But the warm sun of friendship that gilded youth's day
Shall still thro' the dark clouds a soft ray impart.

237

niiospm'OS Dirijiiuana. Natural Order: Ebcnacac — Ebony Family.

"Wj CRSIMMON trees are found in the United States, attaining
/ \A , larger growtli in the south than in the north, where they
Jdom become more than a large shrub. The flowers are
1| inconspicuous, and are succeeded by a plum-shaped, pulpy
\ ^ ti uit, of a reddish-orange hue, containing several hard-shelled
0^^ seeds. Persimmons are only ripened by the action of the
'^^^^.''''fi ost, after which they become palatable and nutritious. In the South-
i^f^ern States they are used in various ways, but in the Middle States they
Xirt'^ are seldom found plentifully enough to be used in any way except to
^^^Peat in their original state. They are allied to the date plum, a foreign
variety. The bark is used to allay fevers, and it also possesses tonic
^^^ and astringent properties. The species are numerous in the tropics.

%m\ \^\)xxi% Paaulijs*

' of Natui
rigredient

s works
the compound man,

Infused at the creation of the kind.

-Cmt.te,

TTOW blest the man who in these peaceful plains

Plows his paternal field ; far from the noise,
The care and bustle of a busy world!
All in the sacred, sweet, sequester'd vale

Of solitude, the secret primrose path
Of rural life, he dwells; and with him dwell
Peace and content, twins of the sylvan shade.
And all the graces of the golden age.

■Michael Bn

'T'HE green earth sends its incense
From every mountain shrine —

From every flower and dewy cup
That greeteth the sunshine.

— Whiltier.

JF.

thou

worn and hard beset
ith sorrows that thou wouldst forget.
If thou wouldst read a lesson that will ke

O nature!

Thy heart from fainting, and thy soul from sleep.
Go to the woods and hills! — no tears
Dim the sweet look that Nature wears.

— Longfellow.
;rv charm serene.

f

n%u<

jji'tuiua aiilClltca. Natural Order: Solanacac — Nightshade Family.

1 L()\GIMG to the same order of plants as the tobacco, the
I'ttunia IS a nati\e of South America, and derives its name
ti im piliiii, a name for tobacco among the aborigines of
qu u ter. Of late years tbreign florists have taken infinite
s to improve it b}' hybridizing, and have succeeded in
])i(Klucino some that are most exquisite in color, being plain,
blotched, or striped, and nearly as double as a rose. This has
onh been accomplished after numerous discouragements. As the double
"K ^'^^''^ rarely produce seeds, and should they do so would seldom ^•ield
double flowers in return, the mode of procedure has been to take the
jioiicn oi iiie double flower and apply it to the stigma of the nex'er-
l.liliIl^ siiij^le flow(.T, ha\ing prexiouslv removed the pollen of the latter,
riie plants must then be grown and allowed to ripen under cover, to be sure
that no bee or truant insect, searching for hidden sweets, shall shake ofl" from its
tiny legs any of the pollen that may have adhered while wantoning over single
blossoms.

\tt^ 'Xniit promises.

IV /I Y deeds and speeches, sir,

Are lines drawn from one center; what I

'T'HE man that is not in the enemies" pow'r

Nor fetter'd by misfortune, and breaks pron-

Degrades himself; he never can pretend

To honor more.

— Sir Robert Slnphi

pvIVINEST creature! bright Astrea's daughter!
"-^^ How shall I honor thee for this success.'
Thy promises are like Adonis's gardens,

itful were the next

— Sliakespfare.

That one day bloom 'd, and

JET not thy tongue too often bind th;

To render deeds unto thv foe or IV

For words once utter'd thou must erst

Lest sweetest friendship have inglor

will,
.■nd,
fulfill,

For hearts once lighten'd by a promise giv'n.

May sink too low for rescue shouldst thou fail.

As ships reach not the port for which they've striv'n
Except a favoring wind their sails prevail.

-C. //. T.

i}

''§hi%Bt^0l\%B.

1

41

{3l)aSC0luS multttlorus. Natural Order: LeguminoscE — Pulse Family.

\ E of the plants that have been utilized by man for food, the
rhciseolus, is familiar to all under the name of Bean. Some
t w are indigenous to the soil, but most of those grown, either
t )i food or ornament, are from foreign lands. The Phaseolus
\ ulgaris, that is so much grown for its edible pods, is from
the East Indies, as are also the short Bush and Lima Beans,
: of which produce white flowers. The Phaseolus multiflorus,
"i or Scarlet Runner, is an annual from South America. The blossoms
ai e a bi ilhant .scarlet, in which there is a slight dash of orange. There
IS also a variety with white and lilac flowers. The Hyacinth Bean is
another handsome bloomer, and, with the two previously mentioned, is
cultivated as an ornamental climber for screens, trellises and arbors.

all thi

i

ippflrlunil^*

'T'HE means that heaven yields must be embraced,

And not neglected; else, if hea\en would.
And we will not, heaven's offer we refuse,
The proffer'd means of succor and redress, —shakespa

T FIND m_v zenith doth depend upon

A most suspicious star; whose influence
If now I court not, but omit, m.y fortunes
Will ever after droop. —simhespear.

w

T

HE golden opportunity
Is never ofter'd twice;

When fortune

LSS not occasion; by the forelock take
That subtle power, the never-halting time.
Lest a mere moment's putting ofT should make
Mischance almost as heavy as a crime.

— Wordszvorlh.

; then the hour
points the way.

'T>HE old Scythians [wings,

Painted blind Fortune's powerful hands with

To show her gifts come
Which, if her fav'rile be
He loses them forever.

ift and suddenly,
it swift to take,

— Chafit

rvCCASION, set on wing, flies fast away,
^ Whose back once turned, no holdfast can we find ;
Her feet are swift, bald is her head behind;
Whoso hath hold, and after lets her go.
Docs lose the lot which fortune did bestow.
— Mirror Jor Afo^isi
240

^ ^^

pijlof SUbulata. Natural Order: Polcmoniacctt — Polc»io>iiiim Family.

^|T is said that Drummond, an eminent botanist and collector
^^^ l^ X'^ of flowers, on seeing some of the above in blossom, smiling
jj^^_ .''^W* ;ij^^^ among the barren pine-lands in New Jersey, exclaimed, "the
f;i^'^|n| ■^'•^ beauty of that alone is worth coming to America to see: it
^^ is so splendid!" and truly they are beautiful. The Phlox is

^ ^o»>''^^^^'^'%^ found on rockv hills, from New Jersey west to Kentucky
'^ -^t^ and south to Georgia, usually growing in clusters, and blooming in

¥^^
T<^

May. The flower is either pink or white, with a dark spot in the
'A'^^ center. The most handsome garden Phloxes are those called Phlox
^_^ Drummondii, named after the above botanist, and probably derived
a*»,-^ from our native variet}'. The blossoms, arraying themselves in almost
^^^'every concievable tint of the various colors, are charming to the eye.
(^^The Greek word p/ilox denotes flame.

J in sickness, and i
nstant, when our 1(

r\H: we will walk this world, 'yHE

" Yok'd in all exercise of noble aim. ^ In

HOr wast mv nurse in sickness, and my comforter in health,
So gentle and so constant, when our love was all our wealth.

—Albert Pi/te.

'HERE are two hearts whose nio\ements thrill
unison so closely sweet.
And so through those dark gates across the wild That pulse to pulse, responsive still.
That no man knows. Thev both must heave — or cease to beat.

APTl'ROrS moment of full-fruited gleaning!
Rapturous blending of spirit with kin!

e in the heavens but knoweth the meaning
Of tenderest mystery hidden within
This meeting of waters, this harvested sheen.

—Mary B. Dodge.

TTOW gladly, then, the days would glide. What peace our sheltered lives would hold.

How faultlessly the nights would follow. What rest our placid hearts discover.

With cadences of manv a tide While wind, and bird, and sea-wave told

In many a cavern cool and hollow 1 The joys of lover and of lover!

— Edgar Fav'Cett.

^fe-

^ittt^tvuth

^IHUIilllis a-llU'llsis. Natural Okder: Primiilacea: — Primrose Family.

INAGALLIS rs found growing in an uncultivated state in
many places in Europe, so plentiful as to be classed as a
w eed The flowers of this variety, which are scarlet, with a
juiiple circle at the eye, open at eight o'clock and close at
1 noon, or at the approach of rain, thereby giving it the
familiar cognomen of "poor man's weather glass." It pos-
ss<_^ aLiid properties useful in medicine — drops}-, epilepsy and mania
^ mg the ailments for which the remed}' is used. Its Latin appellative
demed horn the Greek word anagelao, to laugh aloud. It is sup-
used to be identical with the Samolus mentioned by Pliny, who says
L- ancient Druids gathered it fasting, and with the left hand, carefully
S?? refraining from casting their eyes upon it, and ascribing to it magical
properties in the cure and prevention of diseases in their cattle. It is a
pretty plant of a trailing habit, with beautiful flowers in the cultivated species,
whose tints are blue, white, red, vermilion, and maroon. Its geographical dis-
tribution extends over various portions of the world.

•<!)•

T

HE broadest mirtli un

feeling Ibllv wears,

Less pleasing tar th:

n virtue's verv tear

-Pofe.

w

HERE is tlic man that has not tried
How mirth can into folly glide,
folly into sin? -Sir W. Seott.

W

'HERE is our usual manager of mirth?
What revels are in hand? Is there no |
To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?

i

^-t^rt^—

ITTHILE her laugh, full of life, without any control

But the sweet one of gracefulness, rung from her soul.
And where it most sparkled, no glance could discover,
In lip, cheek, or eyes, for she brightened all over,
Like any fair lake that the breeze is upon.
When it breaks into dimples, and laughs in the sun.

342

m

xnt.

inUS stroluiS. Natural Order: Conifcrx — Pine Family.

NTERING so largely into all of our building enterprises, as

■ . well as into cheap household furniture, the wood of this

:e is easily recognized, especially from its softness and

lightness. The trunk, which is usually very straight, often

^-:S attains the height of two hundred feet, while about half the

distance from the ground the branches stretch themselves like

S^ great self-sustaining arms, rendering the Pine one of the most noble

'"^ trees of the forest. The needle-like foliage is clustered in small masses

on the tips of the twigs. The tree is supposed to have received its

name from its leaves, for the Saxon name finntrco signifies pin-tree,

as does also the Danish fyn-boom, and the Welsh fin-bren.

D'

jlVINE philosophy! bv whose pure light
We first distinguish, then pursue the right,
Thy power the breast from every error frees,
And weeds out all its vices by degrees.

—Gifford.

■|'t7'H.\T does philosophy impart to man She but extends the scope of wild amaze

'* But undiscovered wonders? Let her soar And admiration. All her lessons end

Even to her proudest heights, to where she caught In wider views of God's unfathomed depths.
The soul of Newton and of Socrates,

Blest are those
Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled.
That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger,
To sound what stop she please. — shnJiesfeare.

-Henry Kirk WhiU.

AND when I stretched beneath the pines,
■^ Where the evening star so holy shines,
I laugh at the lore and the pride of man.

1^.

^&-

At the sophist schools, and the learned clan :
For what are they all in their high conceit,
When man in the bush with God may meet.'
— Emerson.

PHILOSOPHY and Reason! Oh! how vain

* Their lessons to the feelings! They but teach

To hide them deeper, and to show a calm,

Unrufiled surface to the idle gaze. —Elizabeth Bogart.

i

f

f ittltcr f Isittt,

Savraccnia }JSittai'ilia. Natural Order: Sarraco/iaccce — Pitcher Plant Family.

VRRACENIA, so named in honor of Dr. Sarrasin, of Quebec,
- found in low, wet situations in warm latitudes, and is remark-
I'lc for the peculiar construction of the leaves, which are not
', It. as in most other foliage, but are like hollow tubes, tapering
toward the bottom like a vase, with a sort of cap or lid for
V/^ the top, the hollow being nearly always half tilled or more
w ith water. There is one species from the East Indies that is well
adapted for the greenhouse. The leaves of this plant are narrow
and tapering, and the middle vein appears to run on in a sportive
mood, extending itself like a thread beyond the leaf some four or five
inches, and then curls about and turns up at the extremity, forming a
delightful little pitcher. When grown in a pot, it requires a great deal
Ws of moisture, and a layer of moss or cocoa fiber on the surface of the soil
^ to check evaporation. Some varieties have leaves from one to three feet
high. The flowers are yellow or purple.

|n$Hnth

TEARN from the birds what food the thickets yield;

Learn from the beasts the physic of the field;
The art of building from the bee receive;
Learn of the mole to plough, the worm to weave.

QAY, where full instinct is the unerring guide,
What hope or counsel can they need beside?
Reason, however able, cool at best.
Cares not for service, or but serves when prest;

Stays till we call, and then not often ne
But honest instinct comes a volunteer;
Sure never to o'ershoot, but just to hit;
While still too wide or short is human

TTOW can we justly different causes frame,
When the eftects entirely are the same.'
Instinct and reason how can we divide.'
'Tis the fool's ignorance, and the pedant's prii

-44

m

r

§^lmmlj-aj^0.

piumluillO (EapCUSlS. Natural Order: Plutnbaginacece — Leadviort Family.

SV-J^^qki^r'

K EADWORT of the Cape, that is, of the Cape of Good Hope,
jp.^' is the meaning of the botanic name of this plant. In studying
up the biography of a plant, one is frequently astonished to
^"•find it of such ancient origin. This one is recorded by Pliny
"■«!^:v, i>^ <i plant reputed to cure a disease of the eyes, and we
'"' '^tind it mentioned in other ancient authors. The varieties
'j-^-, are numerous. Some of them can be grown out of doors until destroyed
by frost, but most of them require some protection in the nortliern or
colder latitudes. The Plumbago rosea is best adapted for hothouse
culture, and produces a bountiful supply of red flowers; but for the
greenhouse, the Plumbago Capensis is to be preferred, with its beautiful
spikes of blue flowers, blooming from midsummer until midwinter. The
; other species are natives of the East Indies, Peru and Chili, and all
have proved hardy in the Southern States. They flourish best in their
soil in the neighborhood of the sea, or marshes formed by salt water.

A

MEEK niount.iin d.iisv, with delicate crest,
And tlie violet whose eve told the heaven of her breast.

T LOVED thee for thy high-born grace,
*■ Thy deep and lustrous eye —
For the sweet meaning of thy brow,
And for thv bearin" hiffh.

— Mrs. Siffoitriiey.
I loved thee for thy stainless truth,

Thy thirst for higher things.
For all that to our common lot

A better temper brings. —Willis.

VTET so much is my poverty of spirit,
So mighty, and so many • my defects.
That I would rather hide me from my greatness.
Being a bark to brook no mighty sea.

H™

LITY, that low, s'
From which all heaven

■eet

S/mhspt-arf.
TTl-'MILITY is eldest-born of
Al And claims the birthright at tli

' throne of heav'n.
—.Viirpliy.

^

^m.

'^0%nB^ttm.

U

IJoinscttia pulcl)trruua. Natural Order: Eiiphorbiacca: — Spurge Family.

*^^, :f OEL ROBERTS POINSETT, United States minister to Mexico,
k^discovered, in 1828, this magnificent plant, one that excites such
universal admiration when in its holiday trim. It is commonly
..grown among hothouse plants, though it will thrive in other situ-
l-'^:^- ations with care and attention. It is a hall-shrubby plant, much
inclined to a straggling growth, and requires pruning about the
-second spring month, when it should be cut back to within about
two inches of the wood of the previous year. This causes the
IP plant to send out side branches, which must be preserved with care
lest the ends of the twigs be broken. In midwinter the scarlet
bracts or leaves which surround the flowers begin to appear,
crowning the tip of each shoot as it were with fire, when it is the
most brilliant, most magnificent plant in our collections. For deco-
rative purposes it is much sought, and as the demand nearly alwaj-s exceeds the
supply, high prices are paid without demur for these floral tips.

in

Htanii|.

T^HE gav and glorious creatures! they neither "toil nor spin;"

Yet lo! what goodly raiment they're all appareled in;
No tears are on their beauty, but dewy gems more bright
Than ever brow of eastern queen endiadem'd with light.

r\ ROSE! O pearl! O child! O things of light!
^-' O maiden's eye that melts with beams of love !

O stars that sparkle in the vault above!
O peerless moon, thou radiant queen of night!
O golden sun, so glorious in my sight!

—Mkx Bo'.oles.

How doth m^' soul leap forth to soul in the
To that appealing mute divinity
Which gives thee glory as it gives thee niig
'Tis what we worship, though we know it i

H

IS e.irnest

and

undazzled

eve

he

keeps [

Fix

•d on

the

■^un of Tr

ith.

ar

d breatht

easil

v as e

aglc

cleave th

e air;

s [words pvO' what he will, he cannot
eathes his Hall' he conceives — the s;lo

■eali

I

m

And never pauses till the height

lorious vision flies:
ere he may, he cannot hope to find
.ith, the beauty pictur'd in his mind.

^0%nt%x^nuft.

Jpuniia giauatum. Natural Order: My rtacea:— Myrtle Family.

HQl'IRING the protection of glass in the northern climate, the
I^onu i^ranate is generally cultivated in greenhouses, while in the
' south ot" Europe it is grown for hedges, being in jts wild state
ci tiioiny bush. The flowers are large, handsome, and scarlet
^ ^ ^ ^ in color, both double and single. Its fruit has a hard rind,
'^ ^"^ numerous seeds, a soft pulp of fine flavor, and is as large as
an orange; while the root j'ields an extract valuable for its medical
properties. Columella, a writer on husbandry in a. d. 42, makes mention
of it. Josephus sa3'S, in his Antiquities of the Jews, '■ that the bells on
the high priests' robes were the symbols of thunder, and the pome-
granates, of lightning."

Jigl^lntng.

R

ED liglitnings plav'd n
.\nci their demolish'd

FROM cl<
Till, in

cloud to cloud the rending
Till, in the furious elemental v
Dissolv'd, the whole precipitated 11
Unbroken floods and solid torrent?

long the firmament,

works

to pieces N

—DryJ.-H

i A

low reeds

bent b\

the streamlet's

ide,

id hills to

the thunder peal

replied ;

The li

ghtning bi

rst on i

s fearful

w.iy.

While

the heave

IS were

it in its

red arra

V.

- Tliom.1t

-WillU Gaylord Clark.

took: from the turbid south
'-' What floods of flame in red diffusion burst!
Frequent and furious, darted thro' the dark.
And broken ridges of a thousand clouds.
Piled hill on hill; and hark! the thunder rous'd,
Groans in long roarings through the distant gloom!
-Mallei.

'pHROUGH the air

Mountains of clouds,

irid summits roll'd,
The lightning kindling with its vivid glare
Their outlines as thev rose, heap'd fold on fold.

— Epes Sar^eul.

qpHE win
i Impend

linds grow high;

ling tempests charge the sky;
The lightning flies, the thunder roars.
And big waves lash the frighted shores.

^^S

lOapaiUT SOinilltcrum. Natural Order: PapavcracetE — Poppy Family.

1

KOM this plant is obtained that powerful narcotic, the opium
of commerce. It has a milky juice that exudes from incisions
made on the capsules of the plant. After it has been col-
lected, it is worked in the sun until it is firm enough to be
Vtormed into cakes for exportation. Ceres is pictured carrying
^^ Poppies in her hand, because, when she lost her daughter,
.Jupiter gave her Poppies to eat, that she might get sleep and
rest, \\ hich she could not before, for the intensity of her grief The
flowers are white, large and double. The Oriental Poppy from the
Le\ant is a beautiful flower of a rich scarlet. The capsule is round,
with a flat cap or covering, underneath which are small openings
through which the seeds may be scattered as from a pepperbox.

QLEEP, sleep! be thine the sleep tliat throws
^ Elysium o'er the soul's repose,
Without a dream, save such as wind.
Like midnight angels, through the mind.

TTOW beautiful is sleep!

Yet if its purest beauties thoi
On the babe's slumber creep,
And bid thy heart confess its

—Robert M. Bird.
Yet sleep is awful, too —
So like to death's its features it can dress;
Meek slumberer! while I view

appeal.

Thii

deeply feel its awfulness.

r\ MAGIC sleep! O comfortable bird

^ That broodest o'er the troubled sea of the

Till it is hush'd and smooth. O unconfined

Restraint! imprison'd liberty! great key

To golden palaces — ay, all the world

Of

rj*ROM a poppy I have taken
■*■ Mortal's balm and mortal's
Juice that, creeping through the h

ncha
ane;

itmcnt!

-KeaU.

Deadens itv^ry sense of smart;
Doomed to heal or doomed to kill.

hear

Fraught with good, or fraught with ill
-Mrs. Robins

IpOrtulam giran^itlora. Natural Order: Portulacacex— Purslane Family.

LA NTS cultivated under this name are mostly from South
Africa, though the varieties are greatly improved, and florists
by a course of treatment produced a multiplicity of colors.
Ill their native land they are found in very sandy soils, and
■f^^ ihere are no plants that stand drouth better than they, except,
'X^. perhaps, the cacti. The flowers appear fresh every morning
|J^''''during flowering seasons, and the seeds when ripe are of a silvery
J appearance. The native weed known under the name of Purslane is an
^^ American sister-plant, entirely devoid of beauty. The latter has thick,
fleshy stems and leaves, and is used as a pot-herb, also for pickles,
salads, and garnishing, and for that reason is designated botanically
Portulaca oleracea.

T^HE earth was made so various, that the mind

Of desultory man, studious of change,
And pleas'd with novelty, might be indulged.

TirHEREFORE did nature pour her bounties forth

With such a full and unwithdrawing hand.
Covering the earth with colors, fruits and flocks,
Thronging the seas with spawn innumerable —
But all to please and sate a curious taste.

poux:

Coun

specit
vhich

VrOUTH loves
^ 'Till the sou
Becomes variety

—Milton.
and lives on change
,1 sighs for sameness
; and takes its pl.ice.

TLESS the variou

ntless the shades

from mind:

No general object of desire is know

Each has his will, and each pursues

of mankind,
parate mind

his own.

— Gifford.

"Y J'ARIETY, the source of joy below,

From which still fresh revolving pleasures flow :
In books and love the mind one end pursues.
And only change the expiring flame renews.

pL.W every- string in love")
-Set all its music flowing;

Be air, and dew. and
To keep the soul-fl

;ht, and fire,
ver growing.

V

AT each from other diflfers, first confess;
Xe.\t, that he varies from himself no less.

-Pope.

f

fjcrtentilla.

11

Ipotcntilla fanilOSa. Natukai. Order: Rosacece—Rose Family.

!*(>HE habit of this plant, being similar to that of the straw-
/ berry, renders it superior for rock work, or the adornment
of hanging-baskets; and some of the larger kinds, being free
bloomers, make a very nice appearance when placed in the
shrubbery borders. The flowers are various as well as
handsome, being rose-colored, scarlet, yellow, and scarlet
and buft' combined, continuing in bloom from five to six months.
One of the native species is sometimes called Cinquefoil, or Five-
finger; and the plant is used medicinally for its astringent and tonic
pioperties, but scarcely merits its name (from the Latin poteiis,
]">owerful), as it is rather a mild astringent. Although called hard}'
ennials, they are the better for some light protection in winter.

'pHOU art my daughtci- — nevei" loved a^ now —

^ Thou mountain maid — thou child of liberty!
Urilda! well from Uri's height I named thee,
Free as its breezes — purer than its snows.

— Matiiriji.

O EASON masters every sense,

Her grave parents' wise commands;

^^ And her virtues grace her birth:

d so innocent, that ill

Lovelv as all excellence.

She nor acts, nor understands.

Modest in her most of mirth.

-William Hahmglov.

-William Brou

SHE comforts all her mother's d.ays,
And with her sweet, obedient ways
She makes her labor light;
So sweet to hear, so fair to see!
O, she is much too good for me.

— 'Jenn Tn^elozv.

A'

ND a stranger when ht
In the street, even, sn
Just as you would at

And all voices that address her
Soften, sleeken every word.
As if speaking to a bird.

— Afrs, Brozt<niii£',

Jriimila grailMtlora. Natural Order: Primulaccx — Primrose Family.

^NE of the first floral pages in the spring volume of nature

may be said to be occupied by the Primroses, as they early

peep from the ground, showing their blossoms in April; hence

-, the name, from the Latin primus, first. They are natives of

p;lg Europe, and by cultivation have been made double, and of a

"uA^SD variety of colors, while in their wild state they are single and

S^^il^^ ^ yellow. In greenhouses the}' are made to bloom in winter, and are

^J'1%£L^ gems for window culture, also. They bloom abundantly, and are so

^il'V'^P'^'^^ in their tints, and so delicate in their structure, as to make them

^•||il, ^ perfectl}- charming to the amateur, as well as to the professional florist.

"^fV - .^_

f

A^-

I«"l^.

■y'OUTH lias sprightliness and fire to boast,
*- That in the valley of decline are lost;
And virtue with peculiar charms appears,
Crowned with the garland of life's blooming years.

— Co-.vper.

AH! happy breasts! unknown to pain, Nor dream of woe or future guile;

I would not spoil your joys; For soon shall ye awaken'd find

Nor vainly teach you to complain The joys of life's sad, thorny way,

Of life's delusive toys. But fading flowerets of a day,
Be jocund still, still sport and smile. Cut down by every wind. —Bidlalie.

\^

FIVE, that thy voung and glowing breast

Can think of death without a sigh ;
And be assured that life is best
Which finds us least afraid to die.

—EIha Cook.

TITHAT is youth.' A smiling sorrc
^^ Blithe today, and sad tomorrow
Never fixed, forever ranging,

''OUTH with

Laughing, weeping, d

lating, changing,

Wild, capricious, gidd_

■, vain.

Cloved with pleasure,

nursed with pain.

—Mary Robinson.

feet walks onward in the w.iy

es all before his eves.

-.!/«. Butler.

Y

-•■ The land of jov lies all belbre his eves. • ,

^i?

\!

k

CiHUStruni Uulciarc. Natural Order: Oleacece — Olive Fatiii/y.

.t

^^\~X/^^J^ ROLiPb of the common Privet, or Prim, are frequently found

//?/ y |^i,j, |-|j,^jr the tields and pastures in the New England States,

md as far west as New York. It is a hard}- shrub, from

si\ to eight feet high, with small, delicate foliage, of a rather

sombei green, and strong, yellow, matted or tangled roots.

The flowers are white, blooming in conical bunches, similar

< « «, to ilie hlac, and are succeeded by a polished, black, bitter berry, that

•^v;^*',-^)' shows in strong contrast in winter's snow. It is well adapted for

^J^i-'V ^ hedges, for which it is usually propagated by cuttings, although it is

7! «r'""{~° sometimes grown from seed. Noxious insects seldom' disturb or destroy

Atf>,^^ the foliage of this bush, as they do some others that are used for the

^^^^same purpose. The wood is hard and compact, and when large enough

can be used in the arts, and is sometimes burned for charcoal for gunpowder.

From the berries is obtained a rose tint used for staining maps. The Privet is

a very ancient shrub, as in Virgil we find the mention of Alba Ligustra, White

Privets, and in Columella, Ligiistnini niorum, the Black Privet. There are

several varieties with white, j-ellow and green berries, some being from China,

Japan and tlie East Indies.

q^HEN in the name of God, and all these rights,
■'■ Advance your standards, draw vonr willing swords.

'piGER with tiger, bear with bear, you'll find And forge that steel by which a man is slain.

In leagues oftensive and defensive joined; Which earth at first for plowshares did aftbrd,

But lawless man the anyil dares profane. Nor yet the smith had learned to form a sword.

— Tatt.

TTI-S sword, edg'd %vith defense of right and honor,
*■ ^ Would pierce as deep as lightning, with that speed too;
And kill as deadly. —Beamnont and FUlcher.

■pEHOLD! I haye a weapon; That with this little arm and this good sword

•'-^ A better never did itself sustain I have made my way thro" more impediments

Upon a soldier's thigh: I have seen the d,i\. Than twenty times your stop. —Shaliespeare.

%

^^

\!

a

^^4}

Bpilita Salitit'olia. Natural Order: Rosacccc — Rose Family.

VDOW lands in the United States and Canada are fre-
\ luuith the chosen seats of this small, slender shrub, which
-o IS on that account called Queen of the Meadow. It
// ^lows to a height of three or four feet, having a pur-
plish sttm, which is very brittle in texture. The flowers
are commonly called white, but there is a flush of red o\er
ihtm, and the\ are remarkable for their fragrance. The stamens,
which are those threadlike organs within the corolla, are very at-
tractne The loots are possessed of some medicinal value, having
ceitain tonic pioperties. It is frequenth- called Meadow Sweet, and
IS sometimis cultivated as an ornamental shrub, as are also several
other species of this beautiful genus.

1

'ELLING men
And represent

lut they are, «e let them see,
them, what thev should be.
-AUr

T

HE

0

love of Praise, howe'er conceal'd bv art
Reigns, more or less, and glows in every heai
The proud, to gain it, toils on toils endure.
The modest shun it but to make it sure.

pRAISEof the wise and good! it is a meed
For which I would long years of toil endure

. who would e\er care to do brave deed.
Or strive in virtue others to excel,
none should yield him his deserved meed.
Due praise, that is the spur of doing wel!.^

^spen.

Which

pe.-

/"'AST down thyself, and only strive to raise
^ The glory of thy Maker's sacred name;
Use all thy powers that bless'd power to praise,
Which gives the power to be and use the same.

T HAV

ould cure.

-Sir E. Brydges.

E no taste of the noisy praise
iddy crowds, as changeable as winds:
ants to change, and blowing with the tide
woln success, but veering with

s ebb.

'T'HOU 'I.T say anon he is some kin to thee.

Thou spend'st such heydey wit in praising him.

—Shatespeare.
25.?

^Mttn M tkt '^xmxit.

V

Gpiviva lobata. Natural Order: Rosaccce — Rose Fatuily.

IMR^^A, so called probably because of the spiral shape of the

pi (1-cells, is a blossom from nature's wild bouquet, and is found

\\ a\ ing its head amid the tall grass of the western prairies. It

\\ as tbrmerlv called the Siberian Red Spiraea, and is remarkable

I its beauty, growing frequently from six to seven feet high.

blooms freely, the flowers being a deep rose-color. It is a

sistei plant of the Meadow Sweet, the Pride of the Meadow, the

Goat's-beard, and several other of the Spira?as that are cultivated

i^,;:^ 'for their flowers, which, in the many varieties, appear during the

summer.

T70ND man! though all the honors of your line

Bedeck your halls and round your galleries shine
In proud display, yet take this truth from me —
Virtue alone is true nobility. —Gifford.

'pHE
A Ar

noble ranks of fashion and birth
ire fetter'd by courtly rule;
They dare not rend the shackles that tend
To form the kna\e and fool. —Eliza Cook.

TTOW poor are all hereditary honors,

^ ^ Those poor possessions from another's deeds

Unless
And gi-

r own just virtues form our title
a sanction

V-

i

\IXGLORIOUS man, when fluttering
In his light wings, is lifted up to sky ;
The scorn of knighthood and true chivalry.
To think, without desert of gentle deed
And noble worth, to be advanced high.
Such praise is shame, but honor, virtue's meed,
Doth bear the foirest flower in honorable seed.

—Spern

'T'RUE is that whilome that good poet said.

That gentle mind by gentle deed is known
For man by nothing is so well bewrav'd

As by his manners in which plain is shown

Of what degi-ee and what race he is grown.

-Sfemer.

our fond assumption I
—Shirley.
A does blow

w

HOE'ER amid'st the sons
Of reason, valor, liberty and virtue.

Displays distinguish'd merit, is a noble
Of nature's own creating. Such have risen.
.Sprung from the dust; or where had been
honories > — Thompst

m

r

(HuilOlUa wulciaris. Natural Order: Rosucclv — Rose Family.

'DONIA receives its name from a town in the island of

Ciete, called Cydonia, famous for this species of fruit: and

Its English name is supposed to be derived from the French

(oni. a corner, alluding to its irregular appearance. The

Quince tree grows quite dwarfish and straggling, the flowers

aie larger than the apple blossoms, and the fruit is as large

s .111 oiange. irregular in shape, yellow when ripe, and of a delightful

.igianee peculiar to itself. The Japan Quince, grown as an orna-

ll mental shrub, is much smaller in size, with flowers conspicuous tor

^ their beauty and brilliancy, ranging through the shades from white to

%Mf^) scarlet. The\ are all hardy, and require little attention.

^Hiirtmcnl.

'T'EMPTATIONS and trials, without and within,

From the pathway of virtue the spirit may lure;
But the soul shall grow strong in its triumphs o'er sin,
And the heart shall preserve its integrity pure.

T)EAUTIFUL apparition I go
'-' Surely thou art a goddess, for th.
Is a celestial melody, and thy form
Self-poised as if it floated on the air!

hen

T

EMPTATION hath a music for all ears,

-Loilfffellcn'.

And mad ambition trumpeteth to all ;
And the ungovernable thought within
Will be in every bosom eloquent.

^PHE wind

is like a mellow I
vs me round the
is the fragrant lull of June
Becalms me for a little whil
Midmost their tuneful lure .-

pOULD'ST thou boas
^ O'er the sons of wr<

^^L^s*

Were there -tr

In thy path of life

O child of weakr
f wrong and strife,
temptations planted

r,

lou 're idle.
II his force
Be but watchful

Mntlricf Thnmpson

lOu 're destroy
m you he trie
ind employ'd,

f

^Eggijeil ^^Irim.

.1

Cmiinis tlciStUCUli. Natural Order: CaryopltyllaccLC— Pink Family.

i

^:/^HIS species of Lychnis is a perennial herb from Europe, and
IS from one to two feet high, with smooth, narrow, tapering
ka\es. The flowers are a beautiful pink, with a brown
(..ih\ It is sometimes called, in England, the Cuckoo
flowtr (which is but a literal translation of the Latin fos
( IK iili ), as it blooms about the time of the arrival of that
bud m caih summer. The Greek word lychnis primarily denotes a
1 imp, and is conjectured to have been given to the plant because the
down of some varieties was used for wicks, or because of the bright
I irlet 01 reddish-purple flower of some of the others. All the varie-
lus of the L\chnis have been cultivated from time immemorial, the
veis being red, white, pink, and purple. Some of the species
as down) as the mullein.

il.

W

u

NHAPPY

Atones nc

vit, like most mistaken thmgs.
for that envy which it brings

'ITII her mien she enamors tlie
With lier wit she engages the 11
With her modesty pleases the grave;
She is every way pleasing to me.

—Pope.

atiire never gave to mortal

pOR

•^ A free and arbitrary power of
But bound him to his good behavi
That he should never use it to do

—Shells.

11 7 ILL is the prince, and wit the counselor,
^ ' Which doth for common good in council sit
And when wit is resolved, will lends her power
To execute what is advised by wit.

—Sir y Davies.

H'

'IS eye begets occasion for liis wit;

For every object that the one doth catch.
The other turns to a mirth-loving jest.

—Shakespfai

SENS
WI

the diamond, weighty, solid, sou;
,'hen cut by wit it casts a brighter bear
Yet, wit apart, it is a diamond still.

m

256

IRamilUuluS bulboSUS. Natural Order: Raiiuncnlacccc — Croufoot Family.

L LBOUS RANUNCULUS, or Crowfoot, is generally found
111 pasture lands. The root is fleshy, and the flowers are of
' a golden yellow. Some varieties are culti\'ated in our gar-
dens, among which are the Asiatic and Persian, sporting
tin ough nearly every conceivable hue. " A good Ranunculus
, ^^. _,^ J should have a stem eight or twelve inches high, flower not
^7j •' '''-"■'^ \hMt two inches in diameter, either of one color or variously
duel sified."' Its name is the diminutive form of the Latin appellation
■'' raiia, signifying a frog, from the aquatic habits of some of the species.
It blooms in May and June.

y;'V--'V,

itjf

^n^vnix\n^.

TH

E wretch whom gi-atitude one
To truth or honor let him I.iv

ALL sh

[LL should unite to pun
jratitude is treason

ikind.

— Thompsi

jnv me thy greatness grew;
But th\- ingratitude outg

them both.

—Drydcu.

H

E that 's ungrateful has no gui
All other crimes may pass lor

It but one;
virtues in hi

T F there be a crime
A or deeper dye thi
or human vices, 'tis

T AM rapt, and cannot

^ Cover the monstrous bulk or this ingratitude

With any size or words. —Slmkcapeare.

H\;

that doth public good for multitudes.

nds lew are

DLOW, blow, thou winter

D Thou art not so unkind

As man's ingratitude;

-Mar.-:lon.
Thy tooth is not so keen.
Because thou art not seen.
Although thy breath be rude.

—Shakespeare,

[NGRATITUDE is a

angled in the birth; not to be cherish'd.
—Mass

^^i

^h&Aovn.

UljOLlOra CCuUrtLtCllsis. Nailral Ohder: Er/cacciC — Heath Family.

- to be most Irequently met with, growing in moist places
mong the mountains, or in the bogs. It is very handsome

-If •nil i^-T i.s in Canada and the New England States that the Rhodora

W^ * ,^ ^ ^^ l^t-'n i'l bloom, as each branch bears on its tip a cluster of
^ ifl ^'~0l^ stemless flowers while there is yet no foliage visible. After
the blossoming season is over, the leaves make their appear-

ance. The shrub i
the Rhododendron,
rose.

from two to three feet high, is closely allied to
id derives its name from its resemblance to the

E bloom of opening flowers' unsullied beaut_\
Softness and sweetest innocence she wears,

And looks like

first spring.

TN Mav
A I four

vhen

found tl

winds pierced our solitudes,
1 Rliodora in the woods.
Spreading its leafless bloom in a damp nook,
To please the desert and the sluggish brook :
The purple petals, fallen in the pool,

Made the black waters with their beauty gav

Here might the redbird come his plumes to cool

And court the flower that cheapens his arr.ay

Rhodora! if the sages ask thee why
This charm is wasted on the marsh
Dear, tell them, that if eyes were made for seeing.
Then beauty is its own excuse for being.
Why thou wert there, O rival of the rose I

I never thought to ask; I never knew.
But in my simple ignorance suppose [you.

The .selfsame Power brought me there, bro't
-Na/fi/, Wn.

r\ MAIDEN! silent sitting,

^ Braiding still thy golden hair;

Round thy head the bees are flitting.

Deeming thee a \\\y fair. —g. Hamlin.

id sk\

Emerson.

AH! thou wonder among women,
■^ I am fretted to the heart.
Thinking how my words are few

To depict thee as thou wert:
What I will, I cannot do!

T

—Ho-.-Mird Glyildon

HINE eves'

cle

ir ferxo

dwel

Passionate o

n 1

IV o

«n

glad e

ves so often

Because

I k

low

thou art

Mv life's

di

iner

pa

t.

other tendei

er

lear

to

soothe

, to soften.

-Edgar Fnv.cc

~KJ-^

r

f0cfcj0t.

(^espnns matroiwlis. Natlkal Okdkr: Crudfcrcc— Mustard Family.

ESPERIS has three species: one a native of the United States
and found growing near Lake Huron, another from the cold
latitude of Siberia, and a third a maritime herb found on the
sea coast. The flowers are the various shades of purple or
white. The odor of the blossom is much the strongest
W^!iS ' toward evening; hence the name Ilapcrls, being Greek for

~ ^\S? evening This spicy fragrance has been the cause of its being some-
liV, times called gilliflower with which it is closely allied. The double
g'/xlK^ varieties are produced by hj-bridizing, but yield no seeds themselves,
^ii®? fertile seeds being obtained from the single flower. The seeds should
be sown in the early fall, and the plants kept in a place free from
frost tor spring blooming. Choice specimens may be kept from }ear
to year by pruning and clipping the flowers as soon as lhe\' have per-
ished. The maritime variety is a smooth, thick, juic}', trailing plant, called Sea-
Rocket.

1|:ualr^.

11 7 AS not ont- of the two at her side —

This new-made lord, whose splendor plu
The slavish hat from the villasjer's head?

f\¥ all the torments, all the cares,
^ With which our lives are curst;
Of all the plagues a lover bears,

Sure, rivals are the worst!
By partners in each other kind,

Afflictions easier grow;
In love alone we hate to find

pangs

Compan

of •

Svlvia, for i

Are lab'ring in my breast,
I beg you would not favor me

Would you but slight the rest!
How great soe'er your rigors are,

With them alone I'll cope;
I can endure my own despair

But not another's hope.

ViUmtn U'ti/s/t.

one must be rejected,

succeed,

khose faithful breast

r

Is fix'd my image, and who loves me best. -Dryihn.

^

■^^M

li

lilosa CglautCVta. Natural Order: Rosaccce — Rose Family.

O^ES, as well as flowers of all other kinds, are very much culti-
\ ated by the flower-loviiiy people of Germany, of which land
K-C tliis Rose is a nati\'e. The flowers are of a brilliant yellow,
and soon fall, but the green lea\'es of the bush are very fragrant.
^ It is said that the essential oil, attar or otto of Roses, was
first discovered by Nur Jehan, better known as Nur Mahal
("light of the harem"), wife of Jehanghir, Moghul emperor of Hin-
doostan, 1605-27. She observed an oily substance floating on a vessel of
Rose-water that had been distilled by the heat of the sun. The attar is
very fragrant, being so concentrated that one drop will perfume a whole
dressing-case; and so expensive that an ounce will cost about one hun-
dred dollars, requiring nearly half a million of average Roses for its
production.

'ipHAT loveliness ever in motion, which plays,
^ Like the light upon autumn's soft, shadowy days,
Now here, and now there, giving warmth as it flies.
From the lips to the checks, from the cheek to the eyes

r\ .SWEET, pale face! O lovely eyes of :

^ Clear as the waters of a brook that run

Limpid and laughing in the summer sui

O s/oldcn hair, that, like a miser's treasure,

AH 1 could you look i

^ And watch your ii

You would own tlie -i

Affection makes it 1

-

.Voon-

In it

abundance o

■crflow

s the

measure!

0

graceful foni

, that

cloudlike floatc

W

itli the soft, I

ndulat

ng g.

it of one

Who

movcth as if
y heart.

niotioi

wei-

a pleasu

-LoHgJ.

lage
nnv

here,
oveliness

vear.

-Mrs. Osffoo,

ITER face right w
fl That her broad b

ndrous fair did

to be,

H'

ER dress, her shape, her matchless gr.ace,
beauty's beam gi-eat brightness threw * ^ Were all observed, as well as heav'nly face
hade, that all men might it see. With such peerless majesty she stands.

-Spc.

-Drydci

260

^^l

g00jeliEJ|.

l\l)OLlOLl£U^l■OU luaiimuiu. Natural Order: Er/cacecv — /^ca(// Farnily.

■'■*^"-^^!?^ NATIVE tree from ten to fifteen feet high, the Rosebay is

, found principally in the Middle States. The leaves are thick

Tand leathery when mature, and are about five or six inches

in length. The flowers, which appear in July and August,

^iV- y^dS are rose-color, frequently dotted with purple or yellow, and

« ^appear in fine contrast to the evergreen foliage. The whole

W^ genus delights in shady woodlands and cool swamps; indeed, their

l'^^ geographical range is almost wholly confined to such localities or to

^■' the summits of the highest mountains of Europe, Asia and America.

Some of the foreign varieties are found in greenhouses, and are admired

l^for their brilliancy and diversity of color. The yellow variety is from

Siberia and the Caucasus mountains, where it grows in low bushes.

Inlking,

B

E silent .always whe
And speak, though

LP;

LESS thou find occasion, hold thy tongue
Thyself or others careless talk m.ay \yrong.

W

doubt your sense,

yith seeming diffidence.

—Pope.

HAT need there is to be reseryed in speech,'
And temper all our thoughts with charity.

—Sir J. Denham.

IS air, his voice, his looks, .and hones
Speak all so moyingly in his behalf,
I dare not ti-ust myself to hear him talk.

H

QHE spake in language whose strange melody
^ Might not belong to earth. I heard, alone.
What made its music more melodious be —
The pity and the love of every tone.

-Shellv.

Wr

-Addison.

tongue will tell the anger of my heart;
Or else my heart, concealing it, will break:
And, rather than it shall, I vi'iW be free,
Even to the uttermost, as I please, in words.

— Shakespeare.

AS I listened to thee,
^ The happy hours pass'd by us unperceived.
So was mv soul fixed to the soft enchantment.
-Rov
261

1

■^^^

liOSa DaillOSCCUa. Natural Okdek: RosacecE — Rose Family.

AMASCUS, a city one of the most ancient and renowned

in Syria, gives its name to this particular variety of Rose,

%vhich blooms monthly, and, under favorable circumstances,

at all seasons. The Rose is said to have been the favorite

^tlower of Venus, and was formerh' white, until she, being in

haste to assist her dving lover, pierced her foot with a thorn, and

Pp some of the blood falling on it changed its color from white to red. It

!?»?' grows about four feet high, most of the monthly sorts being dwarfish

in habit.

U

NTO the ground she cast lier modest eye,

And ever and anon, with rosy red,
• bashful blush her snowy cheeks did dye.

T F Jove w
A queen

ould give the leaty bowers
for all their world of flowers,
ould be the choice of Jove,
the queen of every grove.

The 1
And

"IITE are blushing roses.

Bending with our fulness,

'Midst our close-capp'd .sister buds,

Warming the green coolness.

Of all flowers.

r^ IVE me the eloquent cheek
^-^ Where blushes burn and die
Like time, its changes speak
The spirit's purity.

EAUTY

was lent to nature as the type

Of heave

n's unspeakable and holy joy.

' --Mrs. Hale.

Metliinks a rose is best

It is the very emblem of a maid.
For when the west wind courts her gently
How modestly she blows, and paints the su
With her chaste blushes!

—Benumoiit a},d Fh-lcli,-r.

Whatsoe'er of beauty

Yearns and yet reposes,.

Blush, and bosom, and sweet breath,

Took a shape in roses.

—Leigh HiDlt.

ntly to the roses yield,
ovely cheek they struggling vie,'
(Who would not strive upon so sweet a field

To win the mastery.^)
And thoughts are in thy speaking eyes revear<
Pure as the fount the prophet's rod unseal'd.
-Hoffmn,,.

VI

1

li^rcnls,

0

H ! wert thou voung again, I would put off
M)' majesty to be more terrible.

I'LL note you in my book of memory
To scourge you for this reprehensioi
Look to it well, and sav vou are well

I'LL make i
^ And deck
And witch sw

-Z«-.

heaven in a lady's lap,

body in gay ornaments,

ladies with mv words and looks

—S/inifS/eare.

HAVE learned thy arts, and now
Can disdain as much as thou.

— Tliomas Cm

r>ACK

D False

o thy p

jnishment.

fugitive

and to thv

speed

add

Lest with

a w^hip

of scorpions

I pur

sue

Thy linge

ring.

'T'HOL'GH I'm young, I scorn to flit
•*- On the wings of borrowed wit;
I'll make my own feathers rear me,
Whither others cannot bear me.

E^^^

263

sm

HubuS VOSltfciliuS. Natural Order: Rosaceiv — Rose Family.

RECT and branching, the Rubus, sometimes called the Flower-
}■. ing Bramble, and sometimes the Brier Rose, is a bush well
^ fortified with straight prickles, and with foliage resembling
that of the raspberr}' bush, being smooth on the under, and
. % ^ Y >.^r ^^ veh ety on the upper, surface. It is a very delicate plant,
^Ij ^' requiring the shelter of the greenhouse or conservatory in

*^-@ order to cultivate it successfully ; but as it blooms at the season when
'"^"iS) nature has withdrawn her genial smiles, it has proved a very desirable
acquisition to those who can give it such shelter, or a sunny window
'^ in the house. The blossoms are double, and a pure, snow white.
I The Island of Mauritius claims its nativity, as does China, also. It is
an especial favorite in England, being familiarly called the Bridal or
Christmas Rose. The root is bulbous, and should be repotted in a
large pot as early as October, in order that it may bloom weW the following
season, which commences about Christmas, and continues till May. It is propa-
gated b}' a division of the stems after the flowering season has ceased.

• ||..0sjemar||<

UoSlliarimiS otTuilialis. Natural Order: Labiatce — Mint Fainilv.

ITERALLY, Rosmarinus signifies, in Latin, sea-dew, and
the name was no doubt given because of the fondness of this
||" plant for the surf-beaten and spray-sprinkled sea shore, whence
g-its aromatic odor, not unlike that of camphor, often greets the
^^^^^, gladdened mariner as he sails along the coast. It is an
'' '""* evergreen shrub, with blue flowers, growing spontaneously
in China, Asia Minor, Spain, Italy, and portions of France. It yields,
In' distillation, a great quantity of odoriferous oil, with which the whole
plant is highly impregnated. Rosemary was used by our forefathers
as an emblem of fidelity, constancy, remembrance, and affection, and
was distributed at weddings and funerals.

QHE plac'd it sad, with needless fear,

^ Lest time should shake my wavering sou

Unconscious that her image there

Held every sense in fast control. —Byr,

THINK of thee when soft and wide

And when the

And like a young and timid bride.
Sits blushing in the arms of night

moon's sweet crescent sprmg
In light o'er heaven's wide, waveless sea
And stars are forth like blessed things,
I think of thee — I think of thee.

— Geori^e D. Prentice',
qPHERE'S not a look, a word of thine

My soul hath e'er forgot;
Thoi! ne'er hast bid a ringlet shine,
Nor given thy locks one graceful twine.
Which I remember not. —Moore.

ROSEMARIE is for remembrance
Between us d.ay and night,

always have
sight;

Wishing that I mighl
You present in m

And when I cannot have,
(As I have said before,)

Then Cupid, with his deadh
Doth wound my heart fu

264

il

r

0Sje-glusli.

i^.

of

oinij.

TTE was made all up of love and charms!

Delight of every eye ! when he appear'd,
A secret pleasure gladden'd all who saw him.

TIER cheek had the
^^ Ofsea shells, the >

She
In si

—Addisou.

pale, pearlv tint

'T>HE passion you pretend.
A Was only to obtain;

■orld-s sweetest tint, as though

ght deem, on roses sopp'd

But when the charm is ende

- Bailey.

The charmer you disdain.

TIGHT as the angel shapes that bless
An infant's dream, yet not the less
Rich in all woman's loveliness;
With eyes so pure, that from their ray
Dark vice would turn abash'd awav.

'T'ELL me where thy strength doth lie;
Where the power that charms us so-

T'

In thy

lERE 'S no miniature

In her face, but is a copious theme,

;h would, discours'd at large of, make a '

fe:-

QHE moved upon this earth a shape of brightness,

A power that from its objects scarcely drew
One impulse of her being — in her lightness,

Most like some radiant cloud of morning dew.

-Slully.

1

Uosa mascl)ata. .Natural Ok DEI! : Rosacea: — Rose Family.

y a trailing habit, the Musk Rose is well adapted for trellises
il arbors; it grows from eleven to twelve feet high, requiring
w ays some support to keep it from the ground. The flowers.
Inch are large and white, bloom in clusters and ha\-e that
^^- peculiar musky odor from whence it derives its name. It is
Wsaid that Hymen, the god of matrimony, used to wear a
wn of Roses, and that "his locks dropped perfume." The Rose,
^jjW^^}of whate\er species, color, or name, holds the supremac}' in the hearts
^}i|l^^ of the people, and never will its glory wane until Roses cease to bloom.

r

m

k

Eosa albo. Natural Order: Rosacece — Rose Family.

I RMANY produces, more extensively perhaps than an}' other-
tountrv, the Rosa alba, or White Rose, a shrub growing
Irom six to seven feet high. Its flowers are usually pure
white, though sometimes delicately tinted with a blush. The
White Rose has been selected as a symbol of secrecy, as
the old Latin phrase 5///' rosa signifies under the rose, or
'^i,^', secietU . and Booth says it was so considered by the ancients, who
•aw,*^3 hunt; It up at their entertainments, as a token that anything there
rfVit '^'^'^ "'^'^ "o*^ to be divulged. The flowers are very fragrant, and

'' blo(jm in clustc

^^tri^t^*

OEARCII n

■^ Nor to kn

ot to find «

hat lies too deeply hid;

ms things ■»

vhose knowledge is forbid.

-Denlmm.

lirELL, read my cheek, and watch
** Too strictly school'd arc they.

ny eye,—

11 THEN two know it, how can
** And indeed with what justi

it be
ce can

One secret of" my soul to show,

Expect secresy in me, that canno

One hidden thought betray. M

>-.? Landon.

Be private yourself.'

-.1/,

INDEED, tr
^ Joy bred a

ue gladness
id born but

doth not always speak:
in the tongue is weak.

-Ba, Jonmn.

11 lY lisfninj; powers

•'■'^ Were awed, and ev'ry tliou^ht in si

I'LL keep this secret from tht
*■ As warily as those that deal

«ork

ence hung,

in poi

And wond'ring expectation.

-Akenside.

Keep poison from their childrei

• -

A SECRET in his mouth,

Is like a wild bird put in a cage;
W'hose door no sooner opens, but 'tis

p.

■JTO our calm today its ghost comes gliding-
Known all too late!
Take from my liand its emblem, and the emblen-
Of our strange fate.

silence

.Silence! its pale lips say; the snow-whil

Of yon sad stone.
Vet — lingering joy — the sharers, even of silence,

Are not alone ! —Ho-.oard Glyndon.

^ni&%tckUt

1

;.v liuilbcckia lai'miala. Natural Order: Co7nposiUv— Aster Family.

ER\ properly this plant has been dedicated to Olaus Rudbeck,

"-, a celebrated botanist of Upsal, Sweden, a man unequaled in

tiie ardor and zeal with which he prosecuted his botanical

Q\ ' }/ ' 1 esLiii ches. His son, of' the same name, followed in his foot-

^j ' steps, and was scarcely less distinguished. The Swedes have a

taste for the science, and Linngeus, one of the greatest of naturalists,

w.is a countryman of the Rudbecks. His reputation has somewhat

o\ei shadowed the earlier workers. The Rudbeckia is a tall plant,

^ resembling the sunflower, and is found growing freely around swamps

s .md ditches throughout the United States and Canada, and blooms

fiom August to September.

"lirilAT stronger breastplate than a heart untainted?

Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just,
And he but naked, though lock'd up in steel,
Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.

-Shakespeare.

'pHOUGH with tardy step

Celestial justice comes, tliat step

Unerring is her bolt.
Eternal will the ruin

sure,
where it tails,

— Samuel Flay^

TUSTICE, wh
J N'or crueltv.

equal scales she holds, is blind,
3r mercy, change her mind:
When some escape for that which others die,
Mercy to those, to these is cruelty. —Denham.

A HAPPY lot be thine, and larger light
-'*■ Await thee there; lor thou hast bound
In cheerful homage to the rule of right.
And lovest all, and doest good for ill.

'yHE
i Aw

In dark
Yet let

!un of justice m.ay withdraw his beams
lile from earthly ken, and sit concealed
recess, pavilioned round with clouds:

Nor virtue droop despondent; soo
Seeming eclipse, will brighten int
And in majestic splendor he will
With healing and with terror on

267

^

■txt.

Rllta Civancolcns. Natural Order; Rutacc,F — Ri(c Fatnily.

j^LANTS of this order are usuall}' found in the warmer parts
of the Eastern Hemisphere and the tropical parts of Soutli
flC'C^^^W ^^merica. The name Rute is of Peloponnesian origin, and is
^l^ J. yy\ tiequently mentioned by both ancient Greek and Latin au-
thors; while peganon was apparentl}- the synonym elsewhere
YJ^^'- " I,' m Greece. The whole plant is pervaded by an intensely
^^.^C\^ bittei element and an ungrateful odor, though it has several qualities
that lendei it useful in medicine, among which are its tonic and febri-
K^ iugal pioperties. It is a very hardy shrub, frequently cultivated in
I^Xt gardens, growing about three feet high, and from June to September
produces flowers of a dull yellow color, in loose clusters.

%

^jjifitlanq*

I h;i

dee

felt

ir

The mockery of the hollow shrine at which my spirit knelt;

Mine is the requiem of years in reckless folly pass'd,

The wail above departed hopes on a frail venture cast;

The vain regret that steals above the wreck of squander'd hours

Like the sighing of the autumn wind over the faded flowers.

— WhiltU-r.

s time to mourn lacks time to mend; /^OME, fair Repentance! daughter of the skies

iiourns tliat. 'Tis an ill cure ^ Soft liarbinger of soon returning virtue!

t ills, to have no time to feel them. The weeping messenger of grace from hea\''n!
—Heiiiy Taylor. —Brmmi.

no by repentance is not satisfied,

not of heav'n nor earth, for these are pleased;
By penitence the Eternal's wrath 's appeased. —Sliaki-spi-are.

w

>\VEET t
' And he

tos have soui
eponts on the

ii

closes; [of roses. QORROW for past ills doth restore

rns that sleeps on. beds To his first innocence.

CO let us which this change of weather view.

Change eke our minds, and former lives amend;

The old year's sins forepast let us eschew.

And fly the faults with which we did offend. _.s>„.,v.
268

J

Salnia officinalis. Natural Order: Labiatcc—Miut Family.

AGE is an hiiniblc denizen of the kitclien-garden, never making
Its appearance on the lawn among the gay and brilliant com-
panions that \\e tind it associated with in the botany, but con-
tent to be surrounded by the less obtrusive though more useful
^ plants — the crisp lettuces, the peas, the beans, and numerous
h others that garnish our tables during the summer months. In
order to be well grown it requires a mellow soil, when it becomes
a pleasing object to the eye, its peculiar green distinguishing it from
other plants, even at a distance; and behold, what a prett}' leaf! so
rugous or wrinkly that if transparent it would be like the meshes of
fine lace. The flowers are purple, blooming in spikes. Its Latin
une, is derived from saliv, I saA-e, as it possesses valuable medical
properties, being classed in botanical works as a tonic and expectorant.

J)am0$lij| Tiriuij.

AND oh, the atmosphere of h

It floats around us when we sit tc

Under a bower of vine in summer

Or round the hearthstone on a winter

how brighl

N°

single

virtue

could

we most

commend,

Vhether the \

ife, th

: mother

or the frie

nd;

For .

he was

each

n that

supreme

degree,

That

as no c

ne pre

vail'd,

so all was she.

-Dryd

u.

i Co

sum of all

that
e xve

SEEK 1
A ^^c

I

ALL day, like some sweet bird, content to sin;
'- '■ In its small cage, she moveth to and fro —
And ever and anon will upward spring
To her sweet lips, fresh from the fount below.
The murmur'd melody of pleasant thought.

—Mrs. E. Oalcrs Smitli.

be good, but aim not to be great;
Oman's noblest station is retreat;
Her fairest virtues fly from public sight;
Domestic worth — that shuns too strong a ligl
— Lord Lyttletoii.
makes a just inan happ\',
11 choosing of his wife. —Masxhufcr.

■pvOME.STIC happiness! thou only bliss
'^^ Of Paradise that has surviv'd the fall!
Though few now taste thee unimpair'd and fre
Or, tasting, long enjoy thee; too infirm,
Or too incautious, to preserve thy sweets
Unmix'd with drops of bitter. —Cov-per.

z69

1

^alii;jia.

Salria Bplenbcns.

Natural Order: Labiatcc — Mint Family.

'ELIGHTING in warm climes, these plants are found abund-
antly in South America and Mexico. The brilliancy of
their blossoms has caused their introduction into our more
r northern latitudes, where they occasionally pass under the
name of Scarlet Sage. The}- are perennials, and are usually
lown in the greenhouse, though they do exceedingly well in the
||p garden or the lawn. The Howers are of a vivid, bewildering scarlet
'^*^ tint, and abundant in their prodigality. There are varieties with pink
and blue flowers, which, though desirable, are less conspicuous. They
can be raised as annuals from seed, or from cuttings, which root easily
and with less delay than many other plants.

Jlncrgi|,

'TPHEN we wrins iVom our souls tlicir applicali\c strength,
i \,sA Kur,,! tn tlie cord the strong bow of onr ken;

our souls
And bei

And bringing our lives to the level of others,
Hold the cup we have filled, to their uses at length.
—Mrs.

'pHE keen spirit C

^ Seizes the prompt occasion — makes the thought
Start into instant action, and at once
Plans and performs, resolves and executes!

ROM this
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
The firstlings of my hand. And even now.
To crown my tho'ts with acts, be it tho't and don
—Shakespeare.

K

WAY, then — work with boldness and with speed.
On greatest action

HOW slow the t
To the warn,

that, in the ver
would execute a great design.

\TEVER change thy mind, [still,

nt If augfht obstructs thv course, vet stand not

5ut wind .about till thou

top'd the hill.
-Denim

■pUN, if you like, but try to keep your Ijreath;
■'•*■ Work like a man, but don't be worked to death.

— O. \y. Holmes.

^

^arB*$:px\viUa

Smilav savsaparilla. Natukai. Oki

i/iici\r Siiiilax Family.

druggists

rleansing impurities tVoin the human system the root of
the Sarsaparilla has long been held in high estimation, and,
^ ■^ though it has been supplanted to some extent b\- other
remedies, it is still imported in large quantities from South
3 America, where the nati\-es gather it in the woods on the
■>,>o banks of the Tigre, Ucayale and other ri\ers, and pack it
"^ in large bales readj' for shipment. Another species of the
same plant belonging to the order Araliacete, grows abundantly
throughout the Northern States. It flourishes best in rich, rockv
soil. The root differs materially from that of the first mentioned,
which is long and slender, the North American Aarietv being thick
and fleshy. The latter is sometimes substituted for the former by
in their preparations, and is supposed to have similar properties.

'yill.S sad experience cites me to reveal.
•*- And wliat I dictate is from what I I'eel.

r\ fate: all lett behind,
^ I follow thee adown the bitter road.
With weary feet, and heavy eyes and blind.
That leadeth to thv tar unknown abode;

■y flesh
ith thee

— William AUr,

W

World's cruelty is bitter bane;
But jiain is not the fruit of pain. ^.ifrs. Brmmiiig.

r\ TEACH him, while your lessons hut,
To judge the present by the past;

TEACH h
To judge tl
Remind him of each wish pi

PXPERIENCE,
'-^ To mortals is ;

How rich it glow'd with promised good;
Remind liim of each wish enjoi 'd.
How soon his hopes possession cloy'd.

join'd to common sense,
1 providence. —Green.

^^:J

ir

Sassafras*

Sassafras otTu'malc. Natltkal Order: LanraccLC — Laurel Family.

•^ '' I'^^j W^ \DER the order ot laurels we find this tree classified, with
my others, most of which possess aromatic properties, either
their bark, roots or leaves. Many of them are in common
^e, as the cinnamon, obtained from the bark of the Cinnamo-
mum Zeylanicmn, a native of Ceylon; and the camphor, an
r<- —fjT- aromatic gum procured from several trees in India, China
\f-^ and Japan The Sassafras is found abundantly throughout the United
The bark of the root, along with the essential
is the chief article of commerce, and possesses
v-r gentle stmiulating, aromatic and alterative properties. The tree grows
'Tie- to the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and presents a rather pleasing
'"^^ appeal ante. The pith of the voung wood is sometimes used in inflam-
mation ol the eyes. The flo\\'ers are a greenish yellow, appearing from
April to June.

, ,., Statt s <uid Canada
/r^ oil piepaied from

1[aiiijj|,

To

OR

wlifi-e niv «

^rtliinoss is poor,

^rv

^vill stands

iclilv at the door,

pav

shortcoming

evermore.

i-hen favors are denied:

ATO trif

"yiS eve

■'• All had been granted but the thing we b
And still some great unlikely substitute,
Your life, vour souls, your all of earthly good.
Is proffer'd in the room of one small boon.

— 'Joanna Bailtie.

''E give of what we take

From life of outward tilings; o
Where tluy liave been, a glory in tl
Moi-e briglit than thev receive.

Mrs. Browning.
trifle is so small as what obtains.
Save that which loses favor; 'tis a breath
Which hangs upon a smile! a look, a word,
A frown, the air-built tower of fortune shakes.
And down the unsubstantial fabric falls.

-Hannah More.

w

-Dor

[VE thy heart's b(
From fair Nature
■e thv love — and ;

And the more thou spendest

From thy little store.
With a double bounty,

God will gi\e you more.

— .\delaide .A. Proctor.

'^

gfe-

M3^

illimosa puilica. Natural Order: LeguminosLC — Pulse Family.

SENSITIVE soul shrinks when wounded or stung by the
1 udeness or sarcasm of a thoughtless tongue, and in this plant
.1 curious analogy to this feeling is found. The Mimosa has
the peculiar property of retraction, when touched by the hand
,-« or other substance. There are tiiur plants which have the
, ,N same peculiar power, the names of which are: Dwarf
Cassia, called also Sensitive Pea, an elegant plant with yellow flowers;
the Wild Sensitive plant, whose leaves close by night and when
touched; the Sensitive Brier, and the above, which is about a toot
high, with a shrubby stem. The flowers of the Mimosa pudica are
small, and bloom in heads, and are of little beauty. It is a native of
Brazil, and is often cultivated as a curiosity, as its leaves droop if
touched, or if the stalk of the shrub is shaken all the stems sink
down as if they ti;lt a thrill of horror pass over them, and only reco\-er after sev-
eral hours.

W

ITHAL she laughed, and she blushed
That blushing to her laughter gave m
laughter to her blushing.

Spe„s.

the

'pHE sensitive plant

*• Upgather'd into the bosom of res
A sweet child wearj of its delight,
The feeblest and vet the favorite.
Cradled within the embrace of night.

T

HE sweet eyes that his eves were set upon
Were hid by shamefast lids as he did speak,
.\nd redder color burned on her fresh cheek,
.\nd her lips smiled, as, with a half-sad sigh,
He 'gan to tell his lovesome historv.

-William Morris.

I 1- maids
' But if i

he cures who can;
a man be shv — a man —

Whv, then the worse for hi

OO bright the te
^^ Love half regr

bea

regrets to kiss i
sweet the blush of bashful)
E'en pit\- scarce can wish i

-Jem, Ingeto:..

face o'erspread,
ying her cheeks, by turn, with white and red:
The driving colors, never at a stay.
Run here and there, and flush and fade awav.

\ CRIMSON blush her bea
^ Va

273

^S-

feamrjocli*

(Tritoliinn rcpciis.

Lcij/niiinoscr — f'/i/s.

HITE CLOVER,

jil;,. from th
.s. hills or ru

IS this plant is usually called, inhabits
' luxuriant meadow to the Sterile moun-
ky places. It is highly useful tor pastur-
ige, and tbrms tlic ciiief food for cattle in some countries
The flowers are white and odoriferous. Bees are attracted
rom a considerable distance by it, as it freights the air \er_\
i\iiy where it grows in quantities. The Shamrock is an Irish plant
and St. Patrick haxing chosen it to illustrate t<j his simple hearers hi,-
idea of the Trinit^■. it became thenceforth the national emblem of Ireland
Brande and Benthani say the Shamrock is the Oxalis acetosella or c
men wood sorrel, and with some reason, as the White Clover is beliexec
to be of only recent introduction into Ireland, but the abo\e is more gen-
erally receixed. Plinv sa\'S no serpent will touch it, which is probably
a classic superstition.

PACII delighted and delighting, gives

Tlie pleasing ecstacy which each receives.

- Prior.

IIJ'HOM call we ga\ .' thai honor has lieen long That dries his feathers satnrate with dew

The boast of mere pretenders to the name. Beneath the rosy cloud, while yet the bean
The innocent are gay — the lark is g

A'

Of day-spring ov

his humble nest.

poised on vibrant wings,

Where its sweet treasure swings,

The honey-lover clings

To the red flowers,—

r\ TIIOU sweet lark, that in the heaven so hig
^ Twinkling thy wings, dost sing so jovfullv,

.So, lost in vivid light,
.So, rapt from day and night,
I linger in delight.
Enraptured o'er the vision-freighted hour

I

I watch \\\\ soaring
And when at la-t I tin-:

silently receive thy melody,
delight; f) thou sweet l.irk, that I had wins-s like

m

%

m

vlntini)ilUim IliaitlG. Xatukai. Order: Scrophiilariacw—Figxcort Family.

V tlic man\- varieties ot" tliis plant, all are highly esteemed as
Dinaments in the flower-garden. The tiowers are \-ery brilliant,
usualh combining two or three colors in one blossom, and are
most singular in shape. Each is tubular as it comes out of the
c.ih \, and continues so for nearh- an inch, when it terminates
m two lips, a two-cleft one turning upward, and a three-cleft
one turning downward, while between the two, and closing the orifice,
is a puffed protuberance. The Greek words aiiti riii, whence the
name, signify "opposite the nose." as it is supposed to resemble the
snout of an animal. When the flower is pressed between the fingers
it opens like a mouth, and when the pressure is slackened it snaps
or closes quickly like a spring. The plants are perennials, growing
about a foot or two in height, and bloom the first season if sown
earh".

DE LORGE'S love o'erheard the king, a beauteous, lively dame,
W'itti smiling lips and sharp, bright eyes, which always seemed the same;
She thought. The count, my lover, is brave as brave can be;
He surelv would do wondrous things to show his love ot" me;
'•King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine;
1 Ml drop mv glove, to prove his love; great glory will be mine."
.She dropped her glove, to prove his love, then looked at him and smiled;
He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild:
The leap was quick, return was quick, he has regained his place.
Then threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady's tacc.
"By heaven!" said Francis, "rightly done!" and he rose from where lie sal;
"No love," quoth he. "hut vanity, sets love a task like that." —Uigli Hunt.

11 7 HEN years began
' ' To reap the fruit of knowledge; ah! how then
Would she with graver looks, with sweet, stern brow.
Check my presumption and my forwardness!
Yet still would give me flow'rs; still would she show
What she would have me, vet nol have me know. —DatiM.

^^J^Sb-

^mciwfcalt.

■^i

^i

Dibunuini rOSCUIlI. Xaturai, Okdkk: CaprifoHaceie — Honeysuckle Family.

'HIS shrub is a native of Europe, and attracts general atten-
tion in earl\' spring, when it crowns itself with bloom. The
flowers make their appearance at first in small, greenish
masses, and are utterly devoid of beauty; but a few days of
waim sunlight bleaches them to a creamy white, by which
time the balls ha\-e expanded to their utmost, bringing full
assui uue that the loitering days of summer are at hand. The
\ ibui num assumes a rather straggling shape if left entirel}- to itself,
hut with a little attention and pruning can be trained into a well-
shaped bush tor a single specimen, or, where the luxury of space
B-^ will allow, it may be planted in groups to adorn the lawn, where it
''^"^ hai monizes well with the delicate and simple tints of the lilac and
'■(^^^{^(^ othei spring flowers. In England it is called the Guelder Rose. The
^/ ®^(^ significance of its botanical name is uncertain, but it is the old Latin

appellative.

l^aug^ls ^\ '^cauEn.

T

HE torch you turn to earth still upw.ird lit'ts its flame:
And so the soul looks up, though turned to earth in shame.

ITER thoughts were holy, ^aint-like.

Ever pointing to her God ;

And sweetest orisons were uttered

By the lips heneath the sod.

.So that queenly " Snowball " blooming,
Was of her an emblem given;

For its flower language whispers —
" My thoughts are all of heaven."

-Lucy M. Saiijord.

E.WEX darklv works; vet where the seed hath been,

11 /JY thoughts arc not in thi-; hour
■'■'■' Unworthy what I see, though i
Spirit! let me expire, or see them n

EACH individual seeks a separate goal;
But heav'n's great view is one, and that the whole ;
Th.at counterworks each folly and caprice;
That disappoints th' eftects of ev'ry vice. ^Pope.

^fek-

276

J

■^^=iS-

)m0w£r0y.

(&alantl)US ninalis. Natural Order: Afi/aiyllidaceiV — Amaryllis Family

URICH, with the adjoining cantons of Switzerland and some
— other localities in Europe, may be considered the original
habitats of this little plant, the botanical name of which sig-
, j^ nifies Snowy Milk-flower. It flourishes in the meadows and
: „ along the water courses that abound in the neighborhood of
" " ^^^' ^^^ Alps, where the pure and everlasting snow rests like a
cloud between the blue sk}- above and the green and fertile valley
beneath It is ver}' hard}-, as it would indeed have to be to exist
miid such surroundings. Having been many years cultivated, it has
found its way from the parterres abroad into the gardens of America,
where it may be seen peeping from its snowy coverlet long before
other flowers burst from their wintry prisons, or nature awakes from
her dreaming. The roots are bulbous, and in planting they show to
better advantage where several (from six to eight) are set in a group, when, in
a few years, the increase will warrant a division. The flower is of a tair size,
and pendulous, with onl}- a single blossom on a stem.

0

H! sweetly be.iutiful it is to m.irk
The virgin, vernal snowdrop! liftii
Meek as a nun — the whiteness of

g up —
its cup,.

From earth's dead bosom, desolate and dark.

QWEET flower, thou tellvt how 1
^ As pure and tender as thy leaf-

And humble as thy stem — will
The joy that peace imparts.

-Percival.

ITER precious pearl, in sor

Unmelted at the bottom

To shine again, when, all dn

The bitterness should pasi

l.\V,

ink up,
away.

'T'lIE little shape, by magic pow'r,

Grew less and less, contracted to a flow'r;
A flow'r, that first in this sweet garden smiled.
To virgins sacred, and the snowdrop styled.

'—Tickell.

I

^^^

Cjalcsia Mptcra Natural Oruek: Styracacea — Storax Family.

\LESIA is a name given in honor of the Rev. Dr. Stephen
^ H lies an English philosopher and naturalist (1677-1761), to a
'■ numbei of shrubs or small trees found in the rich woodlands
th It border on the banks of some stream or river. They are
tound more especially in the Southern States lying adjacent
to the \tlantic. The usual height of these trees is from fifteen
to t\\ent^ teet though they are occasional!}' found considerably taller.
In the South they bloom from March to May. The flowers, which
are white and bell-shaped, make their appearance before the large and
*^^K< ample foliage. It is from a tropical tree of this order that the Storax
'^y) and Benzoin or Gum Benjamin is obtained. This resinous sap is made
to flow by perforating the bark of the stems and branches. It is very
fragrant, and is much used in the manufacture of various perfumes. In
medicine it is regarded as a stimulant and expectorant.

XTTHAT then remains but well our power to use,
• And keep good humor still, whate'er we lose.'
And trust me, dear, good humor can prevail.
When airs, and flights, and screams, and scolding fail;
Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll;
Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

—Pope.

day beameth brightly before u
firmament, green is the earth;

verse chorus;
ic and mirth.

Lift up thy eyes, that are looking in sadness;

Gaze! and, if beauty can rapture thy soul.
Virtue herself shall allure thee to gladness —

Gladness! philosophy's guardian and goal.

-From the Germii

I'D laugh today, today is brief,

I would not wait for anything;
I'd use today that cannot last,
Be glad today and sing.

278

-ChrU

1

J

0mtlijeriiw00ll*

1

^I'tcinisia abvotaiUim. Natural Order: Compositcr — Aster Family.

ATHER dense of growth, and of a height of from three to five
feet, the Southernwood is a well-known shrubbj' plant quite
'C^ frequently found in old fashioned gardens. The lea\es are
much divided, and the flowers are yellow, while a pleasant,
bitter, aromatic odor pervades the whole plant. It is fre-
quently called Old Man, and sometimes Bo3's' Love. The
botanical name of the genus is derived from Artemis, the Greek appel-
Uion of the chaste huntress and goddess, Diana; and the specific title
abrotanum, which denotes the Southernwood proper as distinguished
from other varieties of the Artemisia, is of uncertain derivation. This
plant is possessed of tonic, narcotic and other medicinal properties, and
is frequentlv used in domestic medicine, particularly in places remote
from a pharmaceutist or physician.

pERHAPS the jest that charm'd the sprightly crovd,

And made the jovial table laugh so loud,
To some false notion owed its poor pretense. ^Prior.

'T'RUE wit is nature to advantage dress'd, .\s shades more sweetly recommend the li

What ot't was thought, but ne'er so well e.xpress'd; So modest plainness sets oft" sprightly wit;

Something, whose truth convinced at sight, we find; For works may have more wit than does

That gives us back the image of our mind. As bodies perish through excess of blood.

A.S in smooth oil the razor best is whet,
-' '^ So wit is by politeness sharpest set;
Their « ant of edge from their offense is seen ;
Both pain us least when exquisitely keen.

ight,
[good,

H

E cannot try to speak with gravity,
But one perceives he wags an idle tongu
cannot try to look demure, but, -pite
all he does, he shows a laughter's cheek ;

He cannot e'en essay to walk sedate.
But in his very gait one sees a jest.
That 's ready to break out in spite of
Hi

379

I

^w,

^^ttAmtlh

1

iPEronica avtieusis. Natural Order: ScrophulariacecE — Fig-wort Family.

ERONICA ARVENSIS, or Field Veronica, is found chiefly

m dry fields throughout the Northern and Middle States. It

IS a small plant, from two to six inches high, with pale green

foliage, and flowers that are blue in color. There are some

■^ native species of this plant that flourish only in the black and

heavy soil of wet ditches. A variety called Spiked Speedwell, a native

of Europe and Asia, with beautiful blue or pink flowers, is now culti-

\ ated for the adornment of our gardens. It is supposed by some

authorities that this plant was named in honor of St. Veronica. The

common Speedwell is used by the poorer classes in Sweden as a

substitute for tea, the true Chinese herb being probably saved for

special occasions. Medicinally, it is reputed to possess properties that

are sudorific, diuretic, tonic and expectorant.

1[Emali| ^[ibcllhi.

0*

Close twisted
Which broken, bi.
Of human iov, an

ith the fibers

AND at last he wakened Irom liis sv
■' And found his dear bride propping:
And chafing his pale hands, and callir
And felt the warm tears fallinsj on hi:

in oft" the soul

-roniig.

to his own heart, "She weeps for me:'
lay still, and feigned himself as dead,
might prove her to the uttermost,
to his own heart, "She weeps for me.'
— Tennyson.

te th;

thev

QHOULD I change my allegiance for rancor,
^ Tf fni-tiinp chansjes her side?

If fortun
Or should I,

anges

ike a vessel at anchor
the turn of the tide?

— Proctor,
Lift, O lift, thou lowering sky,

An thou wilt thy gloom forego!
An thou wilt not, he and I

Need not part for drifts of snow.

— Jean Ingelozw

If

'p%A6VW0xt.

(SraiJcSCantia DirgilUCa. Natural Order: CofiimelynacciV—'Sfidcrrvort Family.

-AMED after John Tradescant, a favorite gardener of Charles I.
of England, and after his son of the same name, both distin-
guished botanists and travelers, this plant is familiarly known
as the Spiderwort. It is a common plant, with coarse, grass-
T^-^"-^ like leaves, and pretty purple or rose-colored flowers of a
T-f 3O delicate texture. It is almost impossible to prepare a perfect
specimen for the herbarium, as the least pressure discolors and withers
its petals beyond recognition. The stem when broken discovers a
viscous juice, that spins out like a spider's silken thread as the parts
are separated, thus giving it its common appellation. Tiie Cleome
pungens has also been sometimes called Spiderwort, or Spiderflower,
but belongs to the Caper Family, and is a tall, showy, biennial plant.
The flowers, which bloom in racemes, are separately rather curious in
/i- structure. The petals are mounted on threadlike claws, and extending
above them, about twice their length, are the six stamens, like so many
legs of a spider. Cleome., from the Greek, means something closed; and pungens,
from the Latin, signifies piercing.

BUT I forgot the parting words slie said,
So much they thrilled the all-attentive soul;
For one short moment human heart and head

May bear such bliss — its present is the whole;
I had that present, till in whispers fell
With parting gesture her subdued farewell.

— 'Jean hi^elow.

■pLESSED, thrice blessed days! but ah! how short!

Bless'd as the pleasing charms of holv men.
But fugitive, like those, and quickly gone.
O slippery state of things! What sudden turns,

What strange vicissitudes, in the first leaf
Of man's sad history! today most happv:
And, ere toinorrow's sun has set, most abject!
How scant the space betw^een these vast extremes

-Blair.

^^-

T^HE spider's most attenuated thread

Is cord — is cable — to man's tender tie
On earthly bliss; it breaks at every breeze.
381

1)

^|iife««ard.

1

at fifteen

^Villiil VtXl'ClllOSU. Natural Order: Ara/iaciur — Ginseng Family.

"(JUND chieHy in the woods of the Northern States and Canada,
this plant has a pleasant, aromatic root, which is sometimes
used medicinally, and as an ingredient in some manufactured
be\eiages. It is not to be understood. howe\-er. that this is
the tiue Spikenard (sometimes called Nardt so highly spoken
'^ ^ ol m Scripture, which is supposed to belong to India, as
^ onl\ an inferior kind is found in Palestine. It has an aro-
matic snull. and is a t"a\'orite article of perfume in Thibet and Nepaul.
It IS said to grow in large tufts, rising upward like grass, and forms
an article ot considerable traffic in Egypt and Turkey. It is from
this jilant that the highly-precious, odoriferous ointment is made, and
a box containing a pound, in the time of our Saviour, was valued
at more than three hundred pence, or denarii, a Roman coin, which,
cents each, amounted to about tbrtv-five dollars.

nil

T TE that neglects a blessing, though he want

A present knowledge how to use it,
Neglects himself. —Beaumont and Fletcher.

AND

A F,.,

not sure so full a benefit,
Freely to give as freely to require;
A bounteous act hath glory following it,
They cause the glory that tlie act des;
— Lady Carer.

'O meditate, t(

Which in its
Reward of good,

'T"0 brag of
^ Doth maki

benefits one hath bestown.

ie the best seen
So oftentimes the greatest c
Is by the doer made an inji

less, and most seem
lurtesy [none;

T'

IV/riND despatch'd upon the busy toil, [soi

-Should range where Providence has bles;
Visiting every flow'r with Labor meet.
And gathering all her treasures sweet bv s«

plan, resolve, perform,

f is good — as svu-ely brings

o matter what be done.

—Pal /net.

•She should imbue the tongue with what she sips,
the And shed the balmy blessing on the lips,

That good diffus'd may more abundant grow.
And speech may praise the pow'r that bids it flow.

-Cou'pel

=^

r

^TlbicS uilira. Natltkal Order: Conif era;— Pine Family.

PRUCE is the name applied by Linnaeus to all of the species

comprehended under the genus Abies, but later botanists make

a somewhat diflerent classification. Spruces, tirs, pines, balsams

and hemlocks are all closely allied. This variety of Spruce

is an inhabitant of the northern part of the United States,

where it attains the altitude of sevent}- and sometimes eighty

feet, rearing upward a towering, pyramidal head. Some of the

mountain forests in tlie colder latitudes are almost wholl}- composed

of it. The trunk is straight; the wood is light, yet strong and

elastic, and is employed many ways in architecture, but is not as \-al-

uable as the White Spruce. The essence is produced by boiling the

tops of the Abies nigra in water, then concentrating by evaporation.

\'

■A\.

.\REWELL, then, thou
Too deeply, too blindly

led one — O, loved but too
■ language to tell !

—C/,ar/es F,i.

,ell,

>AREWELL,

Witness of many a calm and happy day;
And thou, fair eminence, upon whose brow

Dwells the last

of the ev

mg

Farewell! Mine eyes no longer shall pursue
The westering sun beyond the utmost height.
When slowly he forsakes the fields of light.

PAREWELL! :

-'■ That may conve\- n

liriTH that wringing my hand he turns away;
' * And tho' his tears would hardly let him look.
Yet such a look did through his tears make wav
As show'd how sad a tarewell there he took.

Hnff,„„„.

AND now farewell, farewell ! I dare not lengthen
These sweet moments out; to gaze on thee
Is bliss indeed, yet it but serves to strengthen

The love that now amounts to agon3-;
This is our last farewell. _ i/r.. Wetbv

to toi-get.

-Du,M.

Farewell, thou canst not tea

ill omit no opportunity
my greetings, love, to thee.

— Sliahespeare,

'T'HEN came the parting hour, and what arise
When lovers part — expressive looks, and eyes
Tender and teartul — many a fond adieu.
And many a call the sorrow to renew.

— Crabbe.

J^Ife^Sr

If

Stapelia bufonia. Natural Order: Asc/cpiadacar — Milkzveed Family.

f()H\ BOD.^US STAPEL, a renowned physician of Amsterdam,
^^ has the posthumous honor of being remembered in this plant.
The Stapelia has the appearance of a species of cactus, although
' < It belongs to another tamily of plants. It is fleshy and branching,
without foliage, and the flowers are among the most curious.
Hefoie bursting, the bud is somewhat similar in appearance to a
large button with tive sides, and is attached to a short stem. It
IS of a bronzed or reddish green hue, but when fully open the
I. ah \ spreads out its five points in the shape of a star about two
iMcliLS broad, and forms part of the flower, having the appearance
of being lined with a dappled maroon and velvety surface full of
line wrinkles. In the center stands the corolla, like a ring, short
and fleshy, and of the same color. It has a rather unpleasant
not perceptible unless inhaled intentionally. The se\'eral varieties
are natives of South Africa; and bufonia, from the Latin d/i/'o, a toad, distin-
guishes this variety, because of its resemblance to that reptile.

odor

icli

ifffltS^,

\LL' .S not offense tha
■^ *• And dotage terms s

T F my offense be of such mortal kind.

That neither service past, nor present sorro\\-s.
Nor purpos'd merit in liiturity,
Can ransom me into his love again,

T WISH I could s.iv
A Tell me, what hav,
Forijive me, let it he

IITHAT is my offense?
•• Where is the evidence that doth accus

indiscretion finds,

— Shnkespear.:
But to know so must
So shall I clothe me
And shut myself up i
To fortune's alms.

le my benefit;
I a forced content,
some other course
— Shakesp,-nr

What lawful quest have given their
Unto the frowning judge.'

" Dear friend,
I done?
.ow at an end."

^Wm. W. Story.

OE not too ready to condemn

The wrongs thy brothers may hav
Ere ye too harshly censure them
For human faults, ask, "Have I none?

-Eliiu Cook.

w

k

^tuv 'g"lfltticr.

Sabbatia bracljiata. Natural Oudek: GcntianacciC — Gentian Family.

,''"-,^F the Sabbatias (so called in honor of the Italian botanist Sab-
bati) there are several varieties, and although but few have
found their way into cultivation, j-et they deserve to be classi-
L lied among our most beautiful native plants. The Star Flower,
^x'''^ one of the species, is found quite abundantly on dr\- prairies
^^ in several of our Western and Southern States. The stem is
:: .ibout a foot high, with lance-linear leaves. The blossoms are varied
^j in different individual plants. Sabbatia brachiata has flowers of a
delicate rose-purple, with a yellow star, which is bordered with green;
~ and Sabbatia stellaria is rose-color, the star of which is bordered with
- red. It is to this family that the plants belong from which the medical
Ij remedy known as gentian is obtained, the properties being both tonic
and febrifugal.

1|^£tip0n|^.

lET us lov.

AND many hours we talked in joy.
Yet too much blessed for lausrht

\ in this uur fairest youth,
in find a full and fond retui
—Percira/.

r)E thine the more refined dehghts,
Of love, that banishes control,

I was a happy man that
And. happy ever after.

lay, When the fond heart with heart unites,

— .!/■»■.<. rro-"iii. And soul in unison with soul.

—Cart-nrighl.
AND canst thou not accord th\ heart
^ In unison with mine —
Whose language thou alone hast heard.
Thou only canst di\-ine.- —RufusDa-.^,:.-,.

■\TrHICH is that this of all men on ear
Doth love me well enough to count m
To think my soul and his of equal girth
O liberal estim.-ite!

.\nd yet it is so; he is bound to me.

For human love makes aliens near of kin;
By it I rise, there is equality;

I rise to thee, my twin. —'Jeaii higelam.

W

HERE heart
Each other's

meets he;
pillow to

rt reciprocally soft,
repose divine.

2S5

l\

M^

Star 0f getWjeliem.

(Oniitl)Ot\aluiU lllllbcllatUin. Natlhai, Ordkk: Liliacccc — JJIy Family.

ENTIONED by Pliny, author ot" a Natural History, who
flourished a. u. 77, the Ornithogalum has given rise to
^c^ much comment as to the origin ot' its name. It is
deri\ed from two Greek words, ornithoi. a hird. and iiahi.
milk — a most singular combination, sureh': and we cannot
• ' help suggesting the following theoiy: The Greeks had a
]init\ and poetic conceit, that in spring a certain wind blew, and
with it brought the birds of passage to gladden their bowers with
song, and this wind the}^ named ornifJiias, or bird-wind. Now the
Star of Bethlehem blooms in April and May, about the tinie of the
\ birds' return, thus poetically is seen a flower greeting the birds: a
flower, too, which is of an opaque white, or milk color. The
English name is from the shape of the blossom. The bulbs fre-
quently attain a great size.

I^jtantilialion*

I

"VTOR did he doubt lier mo

e.

^^ But rested in lier fcaltv.

till he crowned

A happy lilc Avitli a fair death. -T,„„yso

TT7HOM but Maud si
' * .\nd she touched m

ould I meet- ^
■ hand with a smile so sweet * *

ELL do vanish

The charms ol

She made me divine an

lends And

dearer seems e:

For a courtesy not rcti

I WOULD have my love
^ Angry sometimes, to swee

laving lost its 1

ten otf the rest

or her behavior.

-Be, 7o»

'< AND didst flwH
^ And / did n

«eei-.

She called t

ot console.'

Our spirits rush

hed together, glad
And swift as llame to tiame.

386

Dora Greenwell,

r

^1

^ragarta UCSCa. Natural Ordek: Rosacece — Rose Family.

\ ER welcome to our tables, the Sti
mobt abundant and best known i

ibei'i

•y is one ot the earliest.

fruits, and requires but

little description or commentary. We ha\e many \arieties

ot this plant growiny wild in meadows and on the hillsides

thioughout the United States and British America. The

Alpine or English Strawberry is found chiefly in cultivation.

Iiuit IS conical, scarlet, and fragrant, and gleams brightly amidst

Its tuple k i\es. \\'e are indebted to this order of plants for a great

\ uiet\ ol oui fruits, nanieh', the peach, pear, apricot, apple and cherry,

as well as the blackberry and various raspberries. The Strawberry is

peculiai, in having its seeds on the outside of the fruit, instead of

being suiiounded by the pulp.

'T*HY puriKjse firm is eqiKil to the dct
Who does the best his circumstance

;insels could

illow
lo more.

TJOWE'ER it be. it seems to me
'Tis oiilv noble to be <;ood;

Kind h.

s are more than coronets,
nple laitb than Norman blood.

T^HE words which thou h

'^ .\re of thy soul a part;

.\nd the good seed thou ha;

Is springing in my heart

scatter'd
— WhiUicr.

H'

E was too good to be
Where ill men were; and was best of all
.\mongst the r;u"est ol good onc-^. Shaf^f-f^f-inf.

qPHEN preach'd the bumble .Strawberry. Behold

The lowliest and least adorn'd of flowers
Lies at thy feet; yet lift my leafy fold,

And fruit is there unfound in gaudier bowers.

4

So plain be thou and nice

.\nd when \ ain man shall

L'nveil the blooming tr\iit of

M\ heart
t, the perfect shape.

(^»;\3 — Mj-i^

.^mm^cli.

lil)US aroiliatita. Natural Ouder: Anacardiacecc — Stimach Family.

^Ff rXOWN tamiliarly as Sumach, the Rhus aromatica is a pretty
shrub from two to six feet high, growing on open lands in
L'anada and the United States, sometimes covering acres of
i; round if left unmolested. The flowers are yellowish, and are
lather unattracti\e in comparison with the berries when
lipened, which look like so many crimson plumes waving in
\W. They possess an acid taste, and are not poisonous. The
Venetian Sumach is said by Nuttall to grow plentifully in Arkansas.
The Italians use it in preparing leather. Among other species of the
Sumach are the Rhus glabra, the bark of which maj' be used in tan-
ning, and the berries to create a dye; the Rhus typhina, the wood of
which is aromatic, and produces a yellow dye; and the Poison Sumach,
the appearance of which is similar to the above, except that it is perhaps
larger and inhabits swampy places. It is intensely poisonous, even to the touch,
and sometimes imparts its pernicious influence to the surrounding atmosphere.

^phnb0j|.

PLORAL apostles! that in dewy splendor

*■ Weep without sin and blush without a crime,

O, may I deeply learn and ne'er surrender

Your love sublime! —Horace Smith.

'T'HE bright sun compacts the precious s
Imparting radiant luster like his own;
He tinctures rubies with their rosy hue,
And on the sapphire spreads a heavenly b

■pRIGHT and glorious is that revelation
^ Writ all over this great world of ours
Making evident our own creation,

In these stars of earth, these golden flowers
— Loti^fe/lozv.

mh

AND wide a splendor streamed through all the sky;
^ O'er sea and land one soft, delicious blush.
That touched the gray rocks lightly, tenderly;

A transitory flush. -Celia Tlmxter.

288

li

Gatuviia l)Crtcnsis. Natlkal Order: Labiat^c—Miiit Family.

T\LY is the native seat ot" the Satureja. It belongs to a
^X^ lamilv of highly aromatic, pungent herbs, most members of
^ ^hfvgr \\hi(.h are very useful to mankind for their tonic and tebri-
*T^ -> tui; il |iruperties. Several of them — as the thyme, sage, the
*^^mu)oram and tiie Summer Savory — are cultivated as herbs,
and are used for seasoning soups, or for dressing ot fowls
and other meats. There is a species sometimes found natixe in the
Western States, but it is considered a rare plant, and is perhaps the
Satuieia run wild. The name sa\ors of the Satyrs, a class of beings
m Gieek mxthology that apparently represented the luxuriant vital
poweis of nature.

APPLAUSE waits on success; the tickle multitude.
^ Like the light straw that float, along th

Glide with the

stream,
ent still, and follow fortune.

■pvWELLS within the soul of every artist

More than all his efforts can express,
And he know-s the best remains unuttered,
Sighing at what we call success.

—Adelaide A. Proclor.

TT is success that colors all in life; [honest.

Success makes fools admired, makes villains
All the proud virtue of this vaunting world
F~awns on success and power, howe'er acquired.
TI,o,„p.:^n.

LS not in mortals to command success.
But we '11 do more, .Sempronius, we "11 des

OUCCESS. the mark no mortal wit,
^ Or surest hand, can alw.ivs hit;
For, whatsoe'er we perpetrate.
We do but row, we 're steer'd b\- fate.

■£ without success

■\nRTL-

Is a fair picture shown bv an ill light;

But luckv men are favorites of he

vns (he cause.
—Drydeu.

QMILE and we smile, the lords of many lands:
^ Frown and we -mile, the lords of our own hands;
For man i- niaji and master of hi- fate. -Tenii)

2S9

1

S^mmflipw^r.

C)cliantl}us aiuiuus. N.

CoMpos/'fce — Aster Family.

ITERALL\ Helianthus, from two Greek words, lielios, the

sun md (iiil/ids. a flower, denotes Sunflower. The common

\ uiLt\ IS I nati\e of South America, and is probably the

lai<;e&t ot the species, for it towers sometimes to the height

ol htteen feet, with a stalk as large as a man's wrist.

This giovvth depends on the character of the soil, as a

pooi soil dwarth and diminishes its stature. The flowers are yellow.

uid lu ti equenth the size of a large dinner plate. The seeds are

\ei\ iich uid oih md are sometimes used like almonds for preparing

p soothing emulsions. In Europe a sort of bouillon is made of them for

infants, and in Portugal they are ground into meal for bread, and are

sometimes used in the same way by our own American Indians. They

are also said to be used as a substitute for coftee. The oil is nearly

equal to olive oil, and the stems are useful as food for cattle and also

It has been asserted that if the seeds are planted around a dwelling

act as a pre\'enti\'e of fevers, by absorbing the malaria.

)RIDE of the garden, the beauteous, the regal,
The crown'd with a diadem burning in gold ;
iltan ot" flowers, as the strong pinioned eagle
.\nd lord ot" the t"ore*t their wide emiiire hold.

'pHERE is a region loftier far

Than sages know or poets sing —
Brighter than summer's beauties are,
.And sot"ter than the tints of spring.

There is a world with blessings blest,
Bevond what prophet's e'er foretold;

Nor might the tongue of angel guest
A picture of that world unfold.

TOOK past yon hills, whose crest bright sunned is
'-' With the last fond glance that the dead dav gives;
Up ! let the voice of thy Di; Profundis

Thrill to those courts where no soi-row live*!

-Barton Grey.
290

as

^weet ^lafl.

1

^rcirus calamus. N.

Arum Famih'.

E \RLY evervwliere in low, wet soils throughout the United

\ Stales, the Sweet Flag, or Calamus Root, as it is sometimes

^ called, may be found, the grouping of its swordlike leaves

adding variety to the surrounding landscape. The root is

.•^ thick and branching, creeping along through the watery

^^'^ bt)il like so many reaching lingers. It is highly aromatic

^ to the taste, and is often used medicinally as a mild stimulant and

tonic, being highly spoken of by some physicians as a valuable

g' ingredient in ague remedies. The name Acorus is thought to be

derived from the Greek korc, pupil of the eye, because of supposed

value as an eve-salve; and the Latin word calaiiius means a reed.

Among the Turks, who are said to consume immense quantities of

^" all kinds of sweetmeats, it is very popular as a confection, it being

■r prepared by a coating of sugar.

l[iinnss.

/^N hanging cobwebs shone the dew,
^ And thick the wayside clovers grew;
The feeding bee had much to do,

So fast did honey drops exude:
She sucked and murmured, and was gon
And lit on other blooms anon,
The while I learned a lesson on

The source and sense of quietude.

A CLOUD lav cradled near the setting sui
■^ A gleam of crimson tinged its braided s
Long had I watched the glory moving on

O'er the still radiance of the lake below.

Tranquil its spirit seemed, and floated slow!

Even in its very motion there was rest;

While everv breath of eve that chanced to t

— 'Jean In^elow.

Wafted the traveler to the beauteous west.
Emblem, methought, of the departed soul!

To whose white robe the gleam of bliss is giver
.\nd by the breath of mercy made to roll

Right onward to the golden gates of heaven
Where to the eye of faith it peaceful lies.
And tells to man his glorious destinies.

— John Wilson.

f

ftw;C.ct l^otuio.

Xatlral Crder

-Couyohw,//is Fatiiilv.

. 1 \T \S. or Swet-t Potatu, i.s nalive to both the East and
\\ est Indies, and onh' within a recent period has the cuiti-
\ itioii ot' the tubers been attempted save in tropical countries
oi tht more remote, \\arni parts ot" our Southern States.
Lttteih'. lio\\-e\er, thev ha\e been introduced into the Mid-
dle States, ^\llere thev ha\e been successfully grown by first
u tin<( tlie plants in hotbeds, and then transplanting them to
the soil m which the\- ai-e to grow. The potatoes are protected in dry
sand during winter. The tubers are pointed, sweet and nourishing.
The stem is prostrate and creeping, producing purple or white flowers,
campanulate in shape, and sometimes ijuite show}-. For mere pleasure
it can be grown in the house by placing a tuber in a vessel partly filled
with water, when it will reward the cultivator with several quite pretty
and lengthy vines. If the first should decay before sprouting, it could easily be
replaced until success crowned perse^•erance.

T" HOUGH gay as mirth, a< curious thoughts sedate;
^ As elegance polite, as power elate;
Profound as reason, and as justice clear;

.Soft as fompassion. \ et as truth se^'ere. —Sa-.a^,\

CANNOT soar into the heights xou -ho-

Nor dive among the deeps that you re\ er

It it is much that high things are to knov

That deep things are to I'eel.

QHE was the pride

^ Ot" her familiar spliere — the daily joy
Of all who on her gracefulness might gaze,
And in the light and music of her way
Ha\ e a companion's portion. —Willis.

"V'\- \uurs, not mine, to pluck out of yom" hre
.Some human truth, whose workings reconili
Were unattired in words, and manifest,
.\nd hold it t'orth to light.

QT.VNF) tree and fa
"-^ .\nd judge him by

more than what you ki
Ingeniously, and by the right-laid line
Of truth, he truly will all styles deserve.
Of wise, good, just: a man both soul and r.cr\"

— Sl,irh-v.

293

=^^3

)mtii^t Sitdtnn,

^

{i

^mbcrboa IUOSli)ata. Xati-kal Order: Coiiiposit.e— Aster Family.

N-^'- I LER. quaint and isolated, but sunny Persia, is the native
V\ \ land of this plant, while others ot" the same species are
.1 ^.-r nati\ es of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean.
sj ' /\y ) 'l'h«\ are all handsome annuals, of easy cultivation, pro-
■r^-^A^ -. ducing purple, white, or vellow flowers, which are endowed
" with a slight odor of musk. The}' are about a foot and
ilf high, and are most excellent for planting in mixed borders,
mg floweis during the whole summer, which reward the culti-
vator with their perfume, and an abundant supply for bouquets and
decorations.

l[flitii^»

A"

VND niav the stream of thv maturing lite
Forever flow, in blissful sunlight through
A fairv scene with gladsome beauty rife,
Ar. e\ er greeted the enraptur'd view !

/^Ii; happy pair, to e'
" For \ou may life'

For vou its roses bloom without a thorn.
And bright as morning shine its eveni

every blessing born! AT^ '"^ ''"

s calm stream unruffled run! ^ When t

out

ine

M

s been like summer !

they are fair to view,

But there never vet were hearts o

-R. T. Pa

Clouds might not wander through.

—.Vrs. L. P. Smith.

W hope not too deceptive prov
M.-i\- sweet contentment round ■
.Such bliss as niav be found below!

AXD I was gl.id that night,
■^ Witli no reason readv.

To giie my own heart for its deep delight

?^

That flowed like some tidal eddy.
Or shone like a star that was rising bright
With comforting radiance steady.

— 'jean Ingelow.

a spell in every flower —
eetness in each spray:
And e\erv simple bird has power
To please me with its lay!

—A line Pevre Dhmies.

-93

'T>HERE is
^ A sweetr

I

■^m.

DiantljUS barbatUS. Natural Order: CaiyophyllaceLV— Pink Family.

'ALLED Dianthus, or flower of Jove, b}' the Greeks, the

Sweet William still stands preeminent among the flowers

. which deck the garden. Although it be surrounded by the

modern pinks and carnations, flaunting their beauty with

^ I high-sounding names, it deserves cherishing as an antique

rstilEW^ plant, as well as for its sportive varietj\ Many species ol"

tin- Dianthus are natives of Oriental countries, and their colors are

superb, attesting the warmth of the Eastern climates, where nature is

brilliant in her tints. This species, sometimes familiarly called Bunch

Pink, and some other varieties, are natives of Europe.

^IraljigciiL

A'

To

ND mar your plot! No; I'm too bold for that;
threw him ofT the scent, and ran with speed

seno]-, how to take the man.

XiriTH bended bow and quiver full of arrows,

Hovered about the enemy, and marked
The road he took, then hastened to my friends,
Whom, with a troop of fifty chosen men,
I met advancing;. The pursuit I led,

*HE maid shakes her head, on he

Steals up from her seat — longs

A frightened glance turns to her dro

Puts one foot on the stool, spins the

-Georgf H. Boker.
Till we o'ertook the spoil encumbered foe.
Wc tbuglit and conquered. Ere a sword was drawn
An arrow from nn bow had pierced their chief.
Who wme that day the arms which now I wear.
—yo/tn Home.

'T'HE maid shakes her head, on her lips lavs her fingers

y grandmother,
heel Avitb the other.
Lazily, easily, swings no\v the wheel roimd;
Slowly and lowly is heard now the reel's sound;
Noiseless and light to the lattice above her
The maid steps — then leaps to the arms of her lover.
Slower — and slower — and slower the wheel swings:
Lower — and lower — and lower the reel rings;
Ere the reel and the wheel stop their ringing and moving.
Through the grove the young lovers by moonlight are rov

-'yoiiJi Fraliris

'^fer

294

^m

i

T

^^€mtn0vt.

JplatamiS Orcibcutalis. Natural Order: Plataiiacece — Plane -Tree Family.

NL of the largest trees in American forests is the S}-camore
oi Buttonwood tree, which grows to a prodigious size. It is
found most frequently on the banks of some of the large western
luii^ and on the margins of many of the smaller streams, where
tht. trunk attains a not unusual circumference of fifty feet.
^?^ Along the entire course of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers,
extensn e foi ests of it abound, and no sooner does a bar of sand or an
island m ikt itself seen above the surface of the fickle tide, than it is
(.o\<.iLd is it by magic with a growth of Sycamore saplings that in a
tew vears develop into mighty trees. Its rapid growth is its chief
recommendation, as its wood is sott and of no great utility. Its ample
tbliage makes a very desirable shade, and it thrives under circumstances
to which manv other trees succumb.

^^h^^

m^^^

l[ijahbnb ^muKx^.

YCAMORE «ith egla
A heiiiji' .about the sic

[ KNOW a forest vast and old —

.\ sli.ide so deep, so darkly green,
rhat morning sends her shaft of gold
In vain to pierce its leat\ screen:

;is spread,
ivering overhead.
—Drydeti.

o\v a brake where sleep>
he soft-eved fawn, tliro'
noon with all the calm i
ies hushed heneatli thos,

boughs
'h May.

T

HE rich, deep
Hang heavv v

ith the fullness

VrOISELESSLY around.

From perch to perch, the solil

bird

Passes ; and yon clear spring that, niid.st its herbs.
Wells softly forth and wandering steeps the roots
Of half the mighty forest, tells no tale

Of all the good it does. Thou hast not left
Thyself without a witness, in these shades.
Of thy perfections. Grandeur, strength and grace
.\re here to speak of thee.

-WillMm Cullfti Brvanl.

^

'firtm§a.

Pi)ila^clpl)US roronavius. Natirai. Order: Saxifi-agacece— Saxifrage Family.

^^'?/^^jO*^HIS show}' shrub is one of several bearing the same cogno-
^>r^ ^r^ ![ I nien, the classic name of which was bestowed in honor of
Ptolem«us Philadelphus, an ancient king of Egypt, and the
lounder of the celebrated Alexandrian library. In early sum-
mer it is a handsome object, and is an addition to any land-
'^ scape when covered by the creamy-white flowers that adorn
ii^ stems and burden the air with their honeyed fragrance, the odor
nt which is similar to the orange blossom, whence it is sometimes
I died Mock-Orange. It is a native of Europe, but has been very
man} }ears naturalized in America. Cultivated on the lawn, its
blanches sway in graceful luxuriance: but if space is an object, it
w ill allow itself to be trained against a wall, and withhold not its
ibundant bloom. Another variety, called Philadelphus grandiflorus,
IS \er} similar in appearance, but the flowers are odorless.

/^H! friends regretted, scenes fore\'er dear,
^^ Remembrance hails jou with her warmest tear!
Drooping she bends o'er pensive Fancy's urn,
To trace the hours which never can return.

"IITE will revive those times, and in our memories Kindled

Preserve, and still keep fresh, like flowers in water, Sliot
Those happier days; when at our eyes our souls The\

nd

il fires, their
ill, link'd am
■arts togethe

CANNOT but remember such things were
That were most precious to me. _ simkespei

te

;LL'D in the countless chambers of thi
'Our thoughts arc link'd by many a hidde
,vake but one, and lo! what myriads risi.
ch stamps its image a> tlie other flies!

S''

296

FILL o'er these scenes my memory wakes
\nd fondly broods with wiser care;
le but the impression deeper makes,
\s streams their channels deeper wear.

,m

(EanaCftuni tmlqarc. Natural Order: Compositcv — Aster Family.

^MOTELY derived, perhaps, from the Greek athauasia. im-
mortal, because ol' its durable flowers, the common Tans\' is an
■ old-fashioned plant of European origin, which has become
naturalized from its many years' residence. It has a peculiar
aflinity for old fence corners near the habitation of man,
w here once placed it grows without lurther care or atten-
The leaves are beautifully di\ided and subdivided. The flowers
jellow. The whole plant is pervaded b}- an aroma which is
intensel}- bitter. The young and tender leaves are used for flavoring
some articles of food, such as cakes, puddings and, for epicures, the
omelet, hi some parts of England it is customary, after the Good Friday
service, for the clerk of the parish to carry to every house white tansy
^jj'^ cakes as an Easter oflering, for which each householder gives him a
■" iA V gratuity. The leaves are also used as a disinfectant, and among Fin-
landers to produce a green dye. The essential oil is \erv poisonous.

II.V^tE on those breasts of stone, tli.it cmnot melt
In sott adoption ot" another's sorrow! —Aaron Hill.

QHE was a careless, tearless girl,
*^ And made her answer plain;
Outspoken she to earl or churl.

Kindhearted in the main.
But somewhat heedless \\ith her tc

And apt at causing pain.

.\ mn-thful maiden she, am
Most lair for bliss or ba

O long ago I told vou so,
I tell von so today:

Go you your way, and let
Inst niv own free wav.

^^-

TJE read their thoughts — they were his own —

"What! while our arms can wield these blades
Shall we die tamely.' die alone.'

Without one victim to our shades.
One Moslem heart where, buried deep.
The ~aber from it^ toil may sleep.'" —Moore.

-97

1

^i^nsiet

DtpsaniS fullonuni. Natural Order; Dipsaccce — Teasel Family.

I L the plants of this chiss except the Fuller's Teasel are devoid

t interest, possessing no useful properties; but in Europe

ilothiers use the heads of that variety to raise the nap of

w oolen cloth, ^fhey are armed with hard, hooked scales,

whicli, being attached for this purpose to a revolving cylin-

fc ."^ der, brush against the surface of the cloth. The common

\ild Teasel found by roadsides and hedges is a naturalized plant from

Luiope It flowers in large, oval heads, mounted on a stalk from

three to four feet high, and the stalks and dry heads may often be

seen, m winter, with their spiny cones decorated with sleet or frost,

showing prismatic colors in the sun. It is cultivated in Europe in

large fields, a rich soil being necessary. The plants are thinned to

about a toot apart, and the heads are cut for sale the second year.

|t$Hni]^rujt^»

'T^HERE'S not a day, but, to the man of tliought,
*■ Betrays some secret that throws new reproach
On life, and makes him sick of seeing more.

T CAN ne'er forgive the thoughts I bore
'Gainst thee, and 'gainst the I'ace of man
For I have stood at bay before the world.
Facing the wolves that well nigh pulled nic
Until I deemed mankind a hungry pack.

Eager to suck their wounded brothers' blood.
But thou hast come to purge me of my gall,
To heal m\ wounded heart, to dry my tears,
And plant witliin niv soul a love of man,
Whicli, liv heaven '~ grace, wrong never shall uproot.
— George H. Boker.

CEARED, shunned, belied, ere yc

He hated men too much to fee

And thought tlie voice of wi-ath a

To pay the injuries of some on all.

,1th had
remorse,
acred call,

1st her force,

II

T

HE^' have lived too long, who find
Their treasury of hope is spent;
ty gaze upon the human kind

Like letters

Repeating to the vacan

That dust and hollo

monument.

39S

fftistte.

(Hirsium arncUSt. Natural Order: Co?npositiF — Aster Family.

m.

lELD CIRSIUM (from the old Greek name), or the True
Thistle, is the name of this variet}^, while the general word
^ Thisde is a common name for various prickly plants which
are widely dispersed and very annoying weeds. The most
[0 common of these is the Canada Thistle, which is the curse
;)3 of any land where once established, as every seed is fur-
nished with an air\- balloon of its own, to bear it to some
new, unoccupied district. It also spreads by its creeping root. The
flowers are arranged in small purple heads. Tliere is also a yellow
variet}'. When the leaves are a short distance above the ground
in spring, the}' are sometimes used as a salad, and the stems ma)-
be used as a boiled vegetable, if they are tirst stripped of their skins
and soaked a short time in water -to extract some of the bitterness pervading
them. The tbllowing is the tradition of the adoption of the Thistle as the
national emblem of Scotland: A body of Danes or Norsemen waiting to attack
tile Scots during the silent watches of the night, sent out a few spies to recon-
noitre; these tramped upon some thistles, and, being wounded thereby, uttered such
furious maledictions as to arouse the Scots, who were thus saved from disaster.

i

^uslrrjlrj.

H'

I SHI

^ I stc

lUT the door to face the naked tiutli
stood alone — I faced the trutli alone,
Stripped bare of self-regard, or tbrin. or rul
Till tirst and last were -hr)\vn.

T TI.S square-turned joints and strength of
Showed him no carpet knight so trim.
But in close fight a champion grim,
In camps a leader sage.

-c,

m/~b,l/.

took the perfect

balance

s and we

ghed

No shaking of i

nv hand disturbed the

poise

'eighed, found it

wanting — not a

vord

I said

But silent made

mv choice.

-C/irixiwa

G. Roxsetli.

TRUST the fr

)wn thv

features

wear

Ere long into a

smile

will turn

would not that

^ face a

s fair

beloved, should look so stern.
— Wm. Leggett.

J

(UratollUS COrfinca. Xatl-kal Order; Rosaceiv — Rose Family.

1

ROWING usually in dense thickets on the borders of a wood-
1 ind, or beside some creek or stream, ma}- be found the vari-
ous species of the Thorn, there being numerous varieties
indigenous to the American continent. In height the trees
or shrubs are from eight to twenty-five feet, and add much
to the glory of the woods \\hen they are covered by their
abundant bloom in early summer. The flowers are white, and appear
in geneious clusters. The fruit, when ripe, in autumn, is mosth'
scailet m color, though sometimes yellowish, and in a few individual
j'i^'h^-^ kinds IS both pleasant flavored and edible. The branches are pro-
^'\V^ \ ided w ith many thorns, from which the common synonym is derived.
In some parts of the country the lower-growing ones are used as
htdt,Ls but not so noticeably as in England, where many fields are
lotected b) them The wood is strong and durable.

liffituH^.

■pEWWRE of desperate steps! the darkest day,
^ Li\e till to-iiiorrou, will have passed away.

- Co:vpey

A^:::

e who, journeyinsi, checks the rein in has
iMiasni doth yawn across his way,
.■aping, and too steeply laced

As such a one, being brought to sudden stand,
I)oul)ts all his foregone path il" 't were true.

And turns to this and then to the other hand
,Vs knowing not what to do. —•J,-a,t Iiigetow.

CAIN would I stop to reniONC from thy wa\

^ Stones that ha\ e bruised me, and thorns that have

)rs for \va\-marks, to sa\-,
wounded, ensnared, or deceived.

- Dom Grennrell.

-IITHICH w,iy.' which way.= — his eyes greu di
**^ With the dizzving whirl,— which wav to swi

f^
?&

The thundei

Half choked in the lashing spray:
fe is sweet, and the grave is grini,-
Which wav.= which wav .=

J

-^^&

lli0tni S'P'Plc^

'11

Datiua stnimoiliimi. Natural Order: So/a//>

-i\ig/ds/unh' Fa,

I'^ATURA is a formation from the Arabic name, and the fruit
of the plant is called by botanists Thorn Apple, \\hicli
/"' should not be confounded with the berries or apples ol"
the thorn tree. The varied properties of this order of plants
•" are highly important, for, although the most of them are dan-
gerously poisonous, yet they form both food and niediiine for man.
'I'he fruits of the egg-plant, tomato, and the tuber of the jiotato, are
e?a'ellent and wholesome food, while the h}-oscvamus, atropa and Da-
tura are invaluable in medicine. E\ery part of the Thorn Apple, or
Datura, is a deadly poison. It is used in asthmatic affections, but
should be administered only b\' a careful jilusician. l"he flowers,
which are trumpet-shaped, are white, slightly tinged with juirple. The
common name is Jimson or Jamestown Weed, and as sucli it is found
wild on the commons. There are, howe\'er, several handsome x'arieties for gar-
den culture, from foreign countries, that are worth\' of attention.

I .SHf)l:I,n not like the glo>s ucre pn

But lii-ight ami strong enough to la-t

About — suppose a week (ir two. —.\roor.:.

■pEAl-TV is but a vain and doubtful good, T O! « hen the buds expand the leaves are greei
A shining gloss that tadeth suddenly, 'I'hen the li) st opening ol' the flower is seen;

A flower that dies when first it 'gins to bud, Then come the honeyed breath and rosy smile,

A brittle glass that's broken presently; That with their sweets the willing sense beguile;

A doubtful good, a gloss, a glass, a flow er. But as we look, and love, and taste, and praise,

I.ost, laded, broken, dead within an hour. And the fruit grows, the charming flower decays
- Shali.r.-J;ar,'. - Crahh:

OlIE spoke, and lo! her loveliness
^ Metliought she damaged wilh her tongue;
And every sentence made it less,
.So false they rung. ^Jemi Ingelov:
301

J'ltrift

^nncria milqaris.

/'//iDibaffiiiacciF — Leadivorf Fai?uly.

I I>(t \R[S (that iti, common) Armeria, or Thrift, is one of a

^m ill order of plants that mostly prefer a location near the

^ea toast or salt, marshy land, whence this variety, which

,i()\\s wild on the shores of Europe, is sometimes called Armeria

I itima, or Maritime Thrift. It has a turf-like appearance, beintj

I toot hif^h, and prett\' in shape, with flowers ol a rose-color.

cliisleied m close heads, and blooms during midsummer. There are

two or three \arieties cultivated as rock plants, some of them being

tiitnt'' of Poitugal. Plants of this species need renewing every two

oi thui. \c ii'< They are very easih' propagated, as very small slips

\(.gt.t<Ui. with else in moist spring weather. All are quite pretty and

desirable.

0":

is need that on men'?
rh-Ai can empathize '

-Plunbe Carv

TIKE tlie sweet nielodv which) faintlv lingers
'--' Upon tlie wind-harp's strings at close ol" da
When gentlv touched by evening's dewv finger
It breathes a low and melancholy lav.

the calm voice of sympathy me seemeth:
And while its magic spell is round me cast.

spirit in its cloistered silence dreameth.
And vaguely blends the future with the past

-.Vrs. Embury.

DLTT thou Shalt use my heart

As a poor mansion, over which thou rulest:
If so, thou will'st call in thy dearest friends;
Thev >liall he welcome, though thev're all mankind.

THl
T

HE soul of music slumbers in a shell
nil waked and kindled by the master's spell;
And feeling hearts, touch them but rightly, pour
A thousand melodies unheard before.
'I -Ro^er..

Qti: .1

^' The

iho the e.Mjuisite delights can tell
joy wliicli mutual confidence imparts .=
Or who can paint the charm unspeakable

Which links in tender bands two faithful hearts
-Mrs. Tiglu.

1

•^t^

m

tt Wlovatx.

•^.

ii

^!Iit^rt^ia fiaiuiiua. Naii k.m. Okukk: yr/</<7c-<<

RE IS .1 hulhous plant that i:

^ Uiic. Till biilb.s art- placed

;^ and i;ii)\\ without tui-thcr ca

. li^litly, from an inch and a

t's arc sword-shapcd. am

, <;Teat favorite for garden cul-

the ground in May or June.

The soil should cover them

ilf to two inches deep. The

ibout a foot long, with length-

wi^i \eins. The flowers are often more than five inches
aiross. though generally about four. They are superbly brilliant in
their colors, and. though lasting but a few hours, new ones appear
d.iiU foi a considerable length of time. The stalk on which they are
borne is about a foot and a half higli. The Tigridia pavonia (peacock-
like t is a rich scarlet, spotted with yellow. There are one or two other
varieties with flowers equally desirable, being very rich in their mark-
ings. The bulbs should be lifted in the tall, and be kept dry and free
to be planted again in the spring.

J^ribc Jjrfrinib

^TERN and erect his brow was

^ Whate-t
He would 1

the griet" his soul avov
)t -hrink hctorc the cro

-B_yr.

abuse

inishty

I'LL offer, and I'll -utter,
Because I'm proud; prid
The affectation of a pompous name.
Has oft set wits and heroes in a flame;
Volumes, and buildings, and dominions w
Are of the noble monuments of pride.

QPITE of all the fools that pride ha» made.

'Tis not on man a useless burthen laid:
Pride has ennobled some, and some disgraced:
It hurts not in itself, but as 'tis placed;
When right, its views know none but virtue's bound :
When wrong, it scarcely looks one inch around.

I WILL from henceforth rather be myself.

' Mighty, and to be fear'd, than my condition.

Which hath been smooth as oil. soft as young down.

.\nd therefore lost that title of respect

Which the ])roud soul ne'er pays but to the proud.

-5//u*.-.>/«

303

m

w

'^rttmyjct 'f lsii\)f V.

iJa'Cima laLiicans. Natukai. Order: /}'/'

'//ouiacciC-

Familx.

m

L \RCELY anyone who has resided or traveled in the South-
n ^t^tes during midsummer could fail to observe the flowers
1 this handsome and vigorous creeper. Its brilliant scarlet
ssoms project their large trumpets from e\erv hedge and
1 imbk where the luxuriant \ine has spread itself. In wood-
mds p n-ticularly near water-courses, it may be seen decorat-
^ the St d\\ u-t trunks of upright trees, where it has extended its
mibmg bi inches from seventy to eight\- feet, and where its super-
ibundint giowth trails from every branch, and the flowers glow
like coals ot hie in the midst of the surrounding leafage. It is an
admirable permanent climber tor outside walls, or for covering trees
PU that ha\e died, where shade is needed. There are some two or three
flne plants from the Cape of Good Hope and China, suitable lor the
gJ greenhouse, and tour or five adapted tor the hothouse, all having pink
and white flowers, which are said to be \erv desirable.

IL

l[itra^.

w

■linTH echoing feet he threaded
* • The secret walks of Tame :
'I'lie \ ievvless arrows of his thoughts wt
And winged with flame.

TH fame, in

jiist proportion, envy grows;

The man tha

t maizes a cliaracter, mal:es foe«

— YoHllg.

aded

"11 7 HAT so foolish as

-7-,/.

the chase of fame.'
How vain the prize! how impotent our aim!
F"or what are men who grasp at praise sublime,
But bubbles on the rapid stream of time.'

T^HE fame that
^ That he mav

T TNBLEMI,SH-D let me live, or die unknown —
'- ' Ohl grant me honest fame, or grant me none!

—Pop/-.

T wins himself is best; Which are soon ta'en ofi'; for in the warmth

his own: lionors put on him The heat comes from the bodv, not the weeds;
. man than his clotlu-s do, So man's true fame must strike from his owi

ilceds. -MidJI.to,,.

I

^

^ml)crci6t<

t^

Poliantl)fS tubcrOSa. Xatuual Okuek: AmaryUidaccc — AmaryHi's Family.

OLI \NTHES, denoting city-flo\ver in the original Greek, is a
I 11. and odoriterous plant, and a nati\e of some of the islands
I tile Indian Ocean, or perhaps of Mexico, as some think,
Init it has been culti\ated in England for tipward of two
hundred years, whence in all probability we received it.
The flowers are tubular in shape, and ha\e the appearance
' of sculptiued marble, especially the double ones. The}- are very
h agi ant, and are borne on a slender stalk about three feet high, which
1 iscs fi cm the center of the group of sword-shaped leaves at the base.
The loot IS bulbous or tuberous (whence the common name, which,
therefore, is not " tube-rose "" i, and blooms but once. The young off-
shoots bloom when two years old. The bulbs, old enough to bloom,,
are very cheap, and can be ordered from any seedsman. The}' should
(|' be started in a hotbed, and placed in the garden when all danger of
frost is over. In very northern latitudes thev should be retained in
the pot, so as to finish their bloom in the house.

»0 sli

L'k her skin, so i'aultless was lu-r
Juno did un willing pleasure take

To see so lair a ri'

■Tj* ACH sound, too, here to languishment inch
Lull'd the weak bosom and induced ease.
Aerial music in the warbHng wind,

,\t distance rising oft, bv small degrees
Nearer and nearer came, till o'er the trees

'yilEX stole I up, and trancedly

Gazed on the Persian girl alone.
Serene with argent-lidded eves.
.■\morous, and lashes like to ravs
Of darkness, and a brow of pearl
Tressed with redolent ebonv

—Dryden.
It hung, and breath'd such soul-dissolving airs,

.\s did, alas! with soft perdition please:
Entangled deep in its enchanting snares,
The list'ning heart forgot all duties and all cares
—Tlwmfso,,.

In many a dark, delicious curl.
Flowing beneath her rose-hucd zone;
The sweetest lady of the time,
Weil worthy of the golden prime
Of good Haroun Alraschid.

305

r

■^M

"gnlip,

V

(Hulipa (Pcsncriana. Natural Order: Liliacccc — Lily Family.

URICH was the birthplace, and March 26, 15 16, the birth-
■f^^ da^-, of the celebrated Swiss naturalist, botanist and scholar,

M- ./ V Conrad Gesner, from whom this variety of the Tulip derives
,-^,' 'Tr'^ its distinctive name. It is a purely oriental flower; its tex-
ture, its depth of color, and even its shape, suggest to the
mind the glories of the far-ofl" eastern climes whence it has
its birth. It is of Persian origin, and the native name, dulhand,
i-om whence its synonym in our language is derived, signifies a tur-
ban, after their own peculiar national head-dress. The Tulip was
introduced into Europe by Gesner, since whose time its cultivation
has received the most indefatigable attention. Under European taste,
skill and care, the number of varieties has grown to over seven hun-
dred: and the colors into which it has sported are many and mag-
nificent. In old records it is found that in the year 1637 one hundred and twenty
Tulips were sold at public auction tor nine thousand guilders — equal to thirty-six
hundred dollars. There is a species of wild Tulip quite common in the woods
and vineyards of Germany. In Siberia the bulbs are used as food, although bitter
and acrid.

JftlHraHun of Jou^,

TJELEN, I lo^

-T^ I i>wear bv

love thee; bv m_v lite I do;

that which I will lose for thee
To prove him false that says I love thee not.

Shakt;speare.

.VS\ filled with such amaze, pvEAR art thou to me now as in that hour

So far transported with desire and love, ^^ When first love's wave of feeling, spraylike, broke

i slippery soul flies to you while I speak. Into bright utterance, and we said we lov'd.

-Kn,/,^sl,r. -Bailey.

T D.\RE not linger near thee as a brother,

I feel my burning heart would still be thine;
Mow could I hope m\' passionate thoughts to smother.
When yielding all the sweetness to ;inother

Which should be mine. —Amelia B. Welby.

306

.^>-^

^^^

^mssilajo

KarilOSmia palinata. Natural Order: Coiiipositw — Aster Family.

^*^X swamps or moist lowlands may be found the few plants
known as Tussilago, or Coltsfoot. In the Tussilago farfara,
: we have the most common species. It is to be found chieflv
Ml claj-ey soil in the Northern and Middle States. The flower
ippears singly, and is a many-ra^^ed yellow head, borne on a
■;calv stalk about five or six inches high, and blossoming
the leaves make their appearance. Another variety called Tus-
^ by Aiton is now known as Nardosmia, from the two Greek
words, iiardos., meaning spikenard, and osmc, smell, which plant it
resembles in its fragrance. The flowers, which appear in May, are
used in the manufacture of perfumer}-. The leaves are coarse, large
and palmate, having a fancied resemblance to a colt's toot, whence the
common name. The scientific name is from the Latin titss/s, a cough,
^ because of its long-recognized value as a cough remedy. Its aromatic
properties were only discovered during the present centur}-.

Iff

Jusiit^ ta Y^u-

*HE gods grow angry with your patience! 'Tis their care,
And must be yours, that guilty men escape not;
crimes do grow-, justice should rouse itself. — 7o«.,o«.

IMPARTIAL justice liolds her equal scales,
* Till stronger virtue does the weight incline;
If over thee thy glorious foe prevails,

He now defends the cause that once was thine.

—Prior.

V^Or are right, justice, and you weigh this well;
Therefore still bear the balance and the sword;
.\nd I do wish your honors may
Till you do live to see a son of mil
Oftend you and obey you, as I did,
So shall I live to speak my father's

F but one virtu

It would be ju

ire vail'd thereby

In one who is

? did adorn a king,
.tice; many great defects
— whereas each virtuous thing
not just, the world suspects.
—harl of Slerliiig.

voids

Happy am I, that have a man so bold,

That dares do justice on my proper son;

.•\nd no less happy, having such a son

That would deliver up his greatness so

Into the hands of justice.

—Shakt;sp^ar<

S\

ms^

307

^^^^

'■^

tlcilcriana Sllluatica. Natural Okder: \'a/criaiiacccc — Valerian Family.

fl'ST win this plant has been called Valerian — whether in honor
of the Roman emperor of that name, or ot' some unknown
Valerius., or (which is perhaps the most probable view) from the
Latin lalcrc, to be well, — seems to be uncertain. It is to be
' lound in nearh- all temperate climates. In the United States
there are se^•eral indigenous varieties, found mostly in lowlands
near wooded districts, or in swamps. The leaxes of some are
composed of several small leaflets arranged opposite each other
along a central stem which is terminated b}- one a little superior
in size, in others the foliage is entire. The flowers of the wild
species are mostly purple, white or rose. The root ot the Vale-
riana edulis is said to be cooked and eaten by the Indians. It is
from the Valeriana officinalis that the extract used in medicine is
obtained. It is useful chiefly in nervous affections, though possessing tonic, febri-
tugal and anti-spasmodic properties.

^tng lisposiiian.

T^EVOTED, anxious, ge
^ And with her whole

nerous, \oid of guile.

leart's welcome in her smile.

-Mrs. Nortoi:.

'pHERE are so
i As e

lie hearts like wells, green-mossed

And there are some like springs, that bubbl

er summer saw; [and deep

To follow dusty ways, [bi

And cool their %

ater is — yea, cool and sweet;

And run with otiered cup to quench his thirs

But _v

ou must come to draw.

Where the tired traveler strays;

Tliev hoard not.

yet they rest in calm content.

That never ask the meadows if they want

And

lot unsought will give;

What is their joy to gi\e;

Thev can be quiet with their wealth unspent.

Unasked, their lives to otlier life they grant,

So st

If-contained they live.

So self-bestowed they live.

II

— Caroline Spcncc,
r^AN 1 yield you blessings.' says the friendly heart;

Fear not I am poorer, though I much impart.
Wherefore should you thank me.' giving is my need;
Love that wrought none comfort, sorrow were indeed.

—Litrv Lorcom.

j^v^ ^^m

SR5'

ll'jemws^0 ^Iftray.

Ultomra mUSCipula. Natural Order: /)roseraccce — Sitinfc-.i' Family.

r^ ^ NOWN as a denizen of warm latitudes, and consequently not
otten found in colder climates, except in hothouse culture, this
]-)LiLnniil phnt is rather delicate, but can be raised without
ith(.ilt\ it lepotted each year and kept standing in a saucer
of w Uci The leaves have a peculiar retractile power, clos-
ing \\hene\ti an insect lights on the surface, thereby holding
It 1 piisonti within its embrace, only relaxing its hold when it has
entiieh \\ ithdi i\\ n the nourishing properties from its victim. The
floweis aie white, being grouped in an umbel of from eight to ten
on a stalk about a foot high. It is called Diona?a fi-orn Dione, the
mother of \"enus: and muscipula, from the Latin, denotes flv-gates.

Pctcil

TITE sail .iloiig a rocky shore — the cHfts arc gr.av and gree
'* While in the sunlit deptlis below as lofty cliffs are seen
We float upon the waves of Life, with Death at either hand.
And what is false and what is true we may not understand.

—L. Bnire Mo

1 T

e..uiling ^HY, I can sn.le.

wliile I smile:

AL.SE wave of the desert, thou art less beg

m false beauty over the lighted hall shed: * * And cry content to that

nt the smiles that have practic'd their smiling. And wet my cheek with artificial tears; [heart

loney words measured, and reckon 'd as said. And frame mv face to all occasions.

—Shakest'eare.

-Miss Landoit.

H

E seem'd for dignity compos'd, and higli exploit
But :dl was false and hollow. —Milton.

VTOU'RE wrong; he was the mildest mannered
That ever scuttled ship or cut a throat! [man
With such true breeding of a gentleman,
You never could divine his real thought.

friendship is

T^IIEIR

Their honor but an idle b

Their smile, the smile that traitors

Their love is hate, their life is

snare,
th;

!f

^m

Spccularia Spctuluin. Natural Order: Cavipainilacea: — BeU-xort Family.

OOKING-GLASSES and beauty have alwa_ys been consid-

eied to \\\\^ a special atHnity tor each other; hence this

pi mt the flowers of" which have been likened to a " concave

mn 1 oi h IS been dedicated to the goddess of beauty, and

'^ ^ c died her looking-glass. It belongs to the delightful

ftmih of the Campanulas, all of which are attractive,

and some \en beautiful. It is a small plant about six inches high,

and IS a native ol Southern Europe. The stem branches freel}', and

it is a pretty little thing for the borders of beds and walks. The

flowers are blue, closing at night and opening in the morning. There

is an annual variety, with white blossoms, that blooms in August.

m\tx\

VTO flattCM-y my boy! an ho

It is a little sneaking art

Use to cajole and soften fools

r\ THOU world, great nurse of flattery, [words,
" Why dost thou tip men's tongues with golden
And poise their deeds with weight of heavy lead,
That fair performance cannot follow promise.'

J that man might hold the heart's close book,
.\nd choke the lavish tongue when it doth utter
The breath of falsehood, not character'd thei^e.

0

F all wild beasts, preserve n
And of all tame — a flattert

T WOULD give worlds, could I believe

One-half that is professed me;
Affection! could I think it thee.

When flattery has caressed me? — .l/;>.t Landon.

p

RAISE

too dearh-

lo\

'd,

or warmly sougl

Enfeebl

s all

inter

lal

st

engtl,

of thought

An

a tlie wt

ak so

ul w

tbi

1 i

tself I

nblest

Le

uis for a

1 pie:

sure

on

a,

otlier-

s breast.
-GoUhmith.

pERNICIOU.S flaffry! thy m.alignant seeds.

In an ill hour and by a fatal hand
Sadly diff'used o'er virtue's glebv land,
With rising pride amidst the corn appear,
And choke the hopes and harvest of the vear.
-/
310

M

■sg^

li^rljewa,

^

\i

Dtrbena ^Ubletia. Natural Order: J^eric.

'ROUGHT into general circulation but a few years since, this
beautiful flower is unsurpassed for splendor of color. It is a
j]j\ native of the South, and is a delicate, trailing plant, bloom-
ing freel}-. A few plants will cover a large bed if their
. ^ branches are pinned down so tiiat tliey can rot)t at the joints,
'Kj^^lfm which thev do readily. Among the Romans, the Verbence,
§r^ whence the name of this plant, were sacred boughs, whether
ol the laurel, oli\-e or myrtle. This particular variety has been desig-
nated Aubletia in honor of the French botanist, John Baptist Christo-
pher Fusee Aublet, who flourished in the middle of the last century,
j^ dying in 1778.

i0n

siUii^*

\TET what is wit, and what the poet's arl
Can genius shield the vulnerable heart:
.\h! no. Where bright imagination reigns,
The tine-wrought spirit feels acuter pains;
Where glow exalted sense and taste refin'd

QUE smiled; but he could see arise
^ Her soul from far adown her eyes,
Prepared as if for sacrifice.

— .Vfrs. Srozvfihi^.

There keener anguish rankles in the mind;
There feeling is ditlus'd through e\ery part,
Thrills in each nerve, and lives in all the heart;
And those whose gen'rous souls each tear would keep
From others' eyes, are born themselves to weep.

-Hanimh More.

KINDLY speech; a cordial voice;
■ ,\ smile so quick, so warm, so bright,
speaks a nature full of light.

\ft

ILY bought, the hidden treasu
er feelings can bestow!
that vibrate sweetest pleasure,
I tlie deepest notes of woe.

«■ J. Hill.

gazed, and in the tender flush
That made her face like roses blown.
And in the radiance and the hush,
Her thought was shown.

SHI

A >^'EW cr.
^^ The old

ationbloom that 1

creation, and expo

His Beautiful

in tuneful sound

.mds

^fe

^

•^^

T^^J^

lii0Uit

V

uioln Cl^l,n■ata. Natural Order: J'/o/acar — Molet Familv.

\ \ ^ and ^•ariou^^ are the Violet species, which are natives
ill lands within the temperate zone. Some of them
-c may be tbund in the tields and woods during spring
ml early summer, with their delicate little flowers hidden
mud their clustered leaves. The Viola odorata is a Euro-
]!(. m Violet. The llowers. though small, are redolent with
and lor this quality- the plant has been styled odorata
lodoious), and is to be tbund in general cultivation abroad. An-
othci ^'lolet (the Viola tricolor), more Irequentl}^ called Pansy, or
I leai tsease, \\ e are very familiar with, and through our admiration
give It a warm place in our hearts and a cool place in our bor-
deis What magnificence in color! w-hat gorgeous velvet can sur-
pass the bloom of these modest little flowers, lying so close upon
atuie's bosom'' Says Shakespeare:

" Her looks do argue her leplete with modesty."

TX the modestv of fearful duty,

I read as much as t'rom the rattling tongue
Of saucv and audacious eloquence. —Shakesfear

► EAl'TIFl'L are you in your lowliness:
Briglit in your hues, delicious in your scent
Lovelv your modest hlossoms, downward ben
; shrinking from your gaze, yet prompt to ble

The passer-by with fragrance, and express
How gracefully, though mutely eloquent.
Are unobtrusive worth and meek content,

Reioicinff in their own obscure recess.

T T E saw her charming, but he saw not half
The charms her downcast modestv conceal'i

THE violet droops its soft and bas

bashful brow,
heart, sweet incense fills the aii
.So rich within — so pure without — art thou.

—Thompson.

l\,TODE.STVS the charm

-^'' That coldest hearts can quickest war

Which all our best affections gains,

f \ —Mrs. Osaoml.

ik.

m

^^r

WB

0mev.

&ma\\5 Dirginiana. Natural Order: RaniiiicHlacciC — Crozifoot Family.

^5
1

HERE are many species of the Clematis or V'irgin's Bower.

the most of which are grown as coverings to arbors and trel-

hs(.s The name comes from the Greek word klenia, signi-

hing a vine or climbing plant. Loudon calls Clematis vitalba,

^^^, \u\ common in England and France, with its white flowers

L%r x?4, blooming in August, the Traveler's ]o\. Our native species

aie found wild in the Southern States, clambering o\er fences and

bushes in iht most unrestrained manner. jManv of them would do

admii tbh well it transplanted to the garden, where thev would adorn

some otheiwise neglected nook. There are several adapted for

gi eenhouse culture, nearl}- all of them being from warm or tropical

mates. The flowers of the varied kinds are white, _\ello\\ and

^ purple. Thev are all worth v of attention.

s ' '

filial ^ffctlian.

'pHO.SE tones of dear delight,

Tlie morning welcome, and the sweet good night!

— Chnrles Spro^u^,

/^H! sweet are the tones of affection sincere,
^ When thej come from the depth of tlie heart ;
.\nd sweet are the words that banisli each care.
And bid sorrow forever depart!

"p WERE sweet to kiss thv tears
If tears those eves must know;
But sweeter still to hear thee say,
depart! Thou never hadst them flow.

■ -Bulvj.

T^llERE is in life no blessing like affection;

It soothes, it hallows, elevates, subdues,
.Vnd hringeth down to earth its native heaven:
Life has naught else that may supply its place.

— Mi-is L. E. Landcin.

"X>WA.S the earliest link in love's

'^ 'Tis the only one that will long
And as vear bv vear. and dav hv da

Some friend still trusted drops aw.ay.
Mother! dear mother! oh! dost thou se
How the shortened chain brings me ner

r

ife

h

uUfl0mtx<

(!II)eiiaiitl)us tljciri. Xatirai. Ordf

Ci-Hcifcr.c — Mustard Pa

\LLFLOWER is a low, semi-slll•uhb^■. perennial plant, grow-
ing from one to two and a halt" teet in height, and comes
from the sonth of Europe. It is a great favorite on that
continent among all classes. Robert Herrick, an Englis^i
poet of the seventeenth century, has a prettA' little poetical
;nd, to the effect that a young girl much in lo\e, but re-
sti uned ot her liberty, desired to fl\- to the arms of her lover, for which
puipost she clambered out on a high wall, to which she had tied a
silken sash or rope. In descending, the knot untied, and she fell,
" bruised, and bleeding, and died ; "' and Lo\-e. in pity, changed her to
this plant, to be called forever the '" Flower of the Wall." It does not
bloom until the second year from seed, and in northern climates should
be removed to a light cellar for protection from frost in winter. Cheiri
is the Arabic name, and Cheiranthus a formation therefrom by adding the Greek
word aut/ios, a flower.

l[ihjlil^ in HisForlun^.

/^H! if there be an elvsium on earth, it is this:
^ When two that are linked in one heavenly tie,
Love on through all ills, and love on till thev die.

AT'E wallflowers, shed vour tints of golden dye.
On which the mornini» sunbeams love to rest —
On which, when glory fills the glowing west,
The parting splendors of the day's decline,

With fascination to the heart address'd,
.So tender and beautifully shine.
As if reluctant still to leave that hoary

RICH i,
The,
Bland are
Of flov

pERTAIN my
^ How can I li
Thy sweet convei

the pink, the lily gay,
ose is summer's guest;
thy charms when these
■ers, first, last, and best!

solution is to die;

I01"Cg0

,' join'd.'

-Mitloii.

There may be gaudier on the bower.

And statelier on the tree ;
But wallflower, lo\ed wallflower,

Thou art the flower for me. —Afoir.

^1

u^'^^

almmt.

luCllang nigra. Natural Order: J iighindacav —Wahnit Family.

EUS PATER 1 Father Zeus), through the first syllable of
the Latin equivalent Jupiter, enters into the formation of the
botanical name of this valuable tree, Juglans meaning Jove's
icorn; and the walnut is certainly not unworthy of the dis-
liiiction. In growth it is a majestic forest tree, rising very
^^ tiequently to the height of eighty teet, and is always a
pleasing object to the eye. The wood of the Black Walnut is very
extensively used in cabinet work and in building. It is very close
grained and heavy, and when freshly sawed it is of a deep violet
color. It takes a very good poHsh, and assumes a brownish tone
after being dressed, and looks not incongruous either when uphol-
stered in the richest of fabrics or placed amid the commonest sur-
roundings. The nuts are of a rather flattened globose shape, and
the removal of the outward husk exposes the inner shell, which is very rough
on the surface.

1

kni«lbtt«

PORERUN thy peers, thy time, and let

Thy feet, milleniums hence, be set
In midst of knowledge dreamed not yet.

p ETIR'D thoughts enjoy their own dcliglits.

As beauty doth in self-beholding eye;
Man's mind a mirror is of heavenly sights,
A brief wherein all miracles scumm'd lie,
Of fairest forms and sweetest shapes the store,
Most graceful all, yet thought may grace them more
— Smitlmell.

THI
A

IE mind of man is this world's true dimension ;

And knowledge is the measure of the mind :
And as the mind in her vast comprehension
Contains more worlds than all the world can find,
So knowledge doth itself far more extend
Than all the minds of man can comprehend.

-Lord Brooke.

^

^^SSSq^

yRISE, my drowsing soul!

Gird on thy blazing arms of intellect!
One struggle more to master coming time;
And if thy earthly walls then fall consumed,

We "11 scale those heights where conquering time is not.

H. Boker.

3'5

f

nttv S-i^B'

^ninpljita O^OVata. Natural Order: Nymfhceacea; — Water Lily Family.

•"^^'V \ I YX'V. inadequate is language, we maj' saj', to the descrip-

\ ti(jn ol' this beautiful flower. One might exhaust the whole

I ^■•r \ OL abulary, and yet fall short of expressing that sense of

J j beauty and loveliness that it itself expresses as it rests upon

lliL bosom of the placid stream. Tantalizing, too, is it, like

' "^ all liLauty, seemingly so near, yet only to be possessed by

the \Lntuiesome few, for "only the brave deserve the fair," and

3'et only waiting to be plucked by the hand that would clasp it
lovingly in its embrace. This HI}- is shaped like a large rosette. It
is composed of numerous pointed petals that curve upward toward
the center. They are usually a pure opaque white, though some-
times purplish. In the midst of this exquisite cluster of petals there
are innumerable fringelike filaments of the most delicate 3-ellow, that
tremble with the least agitation. The leaves are large and rounded,
being many times nearly a foot in breadth, and float on the surface
ot the water around their radiant queen like so many handmaids. The flower
is very fragrant, and may well be called, as it .sometimes is, the " Naiad, or
Bride of the Waters," which is but a free translation of its botanic name.

Jliji|U0nt^,

M

EN are more eloquent than
But women are more powei

men made,
to persuade.

pOW''R above pow'rs! O heavenly eloquence!

That with the strong rein of commanding words
Dost manage, guide and master th' eminence
Of men's affections, more than all their sw^ords!
Shall we not offer to thv excellence
The richest treasure that our wit affords ?

- Raiidnlph.

Thou that canst do much more with one pe
Than all the powers of princes can effect ;
And draw, divert, dispose and fashion men
Better than force or rigor can direct!
.Should we this ornament of glory then.
As tir unmaterial fruits of shades neglect.'

li

■I IT HEN he spoke

what tender words he

is'd,

** So softly, that

like flakes of feather'd

snow

They melted a> the

• fell.

~D,

^^

i

Saliv Balnjlonica. Naturai. Order: Sa/icacccc^Wi/hzi- Family.

V^OT unlike a mass of fringe, it might be fancied, is a clump
ot Willows as seen against the sk}-, the small pointed foliage
and slender twigs producing that hazy, indistinct eftect. It is
a pleasing tree either when single or in groups, often indulg-
-^-^ mg in strange and grotesque contortions in its trunk and
*-,^^ blanches, which are most agreeable to an artist's eye, espe-
1 1 ilh w hen surrounded by trees of more prim and dignified bearing.
11 h all the varieties have an affinity for locations near streams
I ponds, or for low, wet meadow-lands, where the}- flourish in
liL ibundant moisture. They do not disdain, however, to grow in
othci and dryer localities, as the many promising shade trees will
tLstit\ Being easily propagated, it is probably one of the most
W-^" desiiable tiees for speedy growth. The Weeping Willow differs from
'\\h the common species merely in having long, pendulous branches, from
which It leceues its name, and in memory of the Israelilish assemblage
mentioned in Psalm cxxxvii., that hung their harps upon the Willows and wept
by the waters of Babylon.

23rlantl|al^.

/"'OME, rouse thee, dearest! 't
^ To let the spirit brood
Thus darlily o'er the cares that

Life's current to a flood.
As brooks and torrents, rivers.

Alb the drain'd fountain, fill'd with autumn leaves.
The field swept naked of its garner'd sheaves;
So wastes at noon the promise of our dawn.
The springs all choking, and the harvest gone.

-O. n: Holnus.
Increase the gulf in which thev fall,
Such thoughts, by gathering up tlie rills
Of lesser griefs, spread real ills;
And with their gloomv sli.ides conceal
The landmarks Hope would else reveal.

not well

veil ■

DL'T hail! thou goddess, sage and holy
^ Hail! divinest melancholy!
Whose saintly vi.sage is too briijhl

To hit the sense of human sight.
And therefore to our weaker viev
O'erlaid with black, staid wisdom'

(•[riticum milgarc. Naturai, Order: Gi-a»tinca: — Grass Family.

1

NSURPASSED in value, and of a beauty based upon its

intrinsic merits, the Wheat plant is decidedly the most useful,

widely dispersed, and most essential plant in cultivation. No

other product forms so entirely the support of man, and none

. other is more prolific in its yield under favorable circum-

t stances. The growing grain is a pleasing sight from the

time it first spreads its mantle of green over the fields till it stands in

golden beauty, bending the stalks with their wealth, and culminates in

a ripened and bountiful harvest. Wheat is supposed to have originated

in Asia, on the high table lands of Thibet, where it still grows in its

primitive state, an humble and grasslike plant, with very small seeds.

Ceres is called the goddess of the harvest, and the mythological writers

say that before her time the earth was rough, and covered with briers

and unprofitable plants.

" Ceres was she who first our furrows plough'd,
Who gave sweet fruits and easy food allow'd;
Ceres first tamed us with her gentle laws,
From her kind hand the world subsistence draws."

\n\

t%.

R

ABUNDANCE is a blessing to the wise
^ ^ The use of riches in discretion lies;

ICHES, like insects, while concealed they lie,
Wait but for wings, and in their seasons fly.

—Pope.

P XTOL not riches then, the toil of fools.

Learn this, ye men of wealth -
In a fool's pocket is a heavy (

-a heav

The wise man's cumbrance, if not snare, more
To slacken virtue, and abate her edge, [apt

Than prompt her to do aught may merit praise.

-Milton.

mu

■U^-

'T'HERE is no comfort but in outward showing

In al! the servile homage paid to dross;
Better to heart and soul the silent knowing
Our little store has not been gained by loss.

John Boyle O'Reilly.

1?

II

'*^.

(iO\hit« Malm lit

i?lUllanS cilUTCa. Natural Order; yHglaiidaccLC—Walnitt Fami/y.

VERYWHERE throughout our country, but more especially
^^ , in the Northern and Middle States, the White Walnut, per-
'i"^ 'haps more commonly known as the Butternut, is to be tbund.
The former is the more proper designation, as it belongs
y s among the true Walnuts. The trunk is usually rather short,
but large in girth. The branches spread horizontally, giving
It a large, rounded head, sometimes thirty or lbrt_\- teet high. The
foliage has a plumy appearance, eacli leaf being composed of se\eral
leaflets arranged in pairs along a stem, with a single one to terminate
the point. The nut is elongated in shape, and encased in a husk or
sheath that is inseparable from it, and in that respect differing from
other Walnuts. The kernel is very sweet, pleasant-flavored, and rich
in oil, which gives it its most familiar synonym. The wood is useful
in some of the arts. The bark is used in medicine as a cathartic, and bv dvers
to produce a brown dye.

Unbrrslftnbinq*

^ET I douht I
^ And the tho

ights

gli the
men ai

small pow

'yiME ha

^ O'er features the mind molds. Roses, where
They once have blooni'd, a fragrance leave behind;
And harmony will linger on the wind ;
And suns continue to lisht up the air.

:s one increasmg purpose runs,
videned with the process of the suns.

— Temiyson.

When set; and music from the broken shrine
Breathes, it is said, around whose altar-stone
His flower the votary has ceased to twine -^
Types of the beauty that, when youth is gone, [cli
Breathes tVom the soul whose brig;htness mocks (

Gfo,

■ll^ITH mind her mantling ,

Her voice, her beaming
An all-inspiring soul.

eek

-L.-ri Frhl

YjIND, despatch'd upon the busy toil, [soil: She should imbue the tongue with what she si]

'■ ' Should range where Providence has blessed the And shed the balmy blessings on the lips,

\'isiting every flovv'r with labor meet. That good diffused may more abundant grow.

And gathering all her treasures sweet by sweet. And speech may praise the pow'r that bids it Ho

j^^

IpljllSalis !^ll\fl\CnC|i. Natural Order: So/a/nrccic — Xig/ils/nn/c Family.

ill pi ints this is perhaps the most variously named, heini^

ilkcl indifleiently Ground Cherry, Winter Cherr}-, and Straw -

m lonnto The first name is applicable to several of the

line ^enus because ot" their habit, bein^ merelv straggling,

hubiceous plants of low statuie. It belongs to what is

^ v^ el issed as the Nightshade family, which embraces plants not

' onl} pi educing floweis to gratify the eye, but fruits for the sustenance

^'- ") of man and the pleasing of his palate — as the tomato, potato, and egg

plant 1 he \\ intei C herrv is found in gardens and cultivated fields,

enous to the soil, though in some instances care is

i

'jlil*' -' £n\en it which ol course improves its qualit\-. The fruit is about the

i

yjr '' g'^en it which ol Cw,.,,,^ ..■■p,v.,^o i.., vj.....,.,. . ,,^ ...... ,o ..

n /\^— ' "^'ze of a stiawbeii} or cheny, being 3-ellowish in color, and remains
f. s s, on the plant during winter, which explains its second synonym, while
the third is sufficiently apparent. The berry is surrounded by a bladder-like
calyx, which hides as well as protects it, whence the name Physalis, from the
Greek, denoting a bladder.

ATOU vow, and swear, and super-praise niv parts,
When I am sure you hiite me in your liearts.

AH ! many hearts have changed since we two parted, And some we trusted with a fond beheving.
And many grown apart as time hath sped — Have turn'd and stung us to the bosom's core;

Till we have almost deem'd that the true-hearted And lite hath seeni'd but as a ^ain deceiving.
Abided only with the laithlul dead. From which we turn aside, heart-sick and sore.

—Mrs. C. .1/. Chandler.

AN open foe may pro\'e a curse.
But a pretended friend is worse.

-Gay.
'\\1\WX man so wise, what earthly wit so ware, To seem like truth, whose shape she well can feign,

As to descry the crafty, cunning train And fitting gestures to her purpose frame,

By which deceit doth mask in visor fair, The guiltless man with guile to entertain .=

And cast her colors, dyed deep in grain, —Sfe?iser.

m

itdt llaxtt.

f)ailianiclis birginiana. Natural Order: HamamelaceLC — Witch Hazel Family.

WADA and various parts of the United States produce this
luge shrub about as commonly as Virginia, from which it
tJLines Its distinctive qualification; its name, the Greek appel-
tne ot the medlar, has been misapplied b}' a mistake which
It IS now hard to rectity. The small branches were formerly
used to discover veins of water and precious metals; and
there aie those who have inherited sufficient superstition to still have
faith in their efficiency. We have seen wells said to ha\e been so
located, but how an unconscious piece of hazel should be more wise
than man, is more than can be divined. A recent theory is, that it
may be through some law of electricity not jet understood. The mode
of procedure is in this manner: A branch that is forked is held, one
branch in each hand, the main end pointing upward; the moment that
it passes over water, it turns around and points to the earth. It is said,
not to turn in the hands of evervone.

however.

H.WE led a life too stirring for those vague beliefs
Tliat superstition builds in solitude. —Miss Landon.

/~VUR witches are no longer old
^^ And wrinkled beldames, Satan-sold,
But young and gay and laughing creatures.
With the heart's sunshine on their features:
Their sorcery — the light which dances

When the raised lid unvails its glances,
And the low-breathed and gentle tone
Faintly responding unto ours.
Soft, dreamlike as a fairy's moan,
.\boye its nightly closing flowers.

W

- WhittUr.

HAT are these, so wither'd and so wild in their attire.
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth.

.\nd vet are on 't?
■nUT the witch-hazel's rtower

Of golden vehet. opening when the storm
Comes on the wings of w inter to deform, [hour
Charms with contrasting bloom while ruin rules the
-Aljred B. ^tre.l.

— Shakespeare.
KNOW — whereon the sirens s
\x\ island in a dark-green sea.

Oft at the wind's o\

I sail my boat delighted!

past It

m

3^'

J

Sf

-^^^

£

0rmi¥00j^*

Artemisia absintl)Ullll. Natural Order: Conipositit — Aster Family.

KTEMISIA (so called in honor of the goddess Artemis, the
Greek equivalent of the Roman Diana ^, or, in our vernacu-
• lar. Wormwood, is an intensely bitter plant, and has very
powerful medicinal properties. Its flowers are yellow, and it
^ is to some extent naturalized in the mountainous districts
, ."^ of our Northern States. Columella, the Latin writer on
agiiLulture of the first century of our era, mentions both the plant
and absmthites, or Wormwood wine; and the celebrated Greek med-
ical and botanical writer, Dioscorides, also speaks of it perhaps a
century later. The Roman Wormwood is the kind usually found in
ur gardens, and is a native of Austria and other parts of Europe.

Y

E flowers that droop, forsaken by the spring;
Ye birds that, left by summer, cease to sing;

Ye trees that fade when autumn heats remove:

Say, is not absence death to those who love? —Pope.

TIKE as the culver on the bared bough,

Sits mourning for the absence of her mate,
And in her songs sends many a wishful vow
For his return that seems to linger late:

So I, alone now left, disconsolate.

Mourn to myself the absence of my love;

And, wandering here and there all desolate, [dove.
Seek, with my plaints, to match that mournful

-spe„

QHORT absence hurt him more,
^ And made his wound far greater than before;
Absence not long enough to root out quite
All love, increases lo\e at second sight.

— Thomas May-

rVA Absence! by thy stern decree

^ How many a heart, once light and free,

Is fill'd with doubts and fears!
Thy days like tedious weeks do seem.
Thy weeks slow-moving months we deem,

Thy months long-lingering years.

"11 THAT tender strains of pa
• • The pangs of absence to

1 can imp
) an amorous 1
of language p

Far, far too faint the pow
Language, that slow interpreter of love!
Souls paired like ours, like ours to union
Converse by silent sympathy of thought.

«rougl
Pattison,

^Cl)illca lilillcfolium. Natural Order: Compositcc— Aster Family.

\STURES and old fields throughout the Northern States are
iht favorite haunts of the Yarrow. The stem is about a foot
hi_;h. The foliage is cut or parted into numerous divisions,
thereby giving it the name of Milfoil, from the Latin milk
^5^ JoUa., signifying a thousand leaves. Achilles was said to
^"'^ '-^ have discovered its medicinal properties while studying bot-
l an^ under Chiron the centaur, from which circumstance it has been
honored with his name. The flowers are white or rose-colored, and
bloom in flat-topped corymbs from June to autumn. The whole plant
has a pungent taste and aromatic odor. A. ptarmica (from the Greek
plairein, to sneeze), or Sneezewort, is another variety, run wild in
many places, but also sometimes cultivated in gardens.

ar.

T S death more cruel from a private

Than in the field, from murdering swords of thousands?
Or does the number slain make slaughter glorious?

-OUer.

T

wo troops in fair array one moment show'd, The steeds without their riders

the field.

The next, a field with fallen bodies sti-ow'd:
Not half the number in ther seats are found,
But men and steeds lie groveling on the ground
The points of spears are stuck within the shield.

T

The knights unhorsed, on foot renew the figlit;
The glittering falchions cast a gleaming light.
Hauberks and helms are hew'd with many a wound.
Out spins the streaming blood, and dyes the ground.
— Dryden.
WA.S blow for blow, disputing inch by inch,
For one would not retreat, nor t' other flinch.

War, my lord,
Is of eternal use to human kind ;
For ever and anon, when you have pass'd

A few dull years in peace and propagation.
The world is overstock 'd with fools, and we
A pestilence, at least, if not a hero. —j

H

E is unwise that to a market goes.
Where there is nothing to be sold but blows.
-AUyu

J

^

mtw.

(HaiUS baccata. Natural Order: Taxacece — Ycil' Family.

-ITH a trunk of large girth, and broad-speading branches, the
European Yew is a tree of low stature. Associated, as it
nearly always is, with the burial places of the dead, it
has among all nations become an acknowledged emblem
of sorrow. Either through the nourishment of the soil be-
h h coming wholly exhausted, or because of the shadow cast by its
foliage, little if anything grows beneath its shade; and an old idea is,
that to sleep beneath its branches benumbs or stupefies the brain. The
Latin synonym is derived from the original Greek name taxus. On
account of its pernicious qualities the ancient poets, as Ovid, Silius and
Lucanus, considered it the "tree of the infernal regions." There are
some fift}- species scattered throughout the temperate zone, several of
them being mere shrubs. The Dwarf Yew, or Ground Hemlock, is
found in Canada and our Northern States, inhabiting a rocky soil and shady,
cool places, where it grows to a height of about three feet. It produces a small,
red, waxy-looking berry, open at the top, which surrounds a single black seed.

> AST sorrows, let us niod'ratelv lament them :
For those to come, seek wisely to prevent then

iNE fire burns out anc

One pain is lessen'd

Turn giddv, and be help'

another's anguish ;
»y backward turnine";

TT 1
^ Y

T'

/^NE fire burns out another's burning; One desp'rate grief" cure with another's languish;

^-^ Drio nail I't loccon'^ K„ o.i.Afiiorv- o.,„.,:..i, . Take thou some new infection to the eve,

And the rank poison of the old will die.

~Slia/:esf€are.
breathes no sigh, it sheds no tear,

consumes the heart. —Slieridmi.
AMAZ'D he stands, nor voice nor body stirs; Oppress'd with grief, his passion had no bound;

Words had no passage, tears no issue found; Striving to tell his woes, words would not come;
For sorrow shut up words, wrath kept in tears; For light cares speak when mighty griefs are dumb.
Confused effects each othei- do confound :

*HE good are better made bv ill;
And odors crushed are sweeter still!

5-4

-Daniel.

iM-jCCpI'.

1

gucta filamentosa.

Natural Order: Liliacea: — Lily Farnily.

%

GRASS is a common svnonvm for Yucca, the alDoriginal
n line of this plant, which compares not unfavorably with
lie Aloe among foliage plants. The leaves are stiff and
^ sliarp-pointed, forming a mass some two or three feet broad,
*:v and even more in old plants. There are six or seven species
Vj^jO'Q or individual plants, differing somewhat in their style of
f, foliage, vet with a strong similarity noticeable in them all.
Tlic\ do not bloom until quite large, when a tall stem rises from the
enter, from three to four feet high, ' sometimes producing from "two
o four hundred bell-shaped florets." All the species are natives of the
Southern States, and each and all make a fine and imposing appear-
f^jki* ance in the garden or on the lawn. The Yucca filamentosa has long
threads trailing from the margins of the sharp-pointed leaves, whence
sometimes called Adam and Eve's Needle and Thread.

>lf;ijrili

A MAX in authority
A candle in the w
Or blown out than unc

A JOT tVom gray hairs a
^ ' Nor from bald heads, :

iithority doth flow,
lor from a wrinkled brow ;
But our past life, when yirtuously spent,
Must to our age those happy fruits present.

' ami Fletcher.

H";::

doth not nicely prank

nquant pomp, as some of meanest rank.
But armed in steel; that bright habiliment
Is his rich yalor's sole rich ornament.

- Joshua Sylvester.

i

TJENCEFORTH in my name

Take courage, O thou woman ! man, take hope !
Your graves shall be as smooth as Eden's sward.
Beneath the steps of your prospective thoughts;
And one step past them, a new Eden gate
Shall open on a hinge of harmony.

And let you through to mercy. Ye shall fall
Xo more, within that Eden, nor pass out
Any more from it. Live and love, —
Doing both nobly, because lowlily !
Live and work, — strongly, because patiently!

—^frs. Brov.'nmg.

325

J

^^

r

Simiiia<.

1

Zinnia elegaUS. Natural Order: Cofupositce — Aster Family.

,yj^ INNIA was named in honor of John Godfrey Zinn, a Ger-

'>/'" ^ man botanist who flourished in 1757, when the science was

I in its intancy. In the cultivated plant of today can hardly

'y^ be recognized the primitive flower found in the fields and

roadsides of the Southern States, which, even in its simplest

p ' ^ "v^ form, has been considered handsome. Formerly the blossom

was only scarlet, and single; but care in propagation has doubled it

/o to the center, and it has sported into hues many, rich and varied.

WThe flower perishes slowly without closing its petals, losing its

bright tints and assuming more sobriety as its daj's are numbered.

On this account it is sometimes called Youth and Old Age.

L^

Wi

li^Dug]|ls in jltssnt^.

OVE reckons hours for months, and d.iys for years;
And every Httle absence is an age. —Drvden.

TELL him I 1

-s r\ TELL him I have sat these three long hours
>' ^ Counting the weary beatings of the clock,

:AT shall I do with all the days and hours
That must be counted ere I see thy face?
How shall I charm the interval that lowers Which slowly portion'd out the promis'd time

Between this time and that sweet time of grace? That brought him not to bless me with his sight!
—Frances Anne Kemble. —Joanna Baillie.

T WEPT thy absence, o'er and o'er again,

*■ Thinking of thee, still thee, till thought gi-ew pain.

And memory, like a drop th.at night and day

Falls cold and ceaseless, wore mv heart away!

r^ALL thou ine home! from thee apart
^ Faintly and low my pulses beat.
As if the life-blood of my heart

Within thine own heart holds its seat,
And floweth only where thou art.

—^^rs. E. Oaks Smith.

m

qrHERE 'S not an hour
^ Of day or dreaming night but I am w
There 's not a wind but whispers of thy 1
And not a flower that sleeps beneath the
But in its hues or fragrance tells a tale
Of thee.
336

Proctor. 1

X

r

PART II

Cultivation and Analysis of Plants.

^

^^:»

W -'h y

^m

1

iv^

^

■■i

¥

^

7 ■ »'^ 4,F-yf ^^

;i

%W'.. 'l«.-".;,r

^fi^r#^ * "'

i\

:<^m

■JPrarHrall flnvunlHv?,

li

HE hand that made such bountiful provision for the body,
was not unmindful of the aesthetical cravings of the
higher- nature of man, so He hath filled the air with
bird-music for the delight of the ear, and hath planted
the fields and hung the boughs with blossoms that paint
themselves in a multiplicitv of hues for the gratification
of the eye. The two latter we gather around us in
our homes, and the songsters sing their sweetest strains
regardless of the prison bars, while the flowers, during
their short lives, yield both beauty and fragrance from
their fragile bells as a reward to the hand that careth for and cherisheth them. All
the world love flowers, and are all the better for that love, for the soul is refreshed
while the eve is pleased with their contemplation. Children delight in them; by
them young men and maidens interchange compliments; and to the aged they sj^eak
of a beautiful home beyond the tomb. The wealthy pride themselves on their con-
servatories and flower-bedecked lawns; people in the middle walks of life like to have
a few in their windows or on a stand devoted to the purpose; and even the dingy
cottages of the poor are not infrequently adorned with at least a single plant, often
the only link apparently that binds the inmates to the beautiful.

Having devoted a very considerable space to the Language and Poetry of Flowers,
the author has thought that some practical information, drawn mainly from her own
experience, in relation to the care and cultivation of plants, would prove a useful
addition to the work. For however one may admire flowers, through a mere natural
impulse or instinct, the cultixation of them requires taste, tact, patience and much pains-
taking attention. And even these qualities, to be only measurably successful, demand
a solid substructure of information in regard to the wants, peculiarities and habits of
plants. It will, however, be remembered bv everv thoughtful reader that thei'e are
but few things in this world worth knowing that do not require much patient atten-

329

f

CULTIVATIOX A.XD ANALYSIS OF PLANTS.

tion ; and the amateur culturist must therefore not be discouraged. Few studies will
better repay one than floriculture, in the charms of the gentle, peaceful influence
which it throws around the human soul. In the language of the poet Wordsworth,

He is happiest who hath power
To gather wisdom from a flower,
And wake his heart in every hour
To pleasant gratitude.

Leaving poetrv and the fascinations of flowers, we now propose to descend to the
more material and coarser elements tiiat underlie the growth of plants; and "to begin
with the beginning," or where the flowers begin, it becomes our duty to unfold what
is required, in the way of soil, water, etc., for the practical culture of flowers.

^fe

SOILS.

IRST comes Loam, which plays so important a part in all vegeta-
tion, and which is described as a mixture of sand, clay and carbonate
of lime, with the oxide of iron, magnesia and various salts, also decayed
vegetable and animal matter. It varies in different localities in regard
to depth as well as quality. In soine places it is brown, and in others
iT nearly or quite black, particularly in the West, where in the bottom lands
of the Missouri it is sometimes found more than thirty feet deep, as
wells of that depth have failed to reach its bottoin. If it is stiff and heavy,
the clay predominates; in which case for flower-beds, and indeed for farming pin-
poses also, it would be improved if a moderate proportion of sand or stable-
manure were well worked through it to make it more porous and, as gardeners
say, warmer; for, if the soil is too cold and retentive of water, plants do not thrive.

Sand is a very useful material in plant-growing, especially in greenhouse and window
culture; and, while it contains no nutriment, it is sometimes used to grow some kinds of
bulbs, to start slips, and, as has been said, to make soil more porous. Its uses are to make
lighter the soil with which it is mixed, so that the delicate roots can feel their way through
it; to draw the heat from the atmosphere; and to act as drainage, so that the soil will not
sour. .Silver sand is the most recommended, as it is a little coarser and sharper, as well
as cleaner; but as this is only found in certain localities, other or common sand can be
used as a substitute. It should be rather coarse, and from the surface when possible, if
for imtnediate use, as it will then have been improved by the action of the air. It is also
benefited by washing, which can be done by putting a quantity in a tub, pouring water
upon it, stirring with a stick, and then pouring off the water. The admixture with loam is
sometimes one part sand to three or five of the other, according to the plants grown.

Leaf-Mold is one of the most delightful soils for many plants, and it is very highly
prized hy all who occupy tliemselves with their cultivation. Leaves are frequently gath-

^

m

PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE.

"5^

ered into pits after they fall by the action of frost, and left until they decay ; but the
mold is found more abundantly in the woods, particularly in hollows where the winter's
wind has drifted the leaves, and where they lie in the damp and perish. Only think of
gathering into a flower-pot, to nourish a new plant, what has been the shade of perhaps a
hundred years, with all its vanished glories of crimson and gold!

Tlll'f, or grass-sods, is another article much recommended for potting plants, and
should be cut about three inches thick. This of course must have time given it to rot
before it is fit for use. Spring or summer is the best time for cutting, when the grass is
growing, as there is more nutriment in it. The sods should be packed in a heap, the
gi-assy surfaces toward each other. In this state fermentation commences, and the vege-
table portions decay. When this process begins, the heap should be turned and stirred
repeatedly with a fork, until it finall)^ becomes a pulverized or crumbled mass. It mav
then be mixed with about an equal proportion of manure and of leaf-mold, when it is fit
for growing most kinds of plants.

Peat is a soil of vegetable origin, found mostly in low lands, especially in swamps or
what are known as bogs. It is a black mold consisting of roots, wood and kindred sub-
stances in an entirely decomposed condition, or undergoing the process of decay, and is
more or less saturated with water. Some few plants, like the Venus's Flytrap, Pitcher
Plant, Heath, and many varieties of Ferns and young Azaleas, require this soil in its
normal condition or slightly mixed with sand; or, what is still better, as well as more
definite, a soil composed of four parts peat, two of sand, one of garden-loam, and one
of leaf-mold. In the greenhouse and hothouse it is mixed in smaller proportions for
numerous plants.

MANURES.

Manure should be entirely decomposed, and from two to three years old, and if
still older it will be all the better. Cow-manure is far superior for most uses, as it is finer
and a more gentle stimulant. The coarser manure from the stables answers well for cov-
ering flower-beds in fall and putting around shrubs to keep them from frost, roses rejoicing
particularly in its great strength. In using any solid manure for the stimulation of plant
growth, especial care should be taken to incorporate it thoroughly with the various other
elements of the prepared soil. Manure-water is prepared by placing the manure in a tub
or other vessel and pouring boiling water thereon. After letting it stand until it cools, it
can be drawn oflT for use, reducing its strength by the admixture of two parts pure water
to one of manure-water; it is better to apply it "weak and often." Manure-water, or
liquid manure, may be made from most of the domestic manures or cattle-droppings, as
well as from guano, phosphate of lime, etc. Sheep-droppings also produce excellent
liquid manure for many plants.

It may seem troublesome to think of using so many ingredients for the cultivation of
flowers, but they are necessary to form the different requisites for various plants if one
proposes to keep many. Country amateurs can find most of them close at hand ; and
persons living in the city, if they keep only a few plants, will find it more convenient to
go to some florist and purchase a sufficient quantity ah^eady prepared, always naming
the plants they wish to raise. The florist's experience is of great value to the amateur.

CULTIVATION AND ANALYSIS OF PLANTS.

f^

«^a

FLO^VEIt-BEnS.

.ONSIDERABLE care should be exercised in tlie preparation of
flower-beds, after which they will give less trouble, and will last for
many years with a little addition of manure every fall or spring.
They may be various in shape — either round, triangular, palm-leaf
or stars — or several of one shape with grass or paths between, grouped
or massed together. They should be dug to the depth of at least a
ot, and deeper if the natural soil is stiff or heavy. If the soil is poor, it would
.isable to remove it entirely and supply its place with better. If the
lage is bad — a wet soil, for instance — the surface eaith that has been
-■ned for the bed should be thrown aside, and two or three inches of gravel,
cinders or what is still better, some long straw manure or brush, be placed
in the bottom, the soil thrown in again, manured if necessarv, the lumps well
beaten out, and the bed raked fine and even. After this it will require onlv to be well
stirred with a digging-fork every spring to loosen it up a little. It is better in low
situati<ins that the beds should lie a little above the surrounding surface; but in high, dry
lawns exposed to the wind, it is well to have them a little lower, the edges being trimmed as
frequently as may be required; or, if surri>untlcd by gravel walks, a border of close-cut
grass is very neat as marking the outlines of the bed. In some parts of California flower-
beds are well rolled down, to pack the surface, so as to give off less evaporation during
the months of drouth. The terra cotta manufactured for the purpose, as well as tiles,
bricks standing on end and touching sides, or thin, flat stones set in the same manner, are
sometimes used to preser\e beds from the encroachments of grass.

FLOWER-BEDS IN RELATION TO SYMMETRY AND COLOR.
In arranging flower-beds, some attention should be paid to the effect different plants
will produce when brought together. The taller ones should go to the center, and the
lower growing and prostrate ones toward the margins, so that one will not hide another.
The same rule applies to straight borders of walks, the taller ones going back against the
grass. This is usually easy to do, as in most cases the heights of plants are given on seed
packets. For a fine display, too much forethought cannot be given to the various colors
that are to be brought in contact, as some colors, though handsome in themselves, utterlv
destroy the beauty of each other. For instance, scarlet and purple and some shades of
blue do not afliliate at all, and are what are called antagonistic colors. We will fill an
imaginary bed with Verbenas of inharmonious tints if put together wrongfully, but very
pleasing and harmonious if rightly placed. Our stock consists of a dozen plants each of
scarlet, purple, pink or rose color, and white. Placing the scarlet at one angle of the bed,
we arrange next to it the pure white, that harmonizes everything in color and reconciles
natural antagonism; adjoining it we plant our purples, and then our rose-tint — and how
happily the two latter combine! The pale tints of all colors are more easy of assimilation
than the deep ones, but what richness and depth of tone there is in some of the darker
ones! For display-beds cut in the lawn or grass-plats, masses of one color for each bed,
or at most two complementary colors, produce the finest effect.

i. '1 ^ .sag

^

PR A CT/CAL FL OKIC L A 77 RE.

In order to determine in a ready and simple way which colors will he hest alongside
of each other, either in beds of Howers or in bouquets, place a sheet of white paper so
that the eye can be suddenly cast upon it; then gaze steadily upon the flower or leaves thai
it may be wished to plant or arrange so as to harmonize or form a good juxtaposition;
after gazing two or three minutes, suddenly cast the eye on the white paper, and the color
will be seen that will he best to place near whatever has been looked at.

DEFORMITIES CONCEALED.

About many neat and even handsome homes there are oftentimes dilapidated buildings,
sheds or fences that may be hidden out of sight and transformed into things of beauty, at
least during the summer season, by the use of some perennial climbing plants. The
Ampelopsis quinquefolia, Celastrus scandens, Clematis virginiana, Tecoma radicans and
others of the same character (sec Climbing Plants, p. 393), vvill serve this purpose.

Many of the annual climbers can also be used to good advantage. The Echino-
c>'stis lobata, or Wild Cucumber, is a rapid and luxuriant grower, and has the further
advantage, not common among climbers, of long racemes of sweet-scented flowers. A
singleplant will sometimes cover a good-sized building in a season. The Ricinus com-
munis, or Castor-oil Plant, though not a climber, is often used for this purpose in orna-
mental grounds, its large and abundant peltate foliage forming an excellent screen. The
Helianthus annuus, or common Sunflower, and the allied species, Helianthus tuberosus, or
Jerusalem Artichoke, \\\\\ also scr\ e the same useful purpose in an effective manner.

■^\ ^~\ f^\\-^-. ATURALLY some amateur culturists will have occasion to use one
1^'^ ^ //'^^ or more of the simpler methods of propagating plants, which are
J; v'Tv v?((S)^i'''"'^ "" ^^^^^ account here subjoined.
l2T^\>-"y»i£==^SN' SOWING SEEDS.

Ill" sowing seeds, some thought should be had for their size and construction.
Small ones, as the Portulaca and Petunia, it is quite sufficient to scatter on the
ground, and, rubbing the hand gently over the surface, mix them with the soil.
For others it is well to mix them with some finely pulverized earth, and sow
both together. Larger seeds, like Sweet Peas, Four-o'clocks, Beans, and
various others, require planting, a process which is different from sowing, inasmuch as
the seeds are placed in the earth, in proportion to their size, from one to two or more
inches apart; and none should be embedded deeper than five times its own diameter. The
outer or whitish shell of the Nasturtium, and of some others that have a double shell,
should be removed with the thumb-nail or a knife. Some flat seeds, like the Cobaa,
should be put in the ground edgewise, to prevent decay. The cottony substance around
the Globe Amaranth seeds should be picked off for the same reason. Very hard seeds, ")

3 M

I

CULTIVATION AND ANALVSIS OF PLANTS.

like the Acacia and Sweet Peas, should be soaked in hot water, as also the Cypress Vine
and Verbena seeds. Verbena seed should be pushed lengthwise into the soil, a little
more than its own length. Evening or just before a shower is the best time for sowing
seed ; a heavy rain would be apt to wash small ones away. As soon as the seeds are sown,
a piece of old carpet or other heavy cloth spread over them, secured from blowing away,
is a necessity for successful raising, to insure uniform temperature and moistiue; and this
covering should be retained imtil the seeds have sprouted. After the plants are up, or
when the carpet is removed, they must be shaded with thin muslin or white paper. They
should be sprinkled with a watering-pot that has a fine rose-spout, or, in the absence
of such an article, a small clothes-broom dipped in water answers the purpose very well.
As some small seeds produce plants disproportionately large — as, for instance. Mign-
onette, Sweet Alyssum, Petunia, Portulaca and numberless others — they should be
thinned out as soon as the plants are sufficiently established, leaving always the best. If
it is desired to transplant any of them to another place, it will be well if some earth be
taken up with them. Certain plants transplant badly, and should be sown where they are
to grow ; and we believe that where such directions are found on seed packets, it is an
indication of their delicacy on that point.

CUTTINGS OR SLIPS.

Slips or cuttings, as the latter name indicates, are pieces cut from the branches of
growing plants, and should rarely have less than three joints. The old and careful man-
ner of cutting immediately under a joint, is the best, though many plants will succeed
where this precaution is neglected. The leaves adhering to the joints are generally short-
ened, that is, cut short, to save unnecessary waste of vital force. Cuttings may be inserted
in clean, coarse sand, powdered charcoal, coarse brickdust, or clear sawdust, and in pots,
boxes or beds, in or out of doors in summer, but within doors only and in a warm, moist
atmosphere, in winter.

Some cuttings, as most of the Geranium Family, as well as the fleshy and succulent
plants, as the Cactuses, will strike readily in almost anything out of doors, from May to
September. Soft-wooded cuttings of Oleander will strike in bottles of water; and similar
cuttings of Verbenas, Heliotropes, Petunias and many others, will take root in dishes of
sand and water, care being taken not to allow the sand to become entirely dry.

Rose cuttings should be made of shoots that are about half ripe, that is, half way
between soft vegetable matter and hard wood, cut into lengths of three joints or leaves,
entirel}' removing the lower leaf. An even temperature and a warm, moist situation are
demanded by rose cuttings, while careful shading from excessive heat is equally indis-
pensable. Leaves of Begonias, Hoyas and some other plants, will strike root and form
new growths if rightly cared for.

In transplanting cuttings after they ha\e rooted, the particles of matter that adhere to
the rootlets should be flirted, filliped or washed off before placing them in their new
homes.

r. A Y p: R I N G .

As a rule this process of propagation is mostly had recourse to early in August, and is
accomplished thus: A siioot of the current year's growth should be taken and cut about

^ 3^^ ^^^

-^^l

PJi\ 1 C r/C.I L FL ORIC I '/, 7" ( 'RE.

half through near a joint, when it should be laid down in the soil and covered over with
moss, manure or other substance that will retain moisture around the incision; and the
head or end of the shoot should be left uncovered. Many ornamental shrubs, such as
Snowballs, Tree Cranberries and the like, can be raised only in this manner or from seeds.

OFFSHOOTS.

These form a natural kind of layering, where the plant sends forth a horizontal, under-
ground stem or shoot, which needs but to be cut off from the parent stem at the proper
season, to constitute an entirely distinct plant. They are nearly similar in character and
appearance to the familiar above-ground runners of the strawberry and many other like
plants.

BULBS.

Bulbs are mostly increased liy offsets or bulblets formed on the sides of the previous
growth, and generally require two or more years before they bloom. All bulbs require a
peculiarly rich, deep soil, and plenty of liquid manure while in a growing state. They
are best kept in a bed or box by themselves to facilitate the extra attention necessary to
develop a strong, healthy growth.

ANY persons dread the performance of this simple part of flori-
culture, which is not at all difficult unless the plant is too heavy or
unwieldy. First, there should be in readiness some broken
potsherds, bits of charcoal, or the like, lor drainage, and the extra
il for the larger pot to which the transfer is to be made. This soil
should be thoroughly damp — not wet and muddy, but so as to sift
nicely from the hand. The articles for drainage should be placed
in the bottom of the pot to the depth of about half an inch, with an additional
half inch of moss if convenient, after which the whole should be covered over
with a layer of the earth prepared as above. The plant to be transferred is
supposed to have been watered some hours before, so that the earth will not
crumble away from and tear the roots. The right hand, with the palm down-
ward, should be placed over the surface of the ball of earth surrounding the plant,
so that two fingers will be on each side of the stem; then pot and plant should be lifted
bottom upward with the left hand, and the pot gently struck against the edge of a table,
when it will ordinarily come off. nicely. Should it, however, prove rootbound (that is,
with the roots so crowded as to adhere to the sides of the pot), a few stronger blows will
cause it to relinquish its hold. The young rootlets, if fresh and healthy, should not be
disturbed; if dead — as will sometimes be the case from having been either too wet or too
dry — they should be cut off, as they would be an unwholesome element in the pot, and
would have a tendency to prevent the growth of new and healthy ones. The large or
broken roots necessary to be removed should be cut smoothly with a sharp knife.

CVLTIVAriOX A.VD A.VALTSIS OF PLANTS.

1

li

Witli vt'iv large plants that are too weighty to lift in the hands, by putting a thick
bandage around their stems or triuiks to keep the bark from being bruibed, a rope can
be attached with a loop or loops through which a stout stick can be slipped, when it can
be lifted, and the ends of the stick be rested on something of sufficient height, and tlie
pot or tub driven off. This process generally requires assistance; but if alone, and we can
at all raise the plant, and the spirit moves us then and there to make the change, we fre-
quently settle the matter by a few energetic blows with a hammer, which leaves us with a
broken pot and our plant free for its hew home. In repotting such, care should be used in
straightening out the roots as far as possible in various directions, to prevent matting, sup-
porting the plant during the operation, and sifting the soil in carefully and evenly. If the
plant has matted its roots, it is sometimes best to cut off clean with a sharp knife the ball
of earth and such rootlets as it may contain, about an inch or more from the bottom. If
the ball is found very dry, it will be advisable to soak it in a pail of water until it becomes
thoroughly saturated, when it should be laid aside for a few minutes to drain before being
repotted.

The plant thus removed, with its ball of earth, should be gently set down in its new
receptacle; and, if found to stand too high or too low, earth must be remoxcd or added,
until the surface is within about an inch of the edge of the pot, and carefully pressed down
around the plant to secure it in its place, in an erect position. It should then be watered
and set back a little from the light, and again watered about the second or third day,
or sooner if it begins to wilt, but sparingly at first. If the soil keeps moist after the first
watering, the plant should have its leaves carefully damped two or three times each day,
but on no account should water be put on the soil until it gets partially dry. This delay
is to allow new roots a chance to start. If a plant is slow to start, it should be placed on
a board, under which a hot brick, or a pan of boiling w^ater, changed two or three times
daily, has been set. Plants should be guarded against drying winds and the heat of the
sun for a few days, until the roots shall have established themselves in their new quarters.

After removal the foliage will generally fall, but only to be replaced by such as will
be healthier and more pleasing to the eye. Sometimes our greatest expectations will
provokingly disappoint us, but a true lover of flowers will not be discouraged thereby.

Sometimes plants have to undergo the process of being potted backward, as it is called.
This is when they are weak, diseased, or refuse to bloom when they have too much root-
room. In this case the plant is removed as before, and the ball nicely and evenly trimmed
and pressed into a smaller pot.

When soil is exhausted, or becomes filled with vermin, it many times benefits a plant
to wash the earth entirely from the roots, which should be done gently so as not to injure
the young and tender rootlets.

We have frequently liad admirable and unexpected success with hothouse plants in our
ordinary living room, where there was no moisture except what evaporated from the
earth in the pots, with an occasional pan of water set upon the stove in winter. One or
more pans of water, according to the size of the collection, placed near the plants in a
hot, dry room, will facilitate the growth; but ordinarily, damping the leaves and keeping
them clean will prove sufficient; and this much at least should always be done. We men-
tion this, as many think the raising of a plant from the hothouse an impossibility.

^^ — — 'egg^^

m

PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE.

Hothouses are usuall\- built low, so as to be kept at a higher temperature, and water is
used so freely that there is a great deal of moisture in the atmosphere, which helps the
plants to a growth something approaching what they would have in their tropical homes.
When we enter these low-built houses, the plants are so seductive, either through their
gorgeous blossoms or ample and variegated foliage, that we can rarely resist the tempta-
tion of carrying away one or two trophies, while knowing that we cannot expect them
to thrive quite so well when reduced from their high diet, as it were; but yet we find they
tlo well enough not to entirely discourage us. A few failures make more lasting impres-
sions than constant and complete success; and if we study out the causes of those failures,
the lessons will not be too dearlv bought.

5^

'OOD culture is secured as much by care in watering plants as by
.thing else; for if too much water is given, it is worse than giving
too little. Many inexperienced cultivators have an idea that to be
, told to give a plant plenty of moisture means to keep it wet and
cold all the time. For an intelligent discrimination in this regard,
; of the first necessity to understand the native seat and habits of
the plant. The Fuchsia, for instance, is a native of Brazil on its mountain
slopes, and is accustomed to a moist atmosphere that never becomes stagnant.
Like conditions must as nearly as possible be artificially secured in our latitudes;
it ;nust therefore have plenty of moisture and be guarded fi-om strong sunlight.
The Calla Lily needs a large quantity of water (in fact, will grow in water) up
to the time of flowering; after which it is better to put it in a bed or border to
get a season's rest, depending upon the clouds for its supplies. Begonias and Ferns need
plenty of moisture, but abhor stagnation ; and it is better to syringe water over the leaves
than to be constantly drenching the soil around the roots.

A good thing for the plants is to let them occasionally go dry at the roots. This is
nature's remedy, for even in the wettest climates there are some dry periods. No plant
should be allowed to drop its leaves for want of water; a watchful eye can do more than
set rules in the proper watering of plants. If the leaves droop, unless in newly potted
plants, water is called for, and should be applied to root and leaf. The ear can also be
utilized: a knock on the side of a pot will disclose the need of water by the hollow sound
emitted, while a dull, heavy tone shows there is already water enough.

If the soil remains wet a long time in a pot or box, which is technicallv stvled "water-
logging," some means to dry it should be devised, as boring holes in the box, placing the
pot on a warm stove, or on its side to drain, or the like. The smaller the pot or box,
the more watering the plant requires, all things else being equal.

All succulent or thick-leaved plants, after they have made their season's growth, may
be put away for rest, and be left without injury, and even to advantage, for many months,
deprived of water, in a dry place, which, howe\er, should be kept free from frost.

?^ ^^^ ..^

CULTI\.\TIOX AXD AXALYSIS OF PLAXTH.

,<7\DERthc three teiuib, Pruuiug, Cutting Back and Pinching,

, -, ~^ .iif understood only different degrees or forms of the same process.

■ -■ "' 'lie pinching is simply a milder pruning with the finger and thumb;

hack is mainly applied to the pruning off of all dead

the* quick, or the restoring of a plant or shrub to its

T jjroper shape when it has grown misshapen by neglect. Pruning is best

'T-V done in the late fall or early spring, while the sap is at rest; it consists in

V-^^\\ r-'/ (v^ >.J'- , 1 lie pinching is
G'V^-^4^" ■.--'''- -tting

^'■r- \ty-??\:. \N<H.d back to tht

uiy sprnig, wnue tne sap

leiuoving the useless, thin, poor shoots of the previous growth. But little

pruning would be needed in amateur culture if the finger and thumb, under

guidance of a watchful eye, were used freely in removing, by what is

technically called pinching, all poor growths while the shoots are soft and

IJ^ SECTS.

>E pests, the bugbear of amateurs, as a rule settle only on plants that
are in a slow state of growth, or that are suffered to become dirty.
Besides tlieir destructi\ euuss, they render plants untidy and soiled;
and where they liecdiiie epidemic, as it were, they render them dis-
gusting. It is only idleness m ignorance that allows insects to injure
plants; and those having only a few in pots have no excuse for being
troubled with them. Cleanliness is nature's great remedy. When
e, the whole plant should be washed with soapx

o or three times into a tub or pail of clean \\ ater.

whenexer necessary, will keep a large majority
uisancc.

their first appear;

after\vai-d dipped

pie process, repeat

L^e frt)m the ;

FOl

X SEC

Aphis Rosa". — This insect, known also as the green-fly, is one of the most common
of plant insects, and is so named by reason of its fondness for the tender shoots of ail species
of roses. .Still it is not at all particular as to diet, and feeds promiscuously on almost
any plant upon which it finds lodgment, except perhaps such strongly scented ones as
some kinds of the Geranium. Taken singly, it is not at all repulsive, being in color the
most delicate, transparent green, and frequently with beautiful gossamer wings, and has,
for such a small creature, a firm and stately walk. Collectively their destruction is great,
as all the juice of the plant is absorbed to satisfy their insatiable appetite. With watch-
fulness this plague may be kept down in small collections. Fumigation is the best remedy
for them, and this operation may be performed either in a room, close box or barrel,
by placing damp tobacco-stems or lea\ es on some coals, in sonic kind of fire-proof vessel,
and care being taken that they do not blaze. Most rough-leaved plants cannot endure
fumigations, and are, in greenhouses, put under the staging when this work is going on.

\i^ '1 _'

I'KA CTICAL FLURIC L /, 77 'RE.

ThripS. — These are small, spotted flics related to the afhidic, and found on the backs
of the lca\es, though they will attach themselves to any portion of a neglected or unhealthy
plant. They are not quite so easily got rid of as the green-fly, but washing the plant in
lohacc'o-water, and afterward in clean water, will drive them off. The best remedy is a
solution of Gishurst's Compound, a kind of soap sold by first-class seedsmen. This will
not only destroy these insects, but most others. The scaly bugs cannot withstand it, and
angleworms will die if it drops upon them. It also acts as a stimulant to plants, and is
not enough known to amateurs in this country.

Red Spider, so called, known by its classic name as Acarus, is an insidious enemy to
plants. It is a minute insect, but capable of producing considerable destruction, as it
feeds on the most delicate parts of the leaves, causing them to soon perish. It is about
the size of the eye of a fine cambric needle. The body is usually red, though sometimes
brown. They congregate on the under sides of the leaves in great numbers, where they
{i;i:(.\ like a herd of cattle on a broad plain.

When a plant is suspected of being infested, or if the leaves perish anil no other cause
is known, a leaf may be turned over on the finger, and held so until the warmth passes
through it, when, if there are any, they will be seen like mere specks of dust beginning
to show powers of locomotion. The fine webs created by this small, insignificant
creature, clog and impair the functions of the foliage, which are really the lungs
of the plant. Dryness of the atmosphere is very favorable to the existence of this
insect, and, as it has a repugnance to water, sprinkling, syringing or pinning wet cloths or
papers around individual plants at night, is the remedy. A very good preventive is to
keep a pan of water on the stove in winter, as it gives off a vapor to the atmosphere. A
little flour of sulphur sprinkled on a heated brick or flat-iron, placed where the fumes can
rise up among the leaves of the plants, is also an excellent remedy.

Mealy Bug. — This is an entirely innocent looking insect, but yet at times exceedingly
troublesome where plants are kept at a high temperature, and is consequently found more
frequently in a hothouse, from whence it is many times transferred to the greenhouse.
It is a small, oval insect about an eighth of an inch in length, with a slightly rounded
back that is covered over with a short, white plush; the body underneath is brownish in
color, and from the sides articulate several tin\- legs. It more often rests at the axils of
the leaves, yet many times underneath them. Where they accumulate to a great extent,
whale-oil soapsuds is eflicacious, or they can be brushed off with a small brush.

We have never had them to any great extent, and our method is to lift them off with
a needle, as bruising them on the plant is said to be injurious on account of the juice that
escapes. The eggs are deposited in little, white, webby knots, and left by the parent on
various parts of the plant. Under the microscope, when torn asunder with two pins or
needles, so as not to crush them, there are revealed several brown eggs — some half a
dozen, or less.

Coccus. — There are several kinds of insects known under tiiis Latin name, that in our
vernacular are called scales, being in color either brown or white. Thej- are a rounded
oval, their encasement being a glossy, tough skin or shell. They adhere closel}' to the
leaves or stem on which they feed, and are not easy to dislodge. As far as our own expe-
rience and observation go, we find the young to be migratory, but probably not for any

339

^1

U} CULTnATIOX AXU AXAl.rsli, Oh PLAXTS. |o

giL-at length of time, as we find tliem fixed wlien quite small, in which condition they
feed and grow. The eggs are hatched under tiie parent, and in lifting a large one with a
needle it is no unusual thing to see the litter of young run ahout in a hurried manner at
tlie unwelcome disturhance.

Washing with strong soapsuds is a remedy for this annoyance. If picked off by hand,
wasliing should not be neglected, as it destroys the young; fumigation will not answer
so well. We reino\e them by running a needle through the crown of the shell,
and washing afterward. The white ones are very partial to Oleanders. They are also
Ibiid of Olives, Camellias, Acacias, Calla Lilies, Oranges and various evergreen trees.

Verbena Mite. — This is a microscopic insect that destroys the plant for which it is
named, as also the Heliotrope and other rough-leaved plants, causing the foliage to turn
brown. It is difficult to dislodge it, as it cares but little for water, fumigations or ordinary
methods. To promote a vigorous, healthy growth of the plant is the best remedy.

Roller Caterpillar. — This insect, perhaps more commonly know-n as the Rose Slug,
is the larvae of a moth, that makes its appearance early in May and laj'S its eggs on the
under side of rose leaves. These hatch out in a few days, producing the small, green
caterpillars, which at once begin to eat the lea\cs on the under side. Toward evening
they creep on the upper side of the leaves, where, if not disturbed, they will eat all night,
and leave the foliage as if it had been burned. With w atclifulncss at the proper time
they are easily got rid of by being carefully picked oil' and killed, and the first lot
disposed of is generally the last of them for the season. Hellebore powder or Paris green
sprinkled on the leaves when they are damp or wet will destroy them; but the safest
thing to dust upon roses is soot from soft coal, for when it washes ofT it acts as a useful
stimulant. In fact, soot mixed with guano, in about equal quantities, and boiling water
poured upon them, make an excellent liquid manure for all kinds of flowers; which, when
diluted in the ratio of one part to three of clean water, may be poured over the heads of
plants, keeping them free from insects and at tlie same time contributing to a healthy
growth. It is not advisable to use poisonous remedies against insects; it is far better for
the plant as well as its care-taker if the latter use only the eye, the hand and the great
natural cleanser, pure water, with an occasional admixture of soap.

Rose Beetle. — This small insect derives its special name from its partiality to rose
leaves, being seldom found on any other plant. It is not very destructive or numerous,
and can be easily disposed of by keeping the plants clean and in good order. Thousands
of Roses are made unsightly <ir destroyed every season b\- insects which a little precau-
tion on the pai-t of the culti\ ators, in the timely application of common remedies, might
readily have prevented.

Tobacco Worm.— This is a worm which attacks other plants besides tobacco, espe
cially creepers, and has a special liking for the Ampelopsis or Virginia Creeper. If not
disturbed it w ill soon make its presence known by eating off the leaves, and even the ten-
der shoots, straight before it. It generally appears in June, and under various colors,
according to what it feeds upon. It grows to a monstrous size, being sometimes from four
to six inches long, with a formidable looking horn; and often shows fight when disturbed.
Being large, there are never very many on one vine; and they are taken ofT one by one
and killed. They are the larv;e_of what is commonly known as the death's-head moth.

340

i

m

m

PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE.

ROOT WORMS.

The enemies to plants are not those alone that are classified as foliage insects which
feed upon stem, leaf and flower, but there are others that infest the soil and burrow among
the roots. These are the most dangerous, as they often remain hidden until the mischief
is done. They can, however, be detected by the watchful cultivator, through certain
symptoms, such as stunted or retarded growth, or continued weakness of the plant without
any apparent cause. A good general precaution is, while raking or sifting the soil, to cast
aside grubs, chrysalides and all traces of insect life.

Angleworm. — This worm, also known as the earth-worm, does far more damage by
the displacing of the earth than from any actual injury. In tunneling through the soil, in
search of iiutriinent, it swallows a portion of it, and this is brought to the surface and forms
what is called a worm-cast. The best way to be rid of these is to turn the ball out on the
hand, and where any are seen, seize them before they have a chance to withdraw, and pull
gently until they come out entire. Another method is to pour some weak lime-water on
the soil, when the worms will rush to the surface, where they can be destroyed. An
application of a teaspoonful of liquid ammonia in a pint of water will also force them out.

Milleped. — This is a small, glossy worm, not infrequently found in leaf-mold, decay-
ing vegetation, and occasionally also upon the collar or crown of a diseased plant. It has
a hardened or shelly covering composed of concentric rings, numerous fringe-like feet
which move in an undulatory manner, and two delicate antennje, and when touched curls
in a ring with the head inward. They are very fond of moisture, and by laying a piece
of damp moss or a folded piece of damp paper or cloth on the soil, they will congregate
under it so that they can be taken off in great numbers. Where there are many in a pot,
they granulate the soil to such an extent that plants cease to thrive. Watering with lime-
water is useful in destroying them, but a little soot mixed in the soil is still more effective.

Cut-worm. — This is a black-gray slug which generally feeds on soft, young plants in
early spring, and cuts them off about the collar, just beneath the surface of the ground.
There is no remedy for this slug but to catch and kill it. To guard a plant from its
approach, pieces of coarse cardboard, or of tin, bent into a cylinder, and embedded aliout
an inch in the soil, encircling the stem of the plant, constitutes a serviceable protection.
Another good way is to trap them under sods of grass turned downward; they delight to
creep under such covers, where they may be picked up every other day or so, and killed.
The cut-worm is the larvre of a fly not unlike the mosquito in shape, but with a body
about an inch in length, and having long, awkward looking legs. The females have
thicker bodies than the males, and should be destroyed on sight. This pest is so numerous
some years that it destroys whole acres of herbaceous plants. Once on the coast of Gal-
way, in Ireland, the trees and shrubs in an area of many square miles dropped their leaves
through its having eaten all the young roots; but the law of nature's compensations was
made manifest in the increased prosperity of hogs and chickens.

Wire-worm. — This is a reptile mostly met with near sloughs or damp places. It
lives upon the roots of plants, more especially of Wallflowers and Stocks, and is easily
driven out of pots or from the roots by applying a weak dilution of aqua ammojiia: — say
a tablcspoonful to a gallon of water — or by a slight admixture of soot in the soil.

34'

^

jC^r^

CULTIVATION AXP AXM.TSIS. OF Pf.AXTS.

V^^%K ^ISE^S^ES OF <PLJLKrTS.

, ,ISEASE seldom takes hold of plants while surrounded by such

';>»*•■ ■ " ' • ■ • ....

'1^ Mich as deterioration of soil, overpowering by dust and dirt, overcrowd-

T^:

ing, and the like. The leaves, being the lungs of the plants, must be
sedulously guarded from becoming clogged with dust, deranged by
insects, or scorched by exceeding heat, all which are prolific sources of disease.
Everything about the roots and rootlets should be sweet — that is, free from
offensive odors — and composed of substances that are easily dissolved by rain or
water; for the rootlets, being the mouths, will refuse unwholesome food, and the
plant will soon sicken.
Mildew. — This is a fine, minute, white, fungus growth, not peculiar to plants, but
affecting them as well as other things where the conditions are favorable. It generally
arises in plants where an unequal temperature or distribution of moisture prevails in the
different parts, as when any one portion is too dry, too wet or too cold. It is most easily
removed by applying through a common pepper-box a very light dusting of flour of
sulphur on the parts affected, and prevented by maintaining equal conditions in the various
parts of the plant.

Blackrust.— This is a black, moist, fungus growth that is produced mostly by exces-
sive moisture and the absence of the necessary amount of warmth. The remedy is the
same as for mildew, with the addition of securing greater heat.

Damping Off. — This disease is mostly caused by want of air, changes of temperature,
or excessive moisture; and therefore most frequently occurs among plants, cuttings and
seedlings that are overcrowded. A little powdered, dry charcoal, or dry sand, sprinkled
in among the plants, will help to keep it down, when the diseased ones should be care-
fully remo\x-<l; and, if still too crowded, even healthy ones must be sacrificed.

PRACTICAL PRECEPTS.

1 . Syiinge the leaves of plants, unless in extremely cold weather, at least once a day,
with water at the temperature of the place where they are growing; when syringing or
sprinkling in the hot sun, the plant should be shaded, otherwise the leaves will become
spotted.

2. Give jilants fresh air by letting down the windows when the outside tempera-
ture is sufficiently high; at other times hy opening the doors into other rooms.

S. Shield the rootlets of plants from a too close contact with the rays of the sun; as
by encircling the pot in a larger one, or by protecting the box with a detached board or
sheet of paper at some little distance, to intercept the direct heat.

4-. Protect all plants from extreme changes of temperature, from drafts and puffs
of col.l air.

5. Remember to give plants their needed season of rest after they ha\-e finished
flowering, by w ithdrawing them, with the exception of a few creepers and the like, into
the shade and witiiholding tiie wonted sup])lv of water.

34^

^c^^

/'A'. I CTICAI. FI. ORIC I 'L TL RE.

6. Relieve plants b}- cutting off all dead flowers, leaves and branches; this will serve
to lengthen the season of bloom; but care should be taken not to allow the refuse to
accumulate on or around the pots or beds. Keep plants that tend to a straggling or spin-
dling growth, shapely and compact by cutting off all weak and misplaced shoots.

7. Relieve plants from insects as soon as detected; do not wait till tomorrow, for liy
tomorrow you may have no plant worth speaking of. To keep your collection free,
examine and, if necessary, purify all new acquisitions.

8. Keep a few cups of water among house plants, to evaporate; where saucers filled
with water are used for certain plants, these cups are unnecessary.

9. Where a plant is grown with a saucer of water underneath, raise the pot above
the water by little wooden blocks or stones.

10. Keep the soil sweet by occasionally letting it go a little dry, oi stirring it up
gently with a fork ; a table fork will do for house plants.

11. Never throw awa}' soot; mix it in the soil, which it will help to fertilize, while
it is very effective in driving away insects; it will also heighten and heautily the color
of all red and blue flowers.

12. Never waste soapsuds; it can be applied with adxantage to all kinds of grow-
ing shrubs and plants. Even in winter it can be utilized by being pourctl upon a manure
or compost heap, or where plants are to grow the ensuing season.

13. Use moss freely as a topping for the soil in pots and boxes; if put on neatly it is
ornamental, besides being useful in retaining moisture and protecting the upper rootlets
until the leafage is sufficiently developed to discharge that function. Sponges may be
placed among plants and watered for the like purpose of maintaining moisture, being also
susceptible of ornamentation by sowing in them the common garden cress or canary grass.

14. Mix well all soils for plants; making of the several ingredients one homogeneous
mass, carefully throwing out all the lumps, half-rotted bits of wood, and other refuse.

15. Protect plants against heavy drippings from houses, trees, and the like; none
will thrive under such an infliction.

16. To insure a pleasing succession of flowers in plants of the same species, select
different varieties, or set those of the same variety at different times; indeed, nature
will, unaided, secure a partial continuity, as scarcely any two will bloom at the same time.

17. Throughout the flowering season, apply alternately plenty of water and weak
liquid manure to all bulbous and free-blooming plants. Where plants grow too fast, the
temperature should be reduced.

18. In watering house plants some discretion should be used to save carpets from the
drippings; several ingenious contrivances have been devised, and they arc purchasable at
seedstores; but most persons can extemporize their own.

19. Do not cut off the withering leaves of bulbous plants, but let them die or decay
naturally and fall off in due season, as while the leaves decline the saj? goes back into the
bulb, replenishing its store of strength for the ensuing season.

20. Steep new pots to close the pores, but allow them to drain ofl" licfore using;
thoroughly wash old ones, and scald them to kill fungus.

21. In raising plants, sow the seeds unsparingly; it is easy to weed out the poor and
weakly seedlings, leaxing of the strongest as many as may be desired for \igorous growth.

343 _

^ ^^i

CULTIVATION AND ANALYSIS OF PLANTS. t J

If it is preferred to use home-raised seed, always select from the best-shaped and prettiest-
marked flowers, designating them while yet in bloom by a system of letters or other
marks, which will indicate their character and color, written upon proper labels.

22. Accustom plants to plenty of air before permanently removing them out of doors;
or, when taken out, temporarily protect them from cold spells by frames or otherwise.

23. Do not pull up slips or cuttings to ascertain if they have rooted; this fact may be
learned without prejudice to the rooting process, by probing at their sides; and, ordinarily,
by noticing the character of the leaves — vigorous or otherwise — they shoot upward.

24. Do not paint the receptacles or. surroundings of plants a green color, as it makes
the foliage look pale by contrast; and, being themselves green, any other color whatever
will pi'oduce a better effect; dial), kiiKui, slate or white forms a good contrast.

25. Before using tobacco- water t<> (k^troy insects on plants, ascertain its strength by
experiment on a single leaf; if too strong; it will discolor the leaves and hurt the plant.

26. Put small plants in small pots, transplanting to larger ones as they increase in
size; too much room gives too much moisture, and thereby retards the healthy action of
the rootlets, which naturally seek the outside of the ball of earth to get air.

27. Turn window plants around to the light once or twice each day; otherwise thev
will grow one-sided.

28. Utilize tulip-beds and the like, after the plants have finished flowering for the
season, by sowing therein the seeds of annuals, or transplanting thither some bedding-out
plants, as Verbenas and others.

29. On the approach of a frosty night, prolong the freshness of window plants by
drawing them away from the window, or interposing some shield between them and it.

30. To protect outdoor plants and lengthen their period of blooming, on the approach
of frost use heavy coverings, as old carpets, quilts, or good, stout wrapping papers.

31. Use common clay pots for immediate contact with plants; if the glazed kinds are
desired for ornamental purposes, they should be procured large enough to admit placing
the common kinds within them.

32. Wash salt-water sand free of salt before using it around plants.

33. Keep plant soil as nearly level as possible, to insure uniformity in watering and
in applying liquid manure; the practice of piling up the soil around the stems is both
injurious and unsightly in house plants.

34. If plants need support, set the stakes firm in the soil, burning the ends slightly
where there is danger of sprouting.

35. To ripen the wood of plants, place them, after the season of flowering, on beds
of coal ashes, as a protection against worms.

36. In taking up plants in the fall, cut around the plant so as to mark out a ball a
little smaller than the intended receptacle. This should be done with a sharp knife or
spade, without reference to the rootlets that may be cut away. Thus circumscribed, it
should be allowed to remain a week or ten days before removing, keeping the ball wet
meantime, and be then transferred on something broad enough to sustain the whole ball.

37. Do not take up plants from the open ground too late in the fall for winter grow-
ing; it is better to sacrifice two or three weeks of their beauty in their old location outside
tiiau to h:i\e miserable looking plants inalf tlie winter indoors.

r._^ 344 _cftJ]

PNACJ7C AL FLORfCCL TVRE.

38. Give fresh air freely to plants newly brought into the house, opening windows
and doors in pleasant weather for the first four or five days; the change is great to them.

1 if they are neglected in this respect their leaves will turn yellow and die.

39. Remember that liquid manure is to be applied only when plants are growing:
and that it is safest to administer it weak and often.

40. Buy plants always from neighbors or well known growers: for the first are near
o remonstrate with and receive explanations from if anything is wrong; wliile tiie
atter will, through care for their own reputation, if for no liigher reason, be likely to tlo

you justice.

41. Do not waste time and mone}- on poor plants or cheap seeds; good ones will
iccupy no more room, and \\\\\ gi\e much more satisfaction.

42. In house plants, pot the cuttings, slips or shoots, before the roots have grown too
;irge; even a single root, half an inch or an inch in length, will be sufficient to insure
uccess.

43. If in doubt about the treatment of a plant, study its nature, habits, and wants, as
[escribed elsewhere.

44. In cultivating plants, be mindful of the old adage, "a stitch in time saves nine";
and be assured that continual watchfulness is the price of the highest success.

" What landscapes I read in the primrose's looks,
And what pictures of pebbled and minnow v brooks,

In the vetches that tangled the shore !
Earth's cultureless buds, to my heart ye were dear,
Ere the fever of passions, or ague of fear,

H.id scathed my existence's bloom ;
Once I welcome you more, in life's passionless stage,
With the visions of youth to re-visit my age,

And I wish you to grow on my tomb."

li

^^-

345

(Jultupp of ?fltiorih "JPIanh*

ELONGING to the Mallow family, the Abutilons
are frequently called Strawberry-bells because of a
resemblance between the flowers of some of the earlier
\ari(.ties and the common strawberries. They are also
scimctimes called Flowering Maples, from a similarity
m the shape of the leaves to those of the Maple. The
leaves arc wonderfully varied in color and markings,
eing of a bright golden yellow in some varieties, and
■ JTitc mixed with yellow in others, while some few
re beautifully ornamented b}- green, white or yellow
lotches, constituting a sort of picturesque vegetable
mosaic. The A. Thompsonii, so called after the great
X^ English collector of that name, who introduced the
iriety from Japan, retain their bright colors and well-
hottest weather. The}' are especially adapted to oiu'
Southtin St Ucs, whtiL tht\ itt un immense proportions, growing from ten to fifteen feet
high and spieadmg lateialU to a corresponding extent. They are also not inappropriate
to noithein cultuie, thiough then accommodating habit, as they may be kept in an ordi-
nary cellar over winter, with occasional waterings to prevent the soil from becoming
entirely dry. The stems are slender, and those of the smaller ones can be trained to form
a pretty window-screen, or to assume an umbrella-like or other fancy shape to suit the
taste of the cultivator. Thev should be gro\\ n in a lich, sandy soil; and, as has been inti-
mated, they will thrive in or out of doors, though all will be the better for a partial
shading when planted outside. This can be the most easily secured by setting them to
the north of a fence, an evergreen or a shrub somewhat higher than themselves. The}'
make an abundance of small roots near the stem, and, being what gardeners term gross
feeders, they should have plenty of liquid manure during their season of growth and
bloom. Ther flower freely during the winter and spring months in about sixty degrees
of heat, and some varieties continue to flower all summer when properly cared for. In
removing Abutilons indoors on the approach of winter, from the beds or borders where
they have been resting, it is best to anticipate a little, that they may have time to make a
few rootlets in their new abode before the cold weather is fairly upon them.

34'5

■^^

^'

"^

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLAXTS.

HAFF-FLOWER is^the significance of this name, wliich is derived
tVom the Greek, and has been given to this phuit because of tiie
chaft'-like appearance of its blossoms. The plant is one of the most
attractive of the well known Amaranth family, and is beginning to
be perhaps better known as the Iresine. Under whatever name, it is
in all its varieties a very pretty, desirable and easily cultivated garden
)use plant. The beauty of its varied foliage will enhance the attractiveness
le best collection. It will grow in any common garden soil, in an atmos-
phere ranging from fifty to seventy-five degrees, the latter grade being abso-
lutely necessary for a rapid growth. A few of the bright-colored varieties, as
the A. Lindenii, with its long, pointed leaves, are always conspicuous among a
collection of window-plants, the bright red foliage contrasting admirably with
the surroundings, and producing almost the effect of flowers among the green leaves of
the other plants. The varieties known as Gilsonii and Aureus Reticulatus have rounded
leaves, the latter being also conspicuous for their gold and crimson web-like markings;
while the former are generally an intense crimson, but with weakening shades down to a
salmon color. They form an effective ornament when introduced among Rose Geraniums
or other like green foliage plants; and can be planted so as to assume any shape to suit
the taste of the cultivator, as a circle around other plants, a cross or heart in the midst of
others, and the like. They can be easily kept from straggling by pinching back with the
finger and thumb, and thus maintained for a whole season in the shape it was originally
designed they should present. For winter plants, a few cuttings should be taken in Julv,
and put aside in a shady place, either in sand or common soil, where, if well watered, tiiey
will strike root in from ten days to two weeks, when thev can be potted for use. These
new plants will prove far superior to the old ones.

among the Liliaceous plants, to which order it belongs, is more
^^^-\ picturesquely beautiful, perhaps, than this pretty azure-blossomed
flower. The name signifies, in the original Greek, a love-flower,
j5^ and the plant is sometimes called in our vernacular the African blue
ly. It is a very ornamental plant for the parlor, the outdoor
pedestal or tree-stump, and, indeed, will show itself to advantage
anywhere. Its long, graceful leaves, curving to either side of the bulb, make
it attractive even when not in bloom. From among the leaves it shoots upward,
to a height of from eighteen inches to three feet, one or two stout flower-
stalks, which are crowned with a mass of azure flowers, springing from and
surrounding a common center like an umbrella, whence the epithet umbellatus.
The bulbs are among the class known as Cape bulbs, because originally introduced from
the Cape of Good Hope. They require a liberal allowance of pot room, as tiiey send

iS^

m^ ^m,

|>|^ Cl-LriVATIOX AXD AXALTSIS OF PLANTS. jT T

out very large rootlets, which will sometimes hrcak a pot if not removed in time to a
larger one. They grow well in a good, sandy loam, which should be well packed in
among the rootlets. It is sometimes of advantage in transplanting to give them an
entirely new soil, care being taken not to hurt the live roots, and dead ones being cut
out with ;i sharp knife or scissors. The Agapanthus is among the few plants that grow
niinx- \ ahiaMe with age. Even the leaves can be kept green, if desired, from year to year
without apparent detriment; one or two will perhaps fall off in a season, but these will
be replaced liy others. It is slovs^ to evince any sign of disease, and should therefore be
all the more carefully tended. Its enemies are most frequently the scales, and occasionally
the mealy bugs. The season of blooming varies from spring to fall in different plants,
mainly according to ti-eatment, and not infrequently they will flower twice in the same
season. After flowering they should be given a season of rest by being supplied with
less water for one or two months, whereupon they will perhaps again show signs of new
growth, when they should receive a more liberal allowance of water. While blooming,
thev require a free use of liquid manure. Being natives of a warm climate, they delight
in a moderate heat, and will not thri\c at a lower range than fifty-five degrees.

■m

^ L TER NA JsTTHERJl S.

^->, NDER this name, formed probably from the changing haliit of
A the lea\ es m respect to color, is introduced a pretty, low-growing
- 1 oi dwaifish plant of the Amaranth family. It delights in a rich,
s ukU soil and in an abundance of water, when freely growing in a
waun .itmospheiL, in or out of doors. Under the sun's heat, the leaves
assume m succession many different colors, as green, brown, pink, car-
mine, orange, and yellow, frequently rivaling the various shades of our
forest leaves in autumn, or the beauties of the rainbow, whence it is sometimes
called Rainbow Plant. Being small and easily kept under control with the
kuife, scissors, or even the fingers, they are much used for number, name or
phrase work in fancy parterres; and the outline of such words, phrases or
numbers can be easily maintained through an entire season by clipping, as the)'
not only arc not injured thereby, but receive the added advantage of a more compact
growth. They will endure a greater degree of heat than almost any other plant, and
their colors become deeper and more beautiful in the full glare of the sunlight. Though
but of recent introduction, they have already sported into many handsome varieties. Of
these the best known are: A. tricolor, which derives its distinctive appellation from the
three most frequently-recurring colors, a rose ground with yellow bands and purple
veins. A. magnifica, because larger, stronger, and more magnificent in every respect,
including color. A. spatulata, from the spatulatc, that is, obovate, oblong, or battledore-
like form of the leaves, which are commonly a bright crimson and green. A. grandis,
among the most recent varieties, is so called because of its still stronger habit of growth,
and superior effectiveness in combination, the leaves being bronze with rich magenta tips.

^^="

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

-^m^

'^^^

JLMAR YLLIS.

s, through all its various spuci

"^IIE Ainai)llis, through all its various species, produces the most brilliant
'C^rs flow Lis, blooming generally in the winter and early spring. This
^•4i^ I mill \ ot plants has been much divided of late years, and the many

J know 11 to the masses under the above name have other appellatives
^ IS well They delight in a rich soil made up in about equal parts
/T of well lotted manure (sweetened by exposure to the air), leaf-mold
oi spent hops and good loam, with a slight admixture of sand. To
icsl and iipcn the bulbs for future use, after the flowering season, the pots are
embedded in the soil in the open air until the approach of winter, when they
should be taken where they are to grow and bloom. Our own experience is
practical, so we will give it. We purchased five bulbs, two with persistent
foliage, and three that would keep it only a part of the year. These last we
planted in pots, having the promise that they would bloom that summer; but they only
grew leaves, and filled their pots with thick, white roots as large as a pen-holder. In due
time they lost their leaves and went to sleep, and we intended keeping them dry, as directed.
By some means, two got enough moisture to retain their long roots, and they bloomed the'
following spring; the third spent its strength in forming roots again. Of course, under
proper circumstances, they should blossom every year. Abundance of water and occa-
sional applications of manure-water are required during the season of leafage. They
should be set in not less than seven-inch pots, with about half the bulb bedded in the soil.

^tlSTE R.

m their course the spring and summer flowers have passed

the months come on that ripen the fruits and finish the

find ourselves dependent ujoon such flowers as the

^. -. -.^ Chrysanthemums for the beauty of our flower-beds, the

fiist named furnishing an almost infinite variety, both in shades of color
and st} les of flower. Some of the dwarf kinds appear like a gathered
bouquet, so closely are the flowers crowded together. Whatever the style of
flower, the\ all require the same treatment. The seeds should be started in a
bed or box prepared for the purpose, and from there transplanted to where
they are to bloom, before they begin to grow or start their flow-er-stalks. They
can be placed a foot apart, in rows, if it is desired, or set singly for specimen
plants. Water should be su]5plied them until well established, and in August a
dressing of manure, w-ith occasional supplies of manure-water. This treatment will give
an increase of flowers, as well as improve their quality. Any favorite may be potted
before frost, to finish its bloom in the house. In saving seeds, the outside rows would be
the best developed and ripest. A friend who is eminently successful in Aster culture pulls
the plants from which seeds are desired before frost, and hangs them up by the roots, so
that the sap will go into the ripening seeds as they <lry.

349

^^^-

I LTIVATIOX AXD .WALTSIS OF PLANTS.

jdZJLljEA.

\.RLL\ cultivated as window plants, the Azaleas are in great
(km ind tor exhibition purposes, and for cut flowers in winter and
spiin_. There is, however, no reason why they may not, with
i(. is(in dile attention, be successfully cultivated as house plants. The
soil fell \ ery young plants should be nearly all peat, or leaf-mold,
vvheie peat cannot be procured; but for older ones, three parts peat
nid one part each of loam, leaf-mold and sand. The time for repotting is
ifter the blooming season, except the plants are large and have appropriate
^izcd tubs or boxes, when they will not need it for several years, requiring only
lat the soil be enriched with liquid manures. The plant belongs to the heath
family, and, like most of that tribe, have roots somewhat resembling the fern,
which should never be allowed to become entirely dry, care being taken not to go to the
other extreme and drench it so that the soil would sour and the roots decay. The
average temperature required is between fifty and sixty degrees, and plenty of air, pro-
vided it be not under that temperature, should be always admitted. They bloom from
February to May, and the larger ones produce hundreds of flowers, at once delighting the
beholder with the munificence as well as the magnificence of their adornment. The
flowers of some varieties are white, while others run through all the various shades of red,
from rose to bright carmine, often beautifully marked, like the carnation.

OWEVER much these plants are valued, they seldom receive the
attention which they deserve. It is true that the miserable manner
in which they are many times sown and left to take care of them-
selves may partly account for this, for under such circumstances they
are far from attractive, as the flowers are apt to partake of the quality of
the plants. Rightly grown, howexer, they form most magnificent speci-
mens for garden or conservatory decoration. For early plants the seeds
should be sown in a hotbed. As soon as they develop two leaves besides the
two thick seed-leaves, they should be removed into pots or boxes, and these
be plunged again in the bed. During growth they should be allowed plenty
of air, and ample room for their branches to extend; and by supplying a richly-
manured soil they mav be made to grow to a great size.
The Balsam delights in a moist, well-manured situation, and is among the handsomest
annuals cultivatied. The plants should frequently have waterings of manure-water; and,
as their stalks are succulent, they should never be allowed to suffer from drouth. While
most plants suffer from intense heat, these seem to clothe themselves with greater beauty
in the very height of summer. When the main or central stem is of sufficient height,
the pinching out of the tip has a tendency to increase the side branches.

OJ'-

•c^I^S-

CULTURE UF FAIOJ^JJE PLAXT:

=^.

Ill the garden they should be set about a foot and a half apart, with the same care for
their nourishment as in the conservatory, stakes being supplied them to prevent their
being overturned by the wind. The flowers are rich in quality and in colors, being cither
plain, spotted, splashed or streaked, and in tiie double \:iricties they fully equal the
Camellia. For bouquets and decorative purposes tine thread-wire is drawn through them
in the same manner as for the Camellia, and the ends brought together, thus leaving the
flower in a loop, and forming a manageable stem. A little damp moss or cotton-batting
being then placed at the base of the blossoms, keeps them fresh for some time. The
flowers of this plant occasionally' bloom douhle witiiout tile aid of the cultivator.

\.IXLY cultivated in the hothouse until a comparatively recent
period. Begonias are now kept principally in the greenhouse,
except when it is wished to stimulate them to an extraordinary
„io\\th, for which purpose the hot, steamy air of the formei-'is more
^ JO suit ible. Of the Begonias there are several kinds, differing in both
^-.^i^jlcat and flower. The. first and jji-obably most cultivated are those
populnU known as the Elephant's Ear, with large leaves, oblique and rounded
It the b ISC, and sharply pointed at the apex, with the upper lobe, or half, much
. dL\ eloped than the lower. They are richly colored, being changeable in
C tints fiom bioiize to green, with large silver bands in some, and irregular spots
in otheis, the underside being of a reddish-purple tint. The upright or bushy
\ lULtiLs hue tianspncnt stems, many of them with glossy, irregular, waxy leaves, while
the flow CIS lie ot \ irious colors, from white to bright carmine. The broad-leaved kind
snouia De watered ireeiy during summer; the other species when in bloom, and at other
times just sufliciently to keep them in fiiir condition. There are also some with tuberous
roots, which can be laid away during their season of rest, in any place that is free from
frost, the roots only being sparingly moistened. Begonias should be onlj- sprayed, that
is, lightly syringed, as the water bears the leaves down to such an extent that they do not
spring upright as readily as other plants. The soil used is one part peat, one of loam, and
one of decomposed manure. The large ones are easily propagated from the leaves, thus:
Take a leaf, cut the stem oflf rather close, lay it on a surface of wet sand in a pot or box
that can be covered with glass; pin the leaf down with broom splints, then with a knife
cut across the large veins in numerous places, and at each cutting roots will start, from
which young plants will spring. These should be potted as soon as the leaves get to be
from half an inch loan inch long. Many of these plants accommodate themselves readily
to the fimily sitting-room, only they must lie kept free from' frost. We have some of the
large-leaved ones that iiave for several years hung just back from the windows, where
they get about an hour of sunshine daily, and this in a small, ordinary parlor, requiring no
great care except hanging farther in on extra-cold nights, the ordinary watering daily, or
less frequently in winter, and dusting the leaves with a small feather-duster.

m

*<£§:
^

CULTIVATION AND ANALTSIS OF PLANTS.

^J^^y%

rS o u ^^Jl r n jjl

IRST biought to notice about a century ago, being introduced from
Mexico, it was named in honor of Dr. Bouvard, director of the Jardiu
dcs Plaiitcs, at Paris; and is one of the most attractive of the Madders,
-^ freely blooming through the winter. The flowers appear in trusess on
, j-_, J""^? each new shoot, and are of various colors, from a bright carmine through
^~" jT all the shades of red to almost a pure white. They are waxy in texture
^^ and of a compact growth, forming a very striking bunch of flowers not
unlike the cluster of the Lilac; and for purposes of floral decoration they are
general favorites. A rich loam, with a slight admixture of sand, forms the
best soil for their cultivation ; and the}- are best grown outdoors in summer, where
they will bloom through- August and September. They can be made shapelj'
shrubs by careful pruning of all straggling shoots. They are very desirable
indoor plants for winter blooming, and should not be allowed to catch the slightest nip of
the early frost, but be removed in season, as they cannot thrive in an atmosphere that
falls under fifty degrees. Even when not vitally injured, they are slow to recover from
the effects of cold; and, though more easily hurt by too much than too little water, the
soil must not be permitted to become "dust-dry." The Bouvardias are seldom propagated
from regular shoots or cuttings, but mainly from pieces of the roots laid horizontally in
sand, and covered to the depth of about an inch. These require a uniform heat of from
seventy to seventy-five degrees in the bed or box where they are set; and sometimes will
not show growth for four or five weeks, but must not on that account be disturbed.

7^'^/7^\l "^REAT arid plains and rocky, infertile wastes, where other vegeta-

^^ I ll.^j^'^ J t ition is sparse and water scarce, are the

I ) ( ■■ s peculiar plants. The curious and varied i

^— AV\^ ^_^ imazes us at first, and finally fascinates us, i

I

the native homes of these
manner of their growth
making the charm com-
j »J^ plete when we behold the superb blossoms of some of the species.
The\ are divided into several classes, according to their manner of
uiowth, man\ of them being foreign plants. Of the Cereus there are sev-
eial kmds, among which the Cereus flagelliformis, or Whip Cactus, and the
Leieus giandifloius, or Night-blooming Cactus, are the best representatives.
The fiist glows in long, branching stems, having ten angles, and needs support
to keep it upiight. The flowers are of a ruddy pink, lasting for several days.
The latter has stems of only five angles, and at night produces its flowers, which
; before the morning. They are very large, varying from seven to twelve inches in
diameter, the petals being white, and the calyx yellow within and brown without. The
genus Opuntia, of which the Prickly Pear is a specimen, are hardy plants, with yellow
flowers, indigenous on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan. The genus Echinocactus

CVI.TVUE OF FAVORITE PI.AXTS

^^1

^i

have many deep angles, with curious swellings with each set of spines; the Epiphyllums
have flat leaves without spines, producing flowers at their margins; Melocactus is the
genus familiarly called Turk's Cap; and the Mamillarias are distinguished by their
numerous tubercles or small, rounded projections.

All the Cactaceae will grow in any soil where there is no stagnant moisture nor actual
frost, but for the best results they should have a soil composed of loam, leaf-mold and sand,
with abundant drainage. A group of any of these plants forms a very attractive object
in a window. They are very free from insects, causing little or no anxiety in that
resjject, though some beetles will feed upon the young tips. Like all succulents, they
need comparatively little water; if shriveled, however, the roots and enveloping earth
should be soaked in a pail of water for two or three hours. While growing, they need
water about three times a week, and every day if in very small pots. Slips may be
taken from the parent plant, and inserted about an inch deep in comparatively dry
sand. Some genera, as the Echinocactus, Melocactus and Mamillaria, are also propa-
gated from the tubercles or ofl^shoots, and from seeds.

The Staphelias are Cactus-like plants that require the same treatment. Young plants
are potted about once a year; large ones, when in good sized pots, only once in three or
four years. These plants are all fond of heat and a dry atmosphere.

^^t-^^Si—i,.;-.— ^^IjS NOWN to florists and many amateur culturists as a suborder of

\ I \iJ^ '^^ '^''"- handsome-leaved Arum family of plants, the Caladium is

J;y I Pv?'^"^ Itself subdivided into almost innumerable species and varieties. Of

thc-t perhaps the most conspicuous are the C. esculentum and the C.

odoiatum, both of which are cultivated mainly for the size and beauty

ot the leaves. These often measure, under fair cultivation, thirty-six

niches in length by twent\--four in breadth. Both of these species pre-

majestic appearance scattered singly through a lawn, on the bank of a

et oi pond, or collected in groups at con\enient distances, their shield-like

es making them a somewhat conspicuous ornartignt among other foliage.

Tliev delight in abundance of water, and grow best where it is close at hand;

but if planted on higher grounds the roots should be thoroughly drenched with

water at least once a day in warm weather; they can hardly have too much. A depth of

eighteen to twenty-four inches of good, rich soil must underlie them.

The approach of frost should be anticipated in preserving these plants for future growth,
as they are very sensitive to cold. Leaves, stems and roots should not be plucked ofl!", but
sliould be allowed to dry back to the tuber, which can be then kept in a warm place, em-
bedded in sand, until needed for the next season. Smaller specimens can be kept growing
through the winter, as parlor plants, by giving them plenty of water and warmth. In
spring they should get a start for two or three weeks indoors before being put out, as
^ they thrive much better afterward for that preliminary indulgence. The roots of the

fc. '- '^

CVLTIVATIOX AXD AXALTSIS OF PLAXTS.

small, fancy ones should lu- kept in their pots and have just a little moisture, else the tuhers
are apt to perish from "dry rot"- and be entirely lost. The smaller \arieties are among
the prettiest marked foliage plants at our command, and are almost innumerable. Many
of them are so difficult to cultivate that few people can grow them successfully unless
under specially fevorable circumstances. There are, however, two or three pretty varie-
ties that will succeed well as common house planl>, aiul they can he pointed out by most
florists.

VTEN used as a pretty natural ornament for the hair of some stately
queen of society or less pretentious belle, the Camellia has been very
generally admired for the rich, waxy appearance of its charming,
rose-like flowers. It is not \ery general in house cultivation, as the
idea seems to prevail that it is difficult for it to accommodate itself to
the circumstances surrounding other house plants. True, it does not
thrive in a dry atmosphere, as there its thick, green leaves are liable to the
attack of insects, but a little watchfulness would keep these away. It does not
require a high temperature, the average running from fifty to sixty degrees,
the lowest being at night. The best soil to use is good loam or peat. All
coarse manures are obnoxious to it. The plants are sometimes repotted just
before the young growth begins — say in February or Alarch; though the best time is
immediately after the flowering season. The buds of the Camellia are apt to be so
crowded that some must fall to make room for others to bloom ; and, as the stems are so
short as to endanger the cluster if it should be attempted to pinch out the superfluous ones
with the finger, a good method is to take a sharp knife or pair of scissors and clip off" the
upper half of the buds to be removed, or otherwise wound them, leaving the remaining
half-buds, which become sickly from the wound, and drop of their own accord. Growers
of large flowers only leave one or two to the branch. When in the bud they must not
suffer either from too much or too little water, as buds drop from both causes; deprivation
of water for two hours after it is due, or making the soil soaking wet, is equally disastrous
to the buds, and of coin'se cuts off all hope of flowers. The leaves and branches should
be frequently sponged or washed, but syringing is not recommended, as the foliage easily
becomes spotted; the soil and roots should be watered regularly once a day while the
lea^•es and buds are forming; and a little more water is needed when the buds are opening
into flowers. They require light, but should not be exposed to the direct rays of the sun,
as in their native woods they enjoy a natural shade through the surrounding trees. They
should be removed indoors early, as the slightest frost will nip the buds. After they have
flowered all winter they should be moved out in spring to some shady nook where the
strong sunlight will not strike them; a few hours of the morning sun, however, will not
prove injurious. From the seeds they bloom in three years. These plants can be also
budded, grafted and inarched with different varieties in the same manner as other shrubs.

354 ^^,

Ih

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

%

C Jlj^JsTJ..

ANDSCAPES famous for "orgeous beauty have always abounded
in India, and of these there are but few in which the Canna (on this
account called Indica) does not form an indispensable contributor to
the loveliness of the prospect. This has become so universal a favorite,
that it is cultivated in all civilized countries; and helps to give a
semi-tropical appearance to many northern conservatories and gardens.
As ornaments for the parlor they are also very fine, and may be kept in good
condition the year round by proper care and attention. The genus belongs to
the Arrowroot family, but is not cultivated in this country for any nutritious
properties, the beauty of the foliage and the flowers having engrossed the whole
attention of cultivators. It might, however, be made a valuable food product.
Of late 3ears florists have produced a large number of new varieties, all of them pretty
and desirable. To grow Cannas large, they should have plenty of room in a good, rich,
deep soil, a loose, sandy loam being the ver^- best for the purpose. Soapsuds or other
liquid manure applied freely, say twice a week during warm weather, will be very accept-
able to the plants and reward the care-taker with a greater wealth of leaf and flower.
Those not wanted indoors for winter decoration can be lifted, with as much soil around
the roots as possible, and allowed to dry in that condition; when the drying process is
completed the tubers can bestowed awaj' in anv frost-free receptacle; the}' will bear a
considerable degree of cold, but contact with actual frost is ruinous. For winter decora-
tion it is best to use one or two side shoots of the old tuber, as they are just about to
sprout; they should be taken off in August and placed in a four-inch pot, changing them
to larger ones as they need more room. These plants grow from one to twelve or fifteen
feet in height, and vary in colors of foliage from the lightest shade of green to a very
dark bronze. The flowers are also of a great variety of shades.

CA. R J^A. TIO N-.

LL through the ages much attention must have been paid to this
plant, or at least to the family to which it belongs, as we find that the
Pink, the primitive source of countless varieties, was known to the
Ancient Greeks as Dianthus, or Flower of Jove. And to this day the
varieties have been incessantly multiplied, the plant being eas}' of culture
and thriving in almost any fertile soil. The flowers are an acquisition to
bouquet makers, not only on account of their beauty, but for their clove-like or
spicy odor. They can be propagated from the seeds, but such are more uncertain in
quality of flower than those propagated from an old plant. Cuttings or slips can be
taken freel}- from the old plants, and should be cut at the joint so as in breaking
to leave a lounded end, or else be severed just below the joint. The slips should be
' set in a crock, near the edge, as close together as desired, the sand being well pressed to
.4^ 355

Cl'LTDATIOX AXD AXALTSfS OF PLAXTS.

cause slow evaporation, ;ind tliL- pot being covered with a glass while striking root. The
layering process mav also be iisL-d. The mode of procedure is to select strong, low-grow-
ing shoots around the plant, cut oft" the lower ka\cs and diminish the length of the upper
ones, and then with a siiarp knife make a clean, ^lanting cut t>n the lower side of the stem,
penetrating about half through it, terminating it near the next joint above the edge of
Tlie earth is 'then loosened an inch or so deep, and the layer pegged down,
ng slightly tilted to keep the wound open, and covered with fresh soil well
n. In this way tiic old plant feeds her nurslings through the half-dissevered
le slips take mot. The Remontants, or Monthly Carnations, are much culti-
vated as house plants, their frequent Howering making them verv popular, although the
"monthly" blooms are confined to tropical and subtropical climes, and the summer
months in otiier latitudes. The best kinds are imported from Germany and Italy, wheie
their ciilti\ ation has been made a sijccial industr\- for twt) or three hundred vears.

the blade,
the en<l be
pressed do^
bark until t

-^A

roLj^jus.

R\ ku plints hid
1^ impio\ Lmcnts uul

effectually
cperiments

?scape(t

.f hybridiz-
so Ion" the

the mai

<l(.li_ht (it the hunibk cottagers of Great Britain un(kr the familiar
n UUL ol I iLUch Settle. It, however, fell under tile observation of
th It pi nice ot expeiimenters, Vcrschaffelt, of Paris, who gave the
iiist niipctus to the pioduction of varieties, which have since been
multiphtd indefinitely by many others. It has now become indis-
to lait^L and sniidl collections, being a universal favorite with rich aiui
The slight blotch of bionze that ornamented the original nettle-like
the simple Coleus has been made to assume, under the skillful manipu-
ot the scientific hybiidizers, ncarh all the shades of the three primitive
colors, red, blue and yellow; and \ arious combinations of these and their many
shadings. So conspicuous is the tendency to change in the markings by this process that
one variety has been styled the Chameleon. The number of varieties in actual culti\ation
is very considerable and continually growing larger. They will grow in almost an)- soil,
but do best in a compost of leaf-mold and good loam, recjuiring, howe\er, plenty of
moisture in whatever soil during their season of growth. They are very sensitive to cold,
being in fact as good as thermometers down to the freezing point, the leaves presenting
different appearances at different degrees under fifty. In the upper ranges they will
reco\ er with proper attention and increased warmth within seventy-five degrees, but if
touched by actual frost they are doomed to perish. For winter culture, cuttings should be
taken in August and set in any shady situation in any soil or in sand, when they will
strike root by simply watering them every evening in hot, dry weather. When suffi-
ciently rooted, they should be potted and taken indoors before the approach of early frost.
It is useless to attempt their cultivation where the temperature kills below fifty-five degrees.

o>

'^m

r

-7^

Cri.ri'RE OF FAVfWITE Pf.AXTS.

^S^HH

CjRJlPK

MJ^H TLJiJ.

i^l^ a tniu love of flo

3gHERE\'ER there- eNi^l^ a true love of flowers, thir, member of the
Loosestrife famih' is necessarily popular. Its bright, deep-green,
' glossy leaves, like those of the Myrtle, give rise to the second part
of the name, though there is no relationship between the two
families. It is called Crape from a loose resemblance between the
)ssoms, when seen at a distance, and a bunch of red or white crape,
flowers grow in large clusters or panicles, of which there are sometimes
hundred to a plant, and continue in bloom until nipped by the early
frost, the fii-st bloom varying with the latitude in which grown, from May to
August. Each individual blossom presents a singular appearance, the many
Iken stamens standing apart from the rest of the flower, and the multi-
tude- of these flowers, when seen against the Iwckground of the leaves and
gi\ e the semblance, as has been said, of masses of crape thrown loosel}' over the
t. The branches are thin and soft when growing, and may easily be kept in place
ly pinching off the straggling shoots, thus securing a compact, tidy and symmetrical bush.
Smaller specimens can be grown indoors for blooming in early winter, if placed in good,
open sunlight. The plants intended for this purpose should be allowed to rest during the
l^revious summer in some shady place, with only enough water supplied to keep them
from dyiui;-. In northern latitudes the outdoor specimens should be transferred to some
<hy cellar or dark corner of any spare room, which in ordinary winters is all the protec-
tion they need. They are all the better to withstand the frost if the wood has been well
ripened by withholding moisture for two or three weeks before frost, upon the first appear-
ance of which they should be immediately housed. A rich loam, lightened with leaf-
mold, or rather with peat, is the most favorable soil, which, during the season of growth,
ought to be further enriched by plentiful supplies of liquid manure. It is propagated by
new shoots, like the Abutilon.

1

L^^ theCiocu
^^ phntmg.

cultivated, as it grows freelv in any soil not positive!}' soggy,
locusisan admirable little bulb to bloom in early spring. After
the bulbs will take care of themselves if supplied with an
lessing of manure. They should be set deeply, some three
:hes, either in groups or rows, as desired ; and should not be
except they appear on the surface, as sometimes happens,
the cause always bemg the formation of the new bulb on the top of the old one.
The bulbs aie\ei\ cheap, and might be set abundantly. Their most appropriate
use in the garden is for bordering beds of other bulbs, or they may be used with
great effect in forming letters or other simple designs on the lawn. Except
when a bed is wanted for other purposes, they ma_v be planted about an inch
but where that is the case they can be set at a greater distance, and after the leaves
357

H CULTIVATION AND ANALISIS OF PLANTS. fc J

disappear the place may be sown with annuals. For the house they may be planted in
pans of sand or in any of the pretty designs manufactured for them out of terra cotta or
pottery ware, and set away until they show growth. They can be put in the ground any-
where, with their accompanying pots, but should be covered up with ashes to protect
them from rats and mice, as well as from the frost; or they may be stored indoors in a
dark cellar or closet, being protected in the same way. About midwinter they can be
removed at intervals, to insure a succession of flowering, into the house or conservatory,
where they are intended to bloom. They must always be kept at low temperature until
near the blooming period, for too great heat lengthens and weakens the stem. They also
bloom in water, in small glasses adapted to them, made on the same principle as Hyacinth
glasses. Bulbs should be set in the fall. They can be raised from seeds, blooming in
three years, that being the average for most kinds of bulbs. All Crocus bulbs should be
set about the last of October, or early in November.

rf-^iife. ERHAPS there are but few plants for fall, winter and spring culti-
vation that will afford more pleasure to the industrious and watchful
amateur than this attractive little plant. It never grows more than
six or eight inches high, but it has beautiful mottled leaves, and the
Bowers, which are borne on single stems, have a velvety center
encircled by rays of a purplish red; and in some varieties lilac and
white, while in a few they approach a maroon. These ray-like petals turn
down, as in the Dodecatheon Meadia or Shooting Star, sometimes called the
Prairie Pointer. The bulbs should be obtained as early as possible in the
autumn, so that they can be planted at intervals to promote an orderly succession
periods of blooming; or, they may be planted all at once, but treated
with diflcrent degrees of heat, water, and other attentions, to hasten or retard their
development. The plumper ones should be preferred; but if shriveled ones only can be
had, they may be freshened by being enveloped in damp moss or cotton batting for one
or more days. They delight in a good, rich soil, in which they are planted so as to
leave about one-fourth of an inch of their substance above the surface. The soil should
receive a little water, and the pot be put away in a sheltered place with a northern aspect,
or under a tree, until they begin to grow, giving a little moisture as required. When the
leaves begin to start, the plants can be brought forward to the light and given all the air
possible every day, with water when necessary, care being taken that they do not decay
through being too abundantly supplied. After their blooming season is over, the watering
should be gradually reduced as the foliage withers, and finally almost discontinued. They
are then put away in a shady, airy situation, free from rain, yet where the soil will not at
any time become actually dry; but if there is any danger of such a contingency, a little
water around the bulb might be given, as it must on no account be allowed to decline from
its plump condition. In the fall they should have the soil shaken from them, and be placed

^i

i

Cri.TURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

in a fresh, rich compost. The hirp^er bulbs often produce as many as two hundred flowers.
The withered flowers should be clipped off, unless seed is desired; of those left for seed
the stem will curl until the seed vessel is drawn down into the soil, where they ripen.
Propagation otherwise than by seed is ordinarily impracticable with this bulb, as its solid
nature almost precludes its division, and only the skilled practitioner can hope for success.
When grown from seed it takes three years to bloom, unless specially petted and fostered
by some skillful hand, and therefore most amateurs prefer to purchase blooming bulbs.
Their chief enemies are mice and excessive moisture.

1

^A.TS^^.

,AISY, from the Saxon, denoting day's eye, because of its habit of
opening early in the morning, is a great favorite, as indeed it has
been for ages. Whether growing by the roadside, a neglected
beauty, or petted and cared for by some flower-loving cottager, its
praises have long been sung by the greatest among European poets.
In this country the Bellis perennis, or common double European Daisy,
is extensively cultivated as a choice exotic; while the whole-leaved species, or B.
intei;rifolia, is indigenous from Kentucky southward to the Gulf of Mexico. A
heavy clay soil seems to be the natural choice of these simple beauties, but they
will grow in almost any soil if supplied freely with water. In shaded nooks thev
will retain their flowers a long time, but the direct rays of the sim cause them to
prematurely drop both flowers and leaves. The flower of the Daisy in the natural state
is single, and borne on the top of a long, slender flower-stalk; but by cultivation it
has become double, and has even sported into several curious and beautiful multiplex
varieties. They have, however, seen their greatest populaiity in this country. Thc\' can
be cultivated in and out of doors, but as house plants must have all the light possible in
the winter months. They are easily propagated by divisions of the plant, early in Sep-
tember in northern latitudes, the parts thus separated being set two or three inches apart
in a sandy loam, with an eastern aspect. They should be protected from a too heavy
drenching by rain or otherwise, and for this purpose a gentle, eastward slope is the best
site. On the approach of regular frosty weather, they should be covered with a layer
of leaves to about six inches in depth, protected by branches of trees from being blown
away. When the weather is mild, this covering should be raked off for half a day, and
restored before the approach of the night chill, a few times through the winter. Many
are kept in garden frames, with only one inch of leaves.

As has been intimated, there are several varieties in cultivation, a favorite one being
known as the Hen and Chickens (scientifically B. prolifera), because of a number of
miniature flowers growing around and under the protection of the larger flower. Upon
the whole, in the hot, dry climate of this country, the Daisy, in the estimation of some
intelligent amateurs, is very unsatisfactory for outdoor cultivation. ,/ 5

359 ,B_r

^ ^^m

CULTIVATION AND ANALYSIS OF PLANTS.

#^

' 4^

f-^ HOWY Dicentra, scientifically known as Dicentra spectabilis, has been

with many other pretty plants imported within the last thirty or more
( 'u/^iy*^)) ^/^ years, by indefatigable collectors, from Japan and northern China,
c^ t^^^/^rf^-S:2,*° ^"""^^^ '■'^^ Flora of Europe and America. It belongs to the Fumi-
<C ji- Jt^V^ ^ >i^\l tory family, and is very hardy, being able to endure the frosts of the
severest winters of our Northern States. It will, however, be grateful
for a slight covering of leaves or other protection, and will repay its benefac-
tor by a growth of greater vigor the ensuing season. Low, damp situations do
not suit it, as it likes a dry, airy location, with plenty of room and a rich soil to
grow in. It is a very fine ornamental plant when standing alone, and, like rare
exceptions in the human family, it assumes a milder and more mellow beaut\-
witli advancing years. The long racemes of heart-shaped flowers — hence the popular
name of Bleeding Heart — curving away from the center of the plant give it a peculiarly
attractive appearance, while the leaves, resembling some varieties of the Fern familj-,
cooperate to enhance its beauty. Fading early, care should be taken to plant it where the
vigorous and abundant foliage of other plants will gracefully cover up its disappearance.
To grow in pots for winter use it is best to cut off a few shoots from the old root in
early fall ; which, being properly cared for, will gratify the owner b)' its few but pretty
racemes in the early spring. It is best propagated in all cases from divisions of the roots;
though it may, but with no slight difficulty, be raised from either seeds or cuttings. The
Dicentra has a somewhat peculiar history, having for many years after its introduction been
considered a plant exclusively adapted to hothouse culture, and its hardy properties having
been discovered merely by the accident of being left out all winter in the flower garden
at Cantrell Hall, the seat of the Childers, near Doncaster, England.

^)MA r^E:N'jL

H.OMMONLY called Burning Bush, from the bright-red leaves of
some of the varieties, the Dractena has long been in cultivation, and
;*^ IS \ei} generally admired as one of the most conspicuous of the
- -^ Liliaceous family. The gum of commerce, called dragon's blood, is
a pioduct of this and some allied plants, being obtained by incision
~ *^ '■/' of the stems. The characteristic attraction of these plants consists in

'•*^ the gi iceful habit and enduring properties of their leafage. The Dracsena
laco and other varieties are elegant indoor plants, alone or in groups. The
palm-like stem, with surmounting tuft, cannot fail to attract attention; while the
bright, transparent radiance of the leaves will delight the most indifferent
beholder. It is much used for hanging baskets and vases, and when partially
shaded among green foliage it is rarely eclipsed by the most brilliant of Flora's
gems. Content to grow in almost any soil, it thrives much better in one that is largely
composed of peat or liog-carth. Much water is acceptable, and during the season of

360

m

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

growth is readily appropriated by this thirsty phint, which also revels in a warm atmos-
phere. It is usually propagated by florists from sections of the root, as already described
under Bouvardia and elsewhere. It may, however, be rooted from small offshoots that
grow on the side of the stem; and also from seeds, but this last method is rarely followed.

^.."

EC HE \^:EIt IJl

ELONGING to the class of plants known as Houseleeks, which
are often carefully grown on the roofs of cottages and stables by
many of the peasantry of Europe, under a superstitious belief that
they afford protection from lightning and other calamities, the
Echeverias are a very ornamental, thick, flesh-leaved tribe of culti-
vated plants. They are in demand for ornamental plants in houses,
vwork and on high, sandy ground; as also sometimes for low edgings of
nd walks. Some of them look not unlike old, rusty iron; others have
green leaves; and one variety, called the E. rotundifolia, or round-leaved,
an elegant vase plant to surmount a pillar or parlor-stand. Being of the
isiest culture, almost anyone can cultivate them in nearly every condition of
soil or climate; but an excess of water in cold weather will prove fatal. Some of the
species flourish through the winter, sending out spike-like racemes, two or three feet in
length, of a very waxy, flesh-colored appearance, which remain a long time on the stems.
Other low-growing species have bright yellow flowers, after the manner of the Mossy
Sedum or Wall-Pepper. They luxuriate in a loose, sandy soil, containing some leaf-mold,
and though not dependent on a rigid regularity in the water supply, they should not be
entirely neglected during the growing season. Side-shoots, or even the flower-stems, can
be made the means of propagation, being set in clean sand and sparingly watered until
rooted.

E E Y T E R T^^Jl .

I'DDY is the meaning of the botanic name, derived from the Greek,

le plant belongs to the widely-extended Pulse family, having,

common with most of the allied genera, a butterfly-shaped flower.

P-jP^Vg)/-;^ There are several thousand species of the Pulse family — nine thou-

'-«:^^N^'^" V^ sand, some one has computed — scattered throughout the world, and

^ ' for the most part they are of the highest utility in the animal economy

of the universe. Containing a relatively large proportion of nitrogenous and

bone building material, they are extensiveh- used everywhere as food for man

and beast, but nowhere as much used by human beings as would be for their

well-being. The elegant Erythrina, sometimes called Coral Plant, ought

to have a place in every outdoor collection; it is a fine object standing alone in a

garden, its long racemes (often not less than two feet) of thick, waxv, coral-like

■m

la

CULT/VATIOX AND AXALlSrS OF PLANTS.

buds and flowers making its splendors conspicuous at a very considerable distance. The
large, trifid leaves and general robust habit of the plant also add their attractions. As a
window plant it is a fine ornament, but requires more root-room than can ordinarily he
allowed it. A rich, black or yellow loam well stirred up is the best soil for this plant,
though it will grow in almost any kind of earth. In the summer months the growing
plants must have a fair supply of water; and be taken up before or soon after the first
slight frost. If allowed to endure the early frost, they should be previously protected by
four or five inches of extra soil around the roots. During the winter they may be kept
in any dry cellar, protected from frost, but not wholly deprived of moisture; a covering
of moss or damp sand around the dormant roots will meet this requirement. Early in
summer, say in May, they may be set out for the season, care being taken to protect them
in the colder latitudes from the later frosts, when they will bloom from June to October.
They can be propagated from cuttings of small shoots or raised from the seed; but those
who want large plants soon will find it most convenient to buy them already in an
advanced condition from the florists. Good, large, specimen plants of the E. crista-galli,
wliich is the favorite species, are commonly sold at a verv moderate price.

h

FTTTONI^.

ITTONIA is a very ornamental plant of the Bottle-brush tribe, a
^ subdivision of the Myrtle family, and is largely utilized for hanging-
^1 It baskets, ferneries and Wardian cases, where the atmosphere is moist
md still. It can, however, be grown as a single specimen, in a sepa-
ate pot or among other plants, indoors where any extra shade is pro-
i^ \ ided ; but the Wardian case or glass shade seems to be its especial delight.
The fine white or purplish-red streaks of the leaves make them an attractive
amental plant. They require great care in cultivation, and should never be
ubjected to drafts, hot or cold. A very good soil for them is about equal parts of
hopped sphagnum, or bog-moss, peat-earth, potsherds and charcoal, well mixed,
satives of the bogs or quagmires of the tropics, they require a large amount of
well as moisture, all the year round; they cannot be grown where the atmosphere
falls below sixty. In favorable circumstances the Fittonia will spread itself freely, but it
can easily be controlled by the usual method of pinching or cutting out when it encroaches
where it is not wanted. This plant mixed with some of the Lycopodiums, especially the
Selaginellas, constitute very pretty parlor ornaments under glass shaikh, and will require
very little water if the glass is left on, as what they evaporate, being iicld within the case,
condenses and is again absorbed. During the hot weather, however, they should receive
an occasional sprinkling or syringing with tepid soft water. In cold weather, when there
is risk of the temperature going below sixty degrees, they should be wrapped in paper,
flannel, a shawl, or whatever is most convenient. Their worth and beauty will compen-
sate for the extra care they require; but careless amateurs cannot well succeed with these
delicate exotics. There are three species, all desirable, in general cultivation.

^^

heat,

^^

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

^:>^ FUCSSJA.

'v^p^ /7=^^f WINGING bells and neat, glossy foliage mark the Fuchsia, which has
\C\^"'ir-~N^;i^x3 ''^' '"'"ly years formed one of the most attractive of plants for both

^'V^lv©)) > giccnhouse and parlor culture. Dryness of the atmosphere, one great
-~^^^^&a~f -^ > '^'•"'■'^ ^^ failure, can be obviated by sprinkling in the summer, and a
c ^^)^f/^-^ ^ ^ jV) \ cscl of water on the stove in winter. Buds drop from several causes,
IJ^^T^^ "^ '•'^'^ fault above mentioned being one, and from the two extremes of
'J^ J^ kecpnig the loots either too dry or too wet. In summer, when in bloom, it
w ould be ad\ I'-.ihle to water the plants twice a day if the pot is pretty full of
roots and the shrub of fair size. This should be thoroughly done, but on no
account should the plant be allowed to stand in a saucer of water. This advice
presupposes an open soil and free drainage. After the flowering is over, water
should be given more sparingly — about twice a week ^ as growth at this season (except
in the winter-flowering varieties) should not be encouraged. They can be wintered in
any common cellar, free from frost. Among the best varieties for indoor blooming in winter
are the F. speciosa,the F. serratifolia multiflora and the Rose of Castile. For outdoor bloom-
ing they require a partially shaded situation, under trees or arbors or in the vicinity of other
bushes; though when planted they will bloom in a sunny place also, but not so well.

Fuchsias are propagated from slips, and when required for large plants should be kept
continually growing, shifting into the next size larger pots as soon as the roots touch the
sides, until they reach the largest size, when they should be transplanted into boxes oj-
tubs, where they may be left for many years, giving them an annual top-dressing of cow-
manure, and frequent applications of liquid manure during the season of growth. They
can also be grown from the seed, sometimes giving new varieties. The rule for soil is
one part each of loam, leaf-mold and cow-manure; but for a fine specimen plant it should
be at least one-half cow-manure.

FITJSrKIA.

i

REAT numbers of people know this species of the Liliaceous
family under the more common title of the Day Lily, though it is
easily distinguishable from the Hemerocallis, or common Day Lily,
both in the leaf and flower. The leaves of the Funkia are obovate,
while those of the Hemerocallis are a broadish linear; the flowers
of the latter are a light yellow, and those of the Funkia a bluish
te, and somewhat smaller, with a tubular shape. Another difference
easy to be observed is that the Funkia blooms from July to September, while
the other is earlier. The botanic name, given in honor of a German botanist,
has not quite universally replaced the older name in popular acceptance, and
the delay has occasioned some little confusion in the minds of many amateurs.
The Funkia, which is fast becoming recognized as the true Day Lily, is from
1 Japan. Its finest species, the F. subcordata, or Japonica of the catalogues, the
363

m

m^ ^ ^^^

Ij CULTIVAriOX AXD ANALYSIS OF PLANTS. i\

favorite old white Day Lily of the wardens, is a beautiful border plant and perfectly
hardy. The tine heart-shaped leaves of the Funkia are always pretty from their first
sprouting until they fall; and the plants are well adapted to fill an unsightly waste place,
as their habit is so cosmopolitan that they will grow in any soil, though they are by no
means indifferent to a rich one. The rich, pearly and very fragrant trumpet-shaped flower,
which survives only for a day, but is promptlv followed by its fellows, is a great
favorite wherever known, and amply compensates for the little care it requires in cultiva-
tion. In hardy and cdd-rndiivinL; |Hd|)rrtlcs the Funkias arc excelled by hut few plants,
enduring the w iiiteis >A' t\cii cuir nmthcni latiliulcs without injurw (jrown easily out of
doors, under trees or in open beds, no collection should be consideretl complete without
them. As house plants the smaller variegated sorts are much used, and under such favor-
alile circumstances these often anticipate their season of flowering. For the embellishment
of cemeteries, public parks and other places not receiving close attention, they have been
found very acceptable, withstanding privation and neglect better than most cultivated
plants. They are usually propagated from divisions of the roots, which grow in large
masses, and arc easily separated, either w bile the plant is dormant — that being the best
time — or while in liloom. The method is the same as in the Dicentra.

}■*■ ^,(y/~7-/-\ /* "iIIEN'CE sprang the error that confounds the Gardenia with the

^\(\ \\r\ IL**'> ^ '•■"" J'^s'"'"e it is somewhat diificult to conjecture, as they resemble

^^'^11 I V U / It l.kIi other only in the odor they emit, and even belong to different

V "^T^p"^^^ t.undies, the Gardenia being a Madder. They have been known

^*-,v*- <' " 111 cultiNation under this name (given them by Linnaeus in honor of his

Kii 1 tspondent and friend. Dr. Alexander Garden, of Charleston, South

Caujhua) at least one hundred and twenty years; how much longer under their

ioimei name it is difficult to say. It is a very fine, robust, ornamental shrub,

with thickish, glossv leaves of an oblong or elliptical form; and produces large,

loose masses of doiil'le Howiis. The G. camelliflora has a large double flower

not unlike a medium sized Camellia, hence the name of the species. All the

(lardeiiias delight in a rich soil, composed, in equal parts, of leaf-mold, old

cow-manuie and good loam; and, ex'cept when dormant, in abundant moisture, which,

however, should not be suffered to become stagnant. It is important, and even necessary

to their well-being, that they be kept clean; and hence, if syringing be found insufficient,

the sponge should be cautiously and gently applied, the band supporting each leaf while

it is being washed. They will give an abundance of white flowers during the winter when

properly cared for and supplied with the necessary warmth, which should not be less than

sixty-five degrees. In even the coldest sections of our country they can be put out of doors

in the summer, and allowed to rest for one or two months, when, if desired, it can be started

to grow again by the free application of water. It is propagated by cuttings of the young

side-shoots, which should be treated in the usual way already mentioned under Abutilon;

'— ^^^^

-^

CrLTURE OF FAVORITE PEAXTS.

1

but very rarely from Needs, as it is too sUiw a proeess, requirin
obtain a good .speeiineii. They are easily eultixated as house plai
to amateurs as choice beauties, well worth)' of their attention.

iree or tour years to
uid are recommended

aER^V^^^IUM.

(ieranium in all its
house-plants, being-

ties is one of the most satisfactory among
irably adapted tor either window, parlor,
greenhouse or garden culture. They run through various shades
of color. Of the reds, the deep or blood tints are much handsomer
than the paler or orange reds, and the pink and white are both deli-
cate and pure. The double ones do not drop their petals like the
yet some of the single ones hold their own well, and bear very
trusses. The single white are many times \ ery tickle, scarce holding

the

ill

unclasps, which is \ cry provoking if a full
It is w ell to make this inquiry when pur-
s a difterence the labor might as well be ex-
e most lasting pleasure. We have one plant,
its blossoms nearly a month, with from thirty to forty
e rather herbaceous in growth, their stems being a grayish
;reen, and hut sliglitly woody. When grown in the house tluring suml^^er they should be
given plenty of air to ripen their stalks, as they withstand the cold lietter. Those that
blossomed in summer can be buried in a clry pit and covered with a foot of leaves, or
kept in the cellar in an entirely dark place, free from frost, and require little or no water;
We say entirely dark, as in a partial light they develop a useless, spindling growth. They
can also be wintered at a window, if the space is not wanted for blooming other plants,
the watering being governed by their needs. For future outdoor decoration large plants
may be pulled up by the roots, the loose soil shaken off, the green wood and leaves
trimmed back to the ripe wood, and the green cuts carefully powdered with charcoal and
air-slacked lime, when the whole may be hung up in a dark place free from frost. In the
spring the plants should be withdrawn from their retreat, trimmed back considerably,
repotted if necessary, and given a little special attention, when they will very soon grow.
Geraniums are among the easiest plants to slip. They must have two joints at least,
and three would be better, the cutting being just at the third. They are less apt to damp
or rot off if laid aside for two or three days in the shade before planting, as b\ that time
the broken end heals over, or forms a scar, which prevents the sap froin. escaping. Thev
are then ready for planting. Many, however, put them down entirely fresh. Some
kinds can also be started in wet sand, and set on the window-sill in the sun, in which
case the sand must be kept always sopping wet, like mud, the slips being potted as soon
as the roots are assured; but the fleshy, succulent varieties require less water. . The\-
can also be rooted in soil. For ourselves, not wanting manv at a time, we stick them
down in pots of our large plants, close to the side of the pot, where the slope of the

:!6s

^^^m

^

CVLTIVATION A\D ANALYSIS OF PLANTS.

crock gives them sufficient drainage, and the heat it draws from the air furnishes
all the warmth required. When raised from seed, the long spur attached should he cut
off, as it is likely to work the seed out of the ground.

Most of the Geraniums have strong-scented foliage, and are quite free from insects.
The Rose Geranium, with its lemon-scented leaves, is, however, an exception, as the aphis
or green-fly considers its green shoots a dainty bit. The Apple, Nutmeg and Pennyroyal
Geraniums are grown for their fragrant leaves, and are well adapted for hanging-baskets,
but are better for pot culture.

Geraniums require a rich, loamy soil. To have them hloom in winter, they must not
be allowed to bloom during summer, and should be kept with a scanty supplv of water.
In early fall repot and trim back well, give more water, and occasionally liquid manure,
and the branches will probably give flowers by December.

aLj^Dioi, us.

.ESERVEDLY among the most popular of bulbous plants, the
Gladiolus will always repav, bv its abundance of flowers, for the
care and attention bestowed upon it. In modem times it has been
so extensively hybridized that the varieties now number several hun-
dreds, and are in a fair way of being swelled to thousands. By this
process, however, they have been made less hardy, and the new speci-
mens require more careful handling than the old. All the varieties will grow in
almost any soil, the richer earth, however, in every instance producing the better
flowers. The spot selected should be enriched with good manure, which should
be thoroughly incorporated with the soil. The bulbs should be planted three to
six inches deep, according to size (bulblets only one inch), and four to six inches
or more apart, and abundantly watered in dry weather. Supports should be furnished
each plant, if in a windy situation, to keep the flower-stalks upright. However small
the collection, it will be found most agreeable to have a number of varieties, as by this
means a pleasing continuity in the times of blooming is most readily insured. Other
plants mav be grown in the same beds, provided they are a low-growing kind, as for
instance the Mignonette; the shade or protection afforded by the leaves of such seems
to be beneficial to the bulbs during the process of growth; and they also help to
relieve the scarcity of foliage in the slim, gaunt Gladiolus. As window or house
plants they are scarcely desirable, requiring too much root-room, and not possessing
any compensating peculiarities of foliage or even of flower. They propagate themsehes
by forming new bulbs upon the older ones, and a number of bulblets under the new
bulb. These bulblets should be planted in beds by themselves, as they have to be
grown from two to four years before flowering. They should not be planted, however,
until tliey have been kept eighteen months, as if started sooner very few of tiiem will
grow. The bulblets invariably produce the same variety as the parent. When the
flower-stalks are dead, or after the first light frost, the bulbs should be lifted, and such as
^_ 366 ^^^

^^ ^,

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS. i\

may be unripe allowed to thy in some airy place, when they may all he trimmed of the
^spent roots and leaves, and stored away where thev will not mildew from moisture or
suffer from frost. The Gladiolus is the finest cut flower in existence. The spike placed in
a vase, after the first flower has expanded, will develop and open every bud, and grow
more delicate and beautiful to the last.

HELIO TR OPE.

MONG the favorite plants for window culture, and one of the most
^-^•jSfV'l l&f \t^ tlesirable for the greenhouse, is the Heliotrope; and this on account of
^ '/>^ifclA/Eii L f^ its clusters of vanilla-scented flowers, which are the various shades of
lavender or purple, and are in great request for cut-flower decorations
and bouquets. If we might be allowed the expression we should call it
one of the most quick-tempered of plants, pouting and petulant, to be
coyly along as if not being led, or else given its own way, when it will grow
iriously. It is quite susceptible to a change of atmosphere. A plant brought
from the greenhouse should be watched that it get not too dry in the soil, which will
be when it looks very dry on the surface, or else the leaves will begin to turn jellow
or brown, and in a few days will drop. We have sometimes turned the balls of
earth out on our hand, and found the fine rootlets, that should be like white silk and
full of life, one brown, decaying mass, rendered so by the withholden cup of water on
the one hand, and on the other by the porousness of the pot, that had withdrawn what
moisture they derived from the soil. All this dead substance should be picked off gently,
and the plant replaced in the pot; when, with a little more attention, it will begin to grow
again, having become accustomed to its surroundings.

When placed in the groimd in summer the Heliotrope grows finelv, but is very impa-
tient of removal, as the lifting disturbs the roots too much. Those who wish a choice
specimen saved should secure slips from it first, and get them rooted; then they will not
be entirely helpless in case of failure in removing the plant. In taking up a large plant
the following directions may be observed: Cut the roots all round the plant, so that the
ball of soil will be a little less than the pot or box it is intended to grow it in; let the
cutting be done with a very sharp knife or spade, and afler the cutting let the plant remain
in the ground for six or eight davs. When ready to transfer, lift the plant as gently :;s
possible from the ground with something broad enough not to disturb the roots, and
place it in the pot; put this in an entirely dark place for a few days, giving no water at
first (as the soil should be in a condition not to require it), watching to see when it begins
to revive, then gradually move it to the light and trim it back. The foliage will probably
fail, but if successful it will start again.

The Heliotrope, to be a fine plant, should be allowed to grow large, and then it
would be nearly always covered with flowers. A tub or box is the best place for this
plant. For a window, one the size of a butter firkin answers. Indeed, a firkin itself
could be used by washing it free from grease, and then soaking out the salt which it has

367 ' M

m

CULTIVATIOX AND AXALYSIS OF PLANTS.

absorbed from the brine. A few holes bored in the bottom would let out all the surplus
water, and a coat of stone color, drab or white paint would make its exterior presentable.
No one growing the Heliotrope only in small pots can know the pleasure of growing it
as a large bush, and pruning it when too rampant. In summer a plant so grown could be
placed out of doors to adorn the yard or lawn. The soil recommended is three parts loam,
and one part each of leaf-mold, sand and inaiunc. If kept constantly growing it blooms
the whole \ear, its wood becoming quite hard and shrubby. Arrived at this condition, it
can be kept for many years in a productive state, by an annual top-dressing, and liberal
weekly supplies of liquid manure. It has been known to live for twenty }-ears undisturbed
in a sunny corner of a conservatory; it requires warmth in winter, as it cannot stand any
frost. The pale varieties develop a larger growth of flowers and are more fragrant than
the dark ones. A good way to propagate Heliotropes is to take two-inch cuttings of new
shoots, pinching off the bottom leaf, when the slips are inserted in pans of sand and water,
and kept abundantly moistened until they show new rootlets or begin to grow. This
process is most successfully carried out in summer, or in a temperature of at least seventy
degrees; if the heat rise above eighty or fall below fifty the slips will usually fail to strike
root.

^l

Hin rscus.

'' _^r^ \DER this name are included many lovely species of the Mallow
•t tamih , and all of them are general favorites with both amateur
N -*, uid piotessional culturists, for house or garden purposes. Their pop-
; ulaiit\ is not of yesterday, but dates far back into the olden times,
1 lint; know 11 to Pliny (who recommended the Hibiscus for certain medi-
cmil piopcitics in healing ulcers), and bids fair to survive throughout all
tiniL \piit tiom all useful qualities, medicinal or other, it commends
itstlt toi the laige, lose-like and very showy flowers, sometimes four or five
inches in diametei, Avhich it produces in rather compact clusters on slender and
graceful stems. The beautiful, brilliant red of the flowers make the plant con-
spicuous at a considerable distance, and cannot fail to attract the attention of
the most casual beholder. The leaves, which are large, long and somewhat
egg-shaped, but sharp-pointed, are always pretty, more especially the variegated kinds, as
they hang gracefully drooping around the upright stems. It is familiarly called the Rose
of China, but is reall\- indigenous in several other countries, including the United States.
Easy of cultivation, it can be kept in good shape by pinching, and its more compact
growth will remunerate the cultivator. A soil composed of equal parts of leaf-mold,
loam and manure is the best adapted for it; and, like the Abutilon, being a gross feeder,
it should receive during the growing season an abundant supply of water and liquid
manure. It is mainly propagated from cuttings of the young shoots, and but rarely from
seeds. In the summer months it should be plunged, with or without its pot, in some spare
bed or border, to take the necessary rest; though it can be made to grow and bloom all
the year round by an extra allowance of stimulating liquid manure and free watering.

S68

.1

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

MOYJL.

F the Ho\as,
pccies, alfof t

or Wax-plants, there are three or four common
hem very beautiful. They are mostly woody vines of
a standent or climbing nature, with waxy, ovate leaves; and, though
pioperly belonging to the hothouse, can be grown with the greatest
e.ise as parlor plants, always with the understanding that warmth must
be supplied in winter, and that they be kept free from frost. Of course,
the blossoms must not be expected to appear as abundantly as when placed in
a higher and moister temperature, but, should they utterly refuse to bloom, the
beauty of the foliage would amply compensate for the little care they require.
They can, however, be almost always made to bloom by withholding the usual
water supply, and suffering them to become partially dry for several weeks.
The flowers are most exquisitely beautiful, the clusters being composed of from fifteen
to twenty florets arranged in the form of a simple umbel. Each floret is in the shape
of a five-pointed star, with the points slightly recurved. The texture is like wax, with a
rather plushy surface. The buds open always in the evening, and all at one time, as if
by electricity, so sudden is the transition from bud to blossom. When plants are well
established they grow freely and rapidly, if not neglected in the matter of a judicious
application of water to leaf and root. One in our own collection (the Hova carnosa), in
a twelve-inch pot, makes each season vines about eight feet long, and blooms very freely
in a common sitting-room with a southern aspect.

We would advise our readers, however, to secure good-sized plants in the first place,
those with old flower stems or buds, if possible ; for, though growing readily from slips,
they are many times very perverse in starting runners, often remaining stationary for a
provokingly long time. The flower or bud stems come from the axils of the leaves, gen-
erally at every alternate joint of the young growth, forming one year and blooming the
next, and from that on, season after season, though sometimes skipping. Occasionally
buds come from the old wood of the vines as well. These dark or woody flower-stems
should never be cut ofl^, as there is always a central or live tip for future bloom, and the
apparent unsightliness is amply compensated for by their superior flowers.

The best soil is said to be three parts loam, two parts leaf-mold, and one part sand,
with a little broken charcoal. It should be light and open, with good drainage. The
repotting should be done in spring, just as soon as the plant begins to grow, and the
plant thoroughly watered ; after which water should be withheld a week or more until
new roots begin to form. When in a large pot they need not be disturbed every year.
In summer thty should be watered when the earth is dry on the surface; in winter, once
a week, or less often, will do. During the growing season the plant should have a watering
of liquid manure, not very strong, once or twice a week.

In propagating, the slips should be laid aside a day or two, until the sap closes the
wound. The cuttings should then be placed near the sides of the crock, and started, if
possible, in a gentle heat. The leaves also answer as slips. The only insect we have
seen on them is the mealy bug, which with a little care is easily kept under. In sitting
rooms the foliage and stems will require washing occasionally to remove the dust.

369

CVLTIVATIUX AXD AXALVSIS OF PLAXTS.

1

Placing these plants out nt'tloors rctanl^ or il
as the strong sun sears and turns tiic Ua\ t- s yell
in the house a thin shade is of service at niidthi
tropical climates, ihat tliey should not l;o out at

the bloum, unless properly shaded,
11 which thev never recover; even
r tlie ijlass. We think, except in
iie\ can he "iveii all the necessarv

JJ V^VC 1 X T H.

YACINTHS are among the tirst plants to make their appearance
out of doors in spring, and gladden the earth with their bright
Viloom. In preparing a bed or box for the bulbs, special care should
be exercised, as their fleshy substance renders them an easy prey to
disease, and subjects them to the attacks of rats, mice and other enemies.
The best soil for them is a very sandy loam well mixed with good leaf-
mold and old cow-manine. They should be set in rows, a few inches
h way, and then covered three or four inches deep with the soil. A
' 1 'I ' handful of sand placed under each hulh will help to prevent decay. The sea-
\ sdii of planting is from the middle of Ocloljer to the same time in No\emher.

J After they have ceased to bloom, and their leaves have decayed or died down

surface, the bulbs should be taken up and placed in some shady spot to
(lr\, when thev shoukl be stored away in an, airy situation until again required for plant-
ing. These plants are also adapted to pot culture, and can be grown singly, or two or
three of different colors, in a crock five or six inches wide. .V piece of broken crockery
or the like is placed over the hole for drainage; a little old cow-manure is laid thereon,
and then the pot is filled, within an inch of the top, with the soil above indicated as best
for Hyacinths. Finally the bulb is placed in the soil, with about one-half uncovered.
The usual treatinent for bulbous plants, as already given under Crocus, is then followed.
Hyacinths can be grown in sand, and also in water. In sand they are placed in a proper
receptacle and set awav as abo^■e, the sand being kept merely moist. When the rootlets
have got a good start, the leaves will begin to appear, showing that it is time to'brjng
them forwartl to the light. In regular Hyacinth glasses there is generally a rim or shal-
low cup for the bulb to rest in. The glass is then filled with rainwater so as almost to
touch the base of the bulb. The water should be kept pure by inserting a piece of char-
coal and by being changed weekly. The glasses should be put away for about a month
in some cool dark ]ilace, when the\ will ha\e rootetl sufficiently to be brought forward
into the light to linish -rc.wth. Tlie single-flowered varieties are the best for i;lass cul-
ture. Hyacinths that have flowered in pots or glasses are afterward fit only for jilantin-
in beds or borders. The Hollanders make a specialty of raising Hyacinth bulbs, and ha\ e
produced and named two thousand distinct varieties, which they supply in immense cpian-
tities to the markets of the world. It may be imagined how gorgeous an a]>]xarance is
often presented in the Netherlands by a twenty-acre lot, or more, wholly planted in Hya-
cinths; and the fragrance is said to ha\e been noticed fifty miles at sea.
< 37°

-^^^5-

CCLTCRE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

L IB O XI A .

EAT and modest in flower, and not without some claim to a subdued
nagnificence, this lovely member of the Figwort family is of com-
laratively recent introduction from Japan. The favorite species is
lUnominated L. floribunda, from its free flowering habit, often almost
hiding its foliage under the wealth of its blossoms. The color,
which is most frequently an orange or pure yellow on the under
shading upward to a scarlet or deep, velvety crimson on the upper
if the flower, contrasts finely with the light green foliage of the plant.
i>- a slender-branched plant and of a tidy, compact j^rowth; it can be formed
to the resemblance of a ball encircling and entirely hiding the pot in which
yrows, making it .\ \ ery desirable house ornament. The soil in which it can
n woukl comprise, in about equal parts, sand, leaf-mold, loam and manure.
Tile Libonia delights in plenty of pot-room, water and liquid manure in the growing and
flowering season, but abhors stagnant moisture, and therefore should receive its supplies
in limited but repeated quantities. It blooms from December to May, after which time it
should be placed out of doors in some partially shaded situation. It is most frequently
propagated -from cuttings about an inch long taken from the j^oung shoots. It can be
raised from seed if sown early, and will flower the season following.

In those sections of our countrv w-here there is little or no frost, it makes a very fine
ornamental plant for outdoor cultivation, either to stand alone or to be grown as a border
plant. It is not quite hardy enough to withstand our northern winters, though it will
bear considerable cold, and blooms well in about sixty degrees of heat. The beauty of
the plant in flower, and the ease with which it may be cultivated, should render it a more
ireneral fa\ orite than it has vet become.

■^1

LILY

)

OR outdoor culture these bulbs require a good, sandy loam, which
should be dug to a depth say of eighteen inches, and well worked;
g> ;|,1 I ^llp^V the Japanese, Chinese, and a few other species do best in a clay loam.
— ' The bulbs ought to be set five or six inches deep and left undis-

turbed for se\eral years, as they thrive much better and gi\e more
m. Stable manure, until thoroughly decayed, or any other fermenting
materud, is obnoxious to them, but leaf-mold or plenty of good, old cow-
anure would be a w holcsomc enrichment. In removing, it is best to keep them
the ground as -hort a time as possililc; and if bulbs received from seedsmen
? in a shriveled state, a wrapping of moss, or cotton slightly dampened, for two
three 'days before planting, would freshen them unless past redemption. Many
of the choicer variety of Lilies are grown as house plants in cities by those who have no
gardens. A good soil for their growth comprises equal parts of loam and peat, or leaf-

•^fc=-

I

CULTIVATION AND ANALYSIS OF PLANTS.

1

mold, with which should be incorporated a small quantity of coarse, clean sand. The bulbs
are placed a little below the surface of the soil, which should be pressed firmly around
them. They arc then stored in a cool, shady place where there is no wet, and only
enough water given them to slightly moisten the earth until they begin to show growth,
when they should receive a liberal supply. The stalks grow from two to three feet, and
occasionally much higher, requiring to be propped up with stakes. When in bloom they
thrive best in a dry, airy place, as they are liable to contract spots from dampness. After
the growing season is over, the quantity of water must be diminished until the stalk
dies down, when tlic bulb should be taken from the old earth and repotted directly in
fresh soil, as they thus give finer bloom the next season. Several plants can be put in
an extra-sized pot, but for a single bulli a six-inch one is the size.

i

LILY OF TULJ Y^VLLEY.

'UCH esteemed for both beauty and fragrance, though in size but
an insignificant plant, this lovely genus of the Lily family is
extensively grown, more especially in the vicinity of all great
I -T^^:^^-^^^j-T^ cities, for bouquets, baskets, and all manner of ornamental pur-
L o.^^'S^^^^^S^ poses. So great is the demand that the Hollanders have built up
ui immense trade in the tubers, or rhizomas, which they grow with
more success than any other nation, and ship by tens of thousands to
the civilized world. They grow wild in the valleys of the Alle-
s uid in the mountainous sections of our Southern States, as well as in
localities throughout Great Britain and Ireland. But however abundant
those used for cultivation are nearly all the product of the Haarlem
beds, imported and sold by the seedsmen at a price so low that it does not pay
to attempt the domestication of the wild ones. For house decoration the rhizomas should
be planted in tour or five-inch pots, in August, and the pots plunged to the rim in a cool,
shady place, where they may be left until cold weather. Then they should be set in a
shed or other convenient place, sheltered from the sun, and allowed to freeze hard. After
all this, they are to be placed in a cool, dark room, where the temperature is above frost,
from whence they may be brought forward, a few at a time, and at intervals during
the winter, to insure a succession in flowering. For outdoor cultivation the tubers are
usually planted in the fall, and covered to a depth of one or two inches, with an
upper covering of fallen leaves of about the same depth. To exhibit their attractions
to the best advantage, they should be planted in a shady situation ; they will, however,
grow more rapidly in the full blaze of the sun, but also perish more rapidly there.
The soil best adapted to their growth comprises two parts in five of leaf-mold, one of
good cow-manure, one of sand and one of loam. Outdoors they can be left to nature's
supplies in the matter of watering, but indoors neither the roots nor even the leaves
should be allowed to become entirely dry, much less to remain so for any length of time.

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

L IN A R I A .

1

INARIA cymh;ihiiia, (ircynihal-like Toad-Hax, is a low-trailing plant
of the Figvvort family, with l\y-likc k'avo, nnich nscd for hanging
baskets, rockwork and pot culture. It is eoninionly called Kenilworth
Ivy, because of the great quantities to he found amid the ruins of the
famous castle of that name near Warwick, England, immortalized by
Sir Walter Scott. It is a very easy plant to cultivate, in or out of
it will grow in almost any soil; though like all plants it has a pref-
erence, and will grow best in a light soil composed of about equal parts of
leaf-mold, loam and sand, with a slight admixture of manure. But whatever
the soil, it must have abundant moisture, and it will not disdain an occasional
feast of liquid manure. It also delights in a moderate shade, which can easily
>e provided by planting it among taller-growing plants, in some shady recess, or on the
north side of a house, fence or tree. As its free growing habit gives it a tendency to
straggle, if space be limited it must of course be kept in place by frequent clippings or
pegging back. It will also crowd out small plants if not kept within bounds, but with
plenty of room it may be allowed free scope, under which conditions it presents a beauti-
ful, compact mass of foliage, interspersed with numerous small, bluish flowers, not unlike
those of the Snapdragon, to which it is related. It is easily propagated by divisions of
the roots. Another species, known as the L. vulgaris, or familiarly as the Butter-and-
Eggs, is well worthy of a nook in any garden, being hardy and easy of cultivation, and
also quite pretty with its wealth of beautiful,- yellow flowers. This has underground
stems or rhizomas, and propagates itself by what may be termed natural layering, sending
in various directions its offshoots, any one of which can be made the germ of a new plant.

NOWN to science as a member of the Sterculia family, which very
closely resembles the Mallows in mucilaginous properties, the Ala-
lia is a pretty little shrub growing from eighteen to twenty-four
in height. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and with
ireful cultivation and a fair share of sunshine it will produce an abun-
uice of sweet-scented, yellow, cup-like flowers during the whole win-
r and spring. The branches are slender and the leaves laciniate, or
' lightly slashed, and small, making a pretty mass of foliage if well kept in by
pinching or tying back. It delights in a free exposure to the atmosphere, pro-
vided this is not excessively cold, and its favorite normal temperature would be
somewhere from sixty to seventy degrees, though it will not suffer from the heat
unless this ascend to the nineties. It should not, therefore, be crowded out or
even shadowed by other plants, but be given plenty of room for roots and branches. The
best soil for the Mahernia is, two parts of leaf-mold, one of common earth, one of cow-

373

^

\T cvr.rivATioN axd ax alts is of plants. i\

manure, and one of sand. Cold moisture is pernicious to its roots, as is lime-water also;
pure rainwater, "little and often," is the best prescription, as the leaves of the plant will
curl up and become sickly if overdosed. It strikes root easily through small cuttings, say
an inch long, from young shoots, bedded in clean sand about half their length, the leaves
being carefully removed from the embedded part. After they have ceased flowering in
the house they should be removed in the spring, for their season of rest, to the north of a
fence or some low evergreen, as in that condition they delight in a partial shade. The
species generally recommended to amateur culturists is the M. odorata, which is the most
sweetly scented, as its name implies; but there are several other varieties also well worth v
of attention. The Hector has orange, and the Diana pink, flowers; and both are pretty,
highly ornamental and easily manageable shrubs, which will give good satisfaction, though
not so fra<;rant as the M. odorata.

OLE^NnJER.

^--^REATLY admired for the beauty of its bloom, this plant is scien-
1\J^ titically termed Nerium, from the Greek neros, humid, because of
i^/ ' its love of moisture. The familiar name Oleander is a corruption,
!s generally supposed, of the word Rhododendron, or Rose-tree,
':ffr^^ from the similarity between its flowers and the smaller Roses. It
enjoys a very peculiar protection apparently against the sim's ravs,
triple coat of mail or three-fold epidermis, which is common to but very
'few other plants. A native of the Levant, it is found on the banks of the sacred
Jordan, as well as along other watei'-courses and muddy bottom-lands, where
there is a considerable accumulation of decaved vegetable matter. This, b}' the
usual rule of making artificial conditions approach as nearly as may be to natural
surroundings, suggests the value of peat-earth, leaf-mold, turfy loam or similar
their successful cultivation. Water in abundance, and unstinted supplies of liquid
as a substitute for the wet and decaying vegetable wreck to which they are natu-
rally accustomed, are also implied, and experimentally ascertained, to be necessarv to their
fullest development. In early summer they should be moved outdoors in northern latitudes,
and placed in some bed or border made up of the compost indicated, and freely manured, when
they will bloom abundantly, and better reward the cultivator than if kept after the usual
old-fashioned method in tubs or bo.xes. Toward the close of summer, in order to ripen
the wood of the Oleanders, the supply of water should he conslclcraliK curtailed, but not
so as to allow the soil to go entirely dust-dry. Great care '-hould be taken in this respect,
as these plants are slow to show injury, on account of the extra epidermis, and therefore
nothing should be left to chance. Oleanders are propagated freely from slips or cuttings
in the usual way, or by cuttings thrust into bottles or other convenient vessels containing
weak soapsuds or even common rainwater. In making these cuttings, which ought to
be from two to four inches long, the adhering leaves should be shortened or cut back one-
half. Layering can also be used, though it is not found so convenient; and thev can of
course be raised from the seed, flowering the second sea.-on.

374

•J

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

%1

C ^f!!_^^

<Pjl j\^s I-;

)LA tricolor, from the triple color of the blossoms, is the
■.Liciititic name of the Pansy, which itself seems to have been
tleiived from the French pensee, a thought, from its habit of hanging
Its head as if in a pensive or thoughtful attitude. They are among
oui earliest spring flowers, and are sometimes forced in hotbeds for
m.u ket long before the grass makes its appearance. They are sold
in pots to decorate window boxes, but in the house they do well only
-hoit tnne, as their juicy leaves soon become feasting field- for the green-
iich IS very hard to subdue on these dwarf plants. To be at all success-
must have all the air that can be admitted, and not too much sun. To
jate from seed for spring blooming, they should be sown late in August
or early in September; for midsummer and tall blooming, they should be
sow 11 In spring. To produce large flowers they require a rich soil and a partially shaded
-.itiuitioii where thev will escape the noonday heat and receive a few hours of the morn-
ing or afternoon ravs. They mav be increased or propagated bj- cuttings, layers, or
divisions of the root. Cuttings are taken about the second spring or fall month. These
arc much better than the older plants, which are usually woody and hollqw, and are best
rooted in light, sandy soil in a shady place, being covered with a bell-glass or oiled paper.
They should be set an inch or more deep, with the earth firmly placed around them.
The varieties are numerous, amounting to several hundred. Seeds should be sown soon
after gathering, as thev deteriorate in keeping. Layering is done as described elsewhere.

^-v '^ J^ ^ -i Ji <^ (> X J r M ,

^^^ ELARGOXIl'MS (from the Greek pdargos, a stork, because of
^ the resemblance <if the beaked seed to a stork's bill) are plants allied
to the Geraniums, constituting a genus of that family and embrac-
ing three hundred species, and are occasionally called Fancy Gera-
niums, of which one of the most popular is known as the Lady
Washington. All the Pelargoniums are shrubby or hard-wooded,
.pi the shoots that bear the blossoms. The flowers, which appear in trusses,
\ariiui-l\ iiiarkc-il, either ilarkly \eiiic(l. or with the upper petals differing
lower, or sliaded from a deep tone to a lighter, as from almost black
to scarlet, and so on through cherry, crimson, lilac, white and pink. They
are among our handsomest, most delicate and showy flowers. So singularly
picturesque arc the markings in different varieties of the Pelargoniums that they have
been named Clown, Pantaloon and Harlequin, the flowers resembling the typical costumes
of these well-known, popular characters. They never thrive so well when placed in the
garden, except when retained in the pots in which they are grown, and plunged in the
ground; for, if the roots get too much room, the plant grows almost entirely to foliage.

375

i

CULTIVATION AND AX ALTS IS OF PLANTS.

The Pelargoniums are natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and, like other floral impor-
tations from that region, are almost hardy enough to endure our severe northern winters.
Though they are easy of cultivation, it is hetter to secure good, tree-like plants, with thick
and stout young shoots. After the flowering season is over, ripen the young wood by
withholding the water supply; and in the fall prune back to the ripe wood, leaving only
two or three eyes to each branch, always preserving the symmetry of the bush. At a
window they need turning, as do all plants, to keep them from being one-sided. They
should be repotted once or more, according to circumstances, every season in very rich
earth, and given larger pots as the plants increase; and the larger and more bushy thev
are, the better and the more flowers they have. They are most acceptable for groupings
and combinations of all kinds, the richness and variety of coloring lending them a peculiar
attractiveness as house and conservatory plants, furnishing material for bouquets that can-
not be surpassed in richness and beauty. Though, like so many other favorite flowers,
they have probably passed beyond their period of greatest popularity, they can never fail
entirely to be cherished by the lovers of choice plants.

The method of propagation is to take side-shoots about three joints in length, the
bottom joint being fully ripened, and cut clean and smooth underneath, while a portion
of each leaf should also be trimmed off. They can be wintered in a cellar, the roots being
kept nearly dry.

1

^EPER OMIJ^.

^y UPERB among the Reseda family for the beautiful markings of the
to--b leaves, together with its magnificent habit of growth, the Peperomia
LkT ri I \^^) jV*^ is worthy of a place in every collection, whether within doors or out.
(^ ■^*^j^2//^;-Yf~"a&i It delights to gi-ow in a still, warm atmosphere with abundance of
C '/.jfA^. ^ V moisture, as in a Wardian case, or in some shady nook of the house or
^^ #^^^ garden. There are several varieties that have attained a well-deserved

^ popularity as ornamental plants because of their foliage. The)' are natives
of Brazil, and require semi-tropical surroundings, or a heat of at least sixty-five
degrees. A compost made of two parts peat, or bog-earth, one of loam and
one of sand, mixed with bits of charcoal or potsherds, forms a congenial soil for
their growth. The Peperomias are low-trailing plants, spreading out laterally
and striking fresh roots at each joint of their side-shoots. They can easily be propagated
by cuttings of these shoots, as they are already provided with rootlets. Combined with
Selaginellas, they produce a nice effect by the contrast of their broad, ovate lea\es with
the narrow, pinnate leaves of the other, an effect which is much enhanced by their pecu-
liar markings. In some these consist of beautiful, grayish-white streaks along the lines
of the nerves; in others these streaks are of a reddish tint; while in a few the streaks
are replaced by silvery blotches of irregular shapes. These plants should always be
watered with tepid rainwater, and by sprinkling or syringing only, and never by pouring,
cC as they insist upon a faithful imitation of the natural process. Ij

m

..p-t

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

(PETZ^KTUl.

^

ii

jj^ASILY cultivatL-a fVoni seed, the Petunias arc halt"-hardy perennial
' * plants, blooming the first season, and therefore usually grown as sum-
mer annuals. They run through many shades and markings, being
mottled, striped, clouded, feathered and in plain colors. The seeds are
very small, and should be sown on the sin-face and rubbed in with the
hand or be lightly covered. After the plants are up, they should be
out liberally, as each individual plant becomes quite large, and blooms the
better for having plenty of room. If the tip of the main branch is taken off, the
side branches will be more numerous, thereby giving a more liberal supply of
flowers. The double ones are more often grown from cuttings or slips than from
seeds. The seeds of double flowers in these plants are obtained by fructifying
the jjistils with the pollen from a single or semi-double flower; occasionally, however, this
process will jield single flowering plants. Petunias are grown in windows and conserva-
tories as well as gardens, especially the double varieties. A good soil for their growth
may be made up of equal parts of loam, leaf-mold, good manure and sand. Petunias
seed freely, and are largely self-propagating; but a few of the superior hybrids are liable
to prove defective in this respect; and, to insure success in raising these fancy kinds, the
simplest and best method is to invest a small amount in the seeds raised by some specialist.
They will appear earl\' in spring, but all the sooner if the beds he cleared of old flower-
stems and other rubbish. A few Petunia plants will in a short time cover an area of sev-
eral square yards, and they therefore furnish a cheap and easy way of floral ornamentation.
In thinning out, the strongest specimens should of course be retained, and left not less than
six inches apart. They bloom in the open air, in even northern latitudes, from June to
frost; and in warmer climes, or raised in hotbeds or under cold-frames, the season of bloom
is proportionably prolonged, being virtually all the year round.

I

petals

RILLIANT red or flame color, is the significance of the scientific
of this genus of plants, which belongs to the Polemonium
_ . The Phlox is a native American plant of many species,
of them pretty, but perhaps none so desirable in every respect
the P. Drummondii, so named in honor of the distinguished
Scottish collector, Drummond, who discovered it in Texas, in
Much transformed and improved by cultivation, it has been reintro-
duced into its native America, and is yearly becoming more popular, one well-
known florist cultivating from five to ten acres every year with this plant alone.
There are several varieties, and the number is yearly increasing, with flowers
varving in color from the deepest crimson to the purest white; and the colored
' svmmetricallv arranged around a common center, which itself invariably differs

CITLTIVATIOX AXD ANAI.rSTS OF PT.AXTS.

in color from them. The various markings make these flowers to rank with the most
heautilul treasures of the floral kingdom, while they are by no means deficient in fragrance.

As a low-spreading plant, the P. Drummondii is no contemptible rival to the far-famed
and longer-known Verbena. "It even possesses some attractions that give it a decided
advantage over that popular flower; for instance, it is less subject to insects and not so
dependent on moisture, though it is bv no means indifferent to attention in this respect.
As a plant for bedding out in large or small (|iKintities, it can scarcely be surpassed, as it
blooms early and continuously througli the whole summer and fall until frost. In large
masses it makes the most brilliant and at the same time the most delicate of flower-beds,
while the case with which it mav be cultivated should make it everybody's flower.

For early blooming it is best to sow the seed in a shallovi' box only two or three
inches ileep, placed where the seedlings can have some protection from the occasional
liiclemcncv of the weather in early spring. It is, however, hardy, and accommodating
enough to dispense with such attentions, absolutely requiring only to have its seed sown
in any garden soil, but the less attention the later the flowers. It will propagate itself*
fi-eely by scattering its own seed when fully ripe. To collect the seed of the P. Drum-
mondii, it is necessary to gather the pods when a little more than half ripe, or when they
have begun to turn a yellowish brown. They should then be spread out for four or five
days in some dry, airy place, to complete the ripening process. Where they are allowed
to sow themselves, the ground slicmld not be distui'bed in spring, requiring only to be
raked free of rubbish and overlaid with a mixture of iialf conmion earth and half manure,
to the depth of about an incb. This will sa\ e ronsideralile trouble in the matter of dig-
ging, but will be attended by some extra laboi- in thinning out. For those, however, who
wish to make the most of the Phloxes, the best method Is to sow the seed, as already
recommended, e\ ery year, and dig the soil, where they are to bloom, to a spade's deptli,
enriching It at the same time with the best manure at hanil. As house plants they are
not desirable, as thev sliow best In open beds or borders.

1

' EXDMIXATED Physianthns from two (ireek words signil"\
nature-flower, it Is dlfhcull to determine In what respect this plant Is
more entitled to tiiat name than a hundred others. The species most

f\^^ r;:,~ ^ '" cultivation Is denominated P. albicans, from the Latin albico^ I make
:£il«>'.;^^ f,^^ white, because of its abimdance of white flowers. It belongs to the
vv^' Nightshade family, and Is niuch grown as a house ornament. The

white Hciwers, w hicli are about an Ineh In diameter, grow In thick clusters in all
the axils, and emit a pleasant fragrance. They are much used on public occasions,
as at births, marriages and funerals, in baptismal bouquets, bridal wreaths, and
mortuary chaplets. The Physianthns is a good climber, covering a window-fraine
in a short time, yielding itself to the owner's wishes, and readily assuming such
shape as may be desired. Outdoors in warm latitudes the plants bloom freely throughout

r

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

the summer, growing into large bushes with moderate, care. They deHght in a rich soil
composed of, one part cow-manure, one loam, one leaf-mold and one sand. They also
delight in abundance of water during warm weather, and plenty of room for the great
masses of roots which they form. They are most usually propagated by slips of }oung
wood, but not infrequently by layering. This layering is of course peculiar, as these are
pot plants in northern latitudes, and the process is thus: Shoots from the parent plant
should be pegged down, near to a joint, in an adjoining pot full of the proper soil, Inil
in which nothing is growing; a little damp moss, or, wanting this, a little cotton-battiiiL;
kept moist and placed over the joint, will hasten the operation of rooting. Thev reciuir'.
but little rest, and will take it indifferently at any season; their accommodating habit
should not, however, deprive them of due attention in this respect, as thev will be all the
better for one or two months' rest. They will not flourish in less than fifty-five degrees,
and frost will entirely kill them. As they arc liable to be infested bv mealy bugs and
scales, they should be syringed at least once a day in the growing season.

Sfia

Primroses are very attractive flowers in all the varieties, but those
most frequent in amateur indoor cultivation are of the species dis-
tinguished as the Chinese. These bloom most freely during the latter
jjart of winter and through the spring, and even often into the suni-
mer. The leaves are soft and downy, sometimes nearly round, and
in other plants so deeply dentate as to be called fern-leaved. The
are like delicate porcelain, and appear in upright clusters, each being
with a plain or fringed margin. The colors are white, rose, aiul
\ arying shades through to crimson, with a greenish-yellow eye in the center.
They can be grown from the side-shoots (used as cuttings or slip--), which,
when low down on the plant, start the rudiments of roots even before removal.
The great trouble is that thev are apt to damp off or decay at the base before
rooting. The following method we have found successful. We take the cutting as soon
as severed and dust the entl with powdered charcoal; we then press it against the soil,
taking care not to embed it too deeply, and often prop it to keep it upright; the next pro-
cess is to cover it with a bell-glass or other glass shade, which is tilted slightly so as to
admit fresh air. We administei a spoonful of water about every two days. These Prim-
rose cuttings require a moist, still atmosphere when taking root, but should they show
signs of damping off, or becoming sickly, which is evidenced by the leaves becoming
vellow, a little drv sand, charcoal or brickdust supplied around the base will help them.
The\ do not thrive if too damp, as a softness or rot attacks the stalk, a fine plant often
looking quite healthv at the top when it is gone past redemption ju-t above the root. The
leaves, when torn and faded, should be broken off only halfway up the stem, as otherwise
the disease mentioned is sometimes produced. They should be kept in a shady situation,
and not watered much in summer, as that is their dormant season. When the central stalk

379

CVI.riVATIOX AXD AXAI.TSIS OF PLANTS.

becomes bare of leaves, the plant may be turned out of its pot and some of the lower
earth removed, the plant replaced and more soil added on the surface. When grown from
seeds, these should be sown on a soil of leaf-mold antl manure, the surface being rather
rough; a paper is then to be tied over the pot or box, and this paper only to be kept
dampened. They begin to germinate in about three weeks. When they have developed
two or three of their downy leaves, they may be given small pots to themselves, being
transferred to larger ones as they grow. For fall blooming they should be sown in
March or April ; for later flowering, during midsummer. It is better to carefully sow the
seeds some distance apart, so that in transplanting each can have soil around its root.

&OSE.

EYOND all cavil, the Rose is entitled to the preeminence it has ever
held as Queen of Flowers. The purity of her blossoms, the exquisite
texture of the satin or velvet petals, with their rich hues and delicate
tints, the half-pouting buds just untying their green ribbons, the per-
petual incense that arises from their opening lips, charm and enchant
us, subdue and conquer us, and we become most humble servitors at
her throne. There are two grand divisions of Roses recognized by fjorists and
amateurs, known as the Summer and the Perpetual Roses. The former bloom
once in summer, whence the name; and under this class are included what are
familiarly called June Roses, June Moss Roses and June Climbers, all of which,
together with sundry allied varieties, are hardy and easy of culture. The second
division are the Perpetual or Remontant Roses, under which are included Bengal, China,
Tea-scented, Bourbon, and Noisette Roses. All of these flower several times in the
season, and should be well trimmed back wherever they make a weak, spindling growth;
the strong, healthy shoots may also with advantage be cut back one-fifth of their length.
According to their habit of growth, Roses may be described as Climbers, Half-climbcrs,
Intermediates and Dwarfs; and these are found in each division of the Rose family. The
Climbers throw out long main branches, well supplied with shorter side branches that
produce the flowers, in which respect they are different from the others only in the matter
of length; the Half-climbers, roughly estimating, reach about one-half, the Intermediates
one-fourth, and the Dwarfs one-eighth, as high as the Climbers.

The planting of roses requires special care, and should be trusted to no slovenly hand.
They will grow in any ordinary soil, but the richer it is, the finer will be the bushes and
the more prolific the blossoms. The place where the plants are to be grown should be
dug to the depth of a foot and a half or more, the soil turned to one side, and a good
layer of broken brick, stone or coarse gravel placed in the bottom, overtopped by sods
with the grassy side turned downward, to secure drainage, where such precaution is
necessary; for while the rose likes plenty of water during its growing season, it much dis-
likes to have its roots standing in a pool, which soon shows its effects on foliage and flower.
Good garden loam should be mixed with well rotted manure until thoroughly incorporated,

.csSo

-^i

CULrURE OF FAVORITE PI.AXTS.

when the compound should be placed on top of the drainage read}' for receiving the plant,
the roots of which should be firmly embedded by pressing the earth about them. If the
soil is very light, it will be necessary to add clay or strong clay-loam to render it more
retentive of moisture. A liberal dressing of marl or blue-clay benefits all Roses. The
first few rain storms should be cai^efully watched to see if the soil settles, as it doubtless
will do somewhat into the rubbish placed for drainage, and where it does, the shrinkage
should be made good by adding more loam. Top-dressing every year, and the application
of liquid manure about twice a week, during summer, are beneficial.

It is only by rich feeding that the so-called Perpetual Roses will bloom more than
once a season in this our dry climate. These varieties should be pruned twice a year
— once in June, and again late in the fall; yet of course the pruning depends somewhat
on the latitude in which thev are grown. The old wood should be kept well cut out at
all times, especiallv in house roses. Pruning in spring hastens the starting of the buds,
and should not be done too early, as a sudden frost would at once destroy all prospect
of bloom.

Large trees absorb a great deal of nourishment from the soil, and consequently roses
should not be planted too close to them if perfection is expected. They like fresh soil
very much, and it frequently benefits pot Roses to wash the soil from their roots, giving
them a new supply; but not when budded and blooming, as of course they should not be
then disturbed. Roses demand deep, rich soil and plenty of sun and air, to keep them
free from disease. If Roses are budded or grafted on other roots than their own, as for
instance the brier, or strong-growing wild ones, all canes coming up from the roots should
be destroyed as soon as they are observed, as they would absorb much of the nutriment
necessary to the well-being of the fairer plant.

The Climbers and Half-climbers are generally propagated by layers, and the other
sorts by cuttings. These cuttings should have three or four joints of half-ripened wood,
and may be made to strike root in some shady corner outdoors during summer. The Tea
and China Roses, which are the most usually cultivated as house-plants, strike root well
if placed along the sides of pots where other plants are growing, as in such situations they
enjoy the required shade and heat. The blind shoots, that is, such as produce no flowers,
are the best for cuttings in all kinds of Rose plants, as they root well and send forth
strong, vigorous flower-bearing stems. If cultivated outside, the Summer Roses can be
planted in spring or autumn. In extreme latitudes the plants should be drawn together
and bound with straw or matting, and the climbers be laid on the ground and covered
with sod, sand or manure. When laying down for winter protection, a few handfuls of
soot thrown in among the shoots or on the crown is an excellent preventive against the
destructiveness of rats and mice. The small Tea Roses are the ones most frequently found
in window culture. The success in cultivation is varied, the heat of dry rooms making
them likely to be devoured by insects unless considerable care is exercised. They suffer
much if their roots become dry, and die outright if kept too wet. A good way to avoid
either extreme is, in potting to put some broken potsherds or charcoal in the bottom, fill-
ing in around the roots with rich soil; then place the pot into one a couple of sizes larger,
and fill the space between with moss or cotton-batting. This intermediate padding should
be kept always damp, thus affording the necessary moisture without excess.

3S1

CVLTIVATIOX AXD AXALVSIS OF FLAXTS.

^5

j^ \l()\'r; the rather fxtensi\e family of Saxifratjes, perhaps the most
iiily Liilti\ ated as a house plant is the S. sarmentosa, jjopularly
as the Beefsteak Saxifrajje, and sometimes as the Strawberry
um. Originally intnxiuced from China or Japan, its hardv
adapts it t" all places wwA all conditions of the atmosphere
iho\e the free/.inj; point. Its leases are \ cry nearly heart-shaped, or
approaching- the kidney shape; and are thickish, slightly hairy, of a bright green
on the upper surface, and a flesh or purplish-red color underneath, not unlike the
iegonias. The leaves resemble a small inverted saucer in shape and size, and are
)ften variegated along the edges, or reticulated throughout with peculiar salmon-
■olored markings, mixed with a yellowish-white. One of the varieties derives its
distinguishing name from this feature, being called tricolor. Most varieties of the Saxi-
frage are liable to run back, as florists sa\ , to the condition of the primitive plant, a plain
green on the upper surface of the lea\es. It is much culti\ated as a parlor ornament in
a hanging-basket in combination with others, or grown by itself as a specimen jjlant,
sending over the sides long strings of stems and leaves, which can be easily trained to
completely cover the pot. The method of propagation is ordinarily by the little tufts or
bunches of miniatine plants that grow upon the strings or runners, or upon the sides of
the old jjlant. These will strike root readily in any damp soil or sand, and indeed are
often provided with rootlets before being separated from a parent plant. They can also be
raised from seeds. These plants require an abundance of moisture, and a temperature of
not less" than sixty degrees. They can be easily kept green all the year round, if thought
desirable, by giving them water and a shady situation in a good, rich soil, although they
will accommodate themselves to a very poor one.

i "'"'

SCILLJl.

HIO and the States west and south thereof produce a species of
indigenous Scilla scientifically known as the S. Fraseri, and popu-
larly as Wild Hvacinth. The Scilla is a member of the Liliaceous
family, and has been long noted for its medicinal properties under
the familiar product of syrup of squills, which, however, is chieflv
produced from the allied genus, Urginea Scilla. As an indoor or
outdooi- plant there are few bulbs that gixe more satisfaction in proportion to
the care and time bestowed. For a small plant it is highly ornamental, and

s iiuu'h used t"<

)xes or si
requirin

m pii

■s, or beds and li
protection. Its

:is they
^ to blc

outdoors, they

. little

ers, half an inch to an inch in diameter, are
St with the surrounding foliage. Among the
ladden their owners at the first tlisapj)earance
382

■^^^t

CULTLRE OF FAVORITE PLAXTS.

of frost, being often seen piercing
soil, but will not disdain to grow
dice to the strength and beauty ol
\ idcd only that it be not stagnant.

'h the

te-lying snow.
c\ en a poor one, though of
eaf and Hower.' The more
In outdoor growth thev niai

like

good, rich

The_

■ourse with some preju-
moisture the better, pro-
ly be left undisturbed for
\ears; and such anniurls as jSIignonettes, Petunias and the like, may be sown in the same
lieds while the Scillas are having their season of rest throughout the whole summer.
They are self-propagating by the outgrowth of their tubers, or by their ripened seeds, if
tiu- soil be not too much disturbed; and can of course be propagated by the cultivator in
line same way. The effect of a mass of their flowers blooming in the early spring amidst
the belated snow is picturesquely beautiful; they will bloom all the earlier for having been
planted in some quiet, sheltered nook. 'I'he Inillis can be taken up and cared for as in the
Crocus, but it is really of no advantage, as thev \\ill take care of themselves and do better

SK I) r M .

OMMOXLY known by the name of \\'all-]5e]5per, or Pepper-moss,
the Sedum acre is a low -growing, thick-lea\ ed plant of the Orpine
family. The Sedum Sieboldii is another species of a higher growth,
brought from Japan by the eminent traveler and Japanese explorer.
Dr. P. F. Von Siebold. Both are favorite rock plants, and extensively
cultivated in w indow s as a\ ell as for rock work, being of a hardy
requiring hut little care. The S. acre is much used for edgings or
and withstands the frost of e\en our northern latitudes. Spreading
dly along the ground, and rising to a height of from one to two inches, it
resembles a carpeting of moss, but surpasses these plants in bearing a very con-
siderable number of bright-yellow flowers during the season of bloom. Some
rocky, barren districts in Europe are rendered quite picturesque by the large
■ the Sedum that grow in the Assures and on the ledges. The S. Sieboldii is a
. w ell as a larger plant than the S. acre, and its peculiar growth in pot culture ren-
ders it a more universal favorite. Its stems gracefully droop over the edge of the pot to
a length of from nine to fifteen inches, sending out a cluster of three roundish leaves at
inter\als about an inch apart along the whole length, and producing a terminal cluster of
greenish-white flowers to each stem. There are some varieties v\ ith \ery prettily varie-
gated lca\ OS, and some w ith the leaves alnicsl entirely w bile an.! ha\ ing a purplish fringe

ent an appeaiance of wax leaves.
le nil n]aiiine, li<|ui(l or otherwise.
; fill- Iw.j 111 thrri- nionths; and
1 length, aflrr the manner of the
.V dixisicns ,,r the old plant. A
.r large-leaved, which is rapidly
rallv of a variegated tolia-e, it

pretti

ed-e

nul riesh

Anvsandv

s.iil will grow the Sedums w

The S. .SI

■iH.l.lil will be the better fo

ran be pro

)aL;aled from cuttings of ;di

Cactus; w

lile the S. acre is generally

later and i

lore h;irdv variety is the S.

nsnig into

favor. Heiiig easy of cult

commends

Itself as a special favorite fo

iph.V

CULTIVATION AND ANALVSIS OF PLANTS.

,^l0LF'S FOOT is the significance of the name Lycopodium, the
scientific title of the family to which this genus Selaginella belongs.
The faniil\ is commonly called Club Moss, and this genus West-
^' Intlia Moss, the finest specimens having been imported into Europe
■^fiom those legions. Though scientifically ranked with the Mosses,
they are in reality a sort of intervening group or connecting link between
the Mosies and the Ferns. Many of the species rise to no inconsiderable
' ;ht .iiul look much more like Ferns than mosses; ranging all the way from
ail inch to two feet. The S. deusa, which is among the low-growing species,
forms a dense mass of minute Fern-like foliage resembling a thickly-wooded
forest in miniature. There are at least twenty species in common indoor culti-
vation, and easy to be procured from the florists. The chief use made of the
Selaginellas is in Wardian cases, or as forming a pleasant topping for hanging-baskets,
boxes and the like. They delight in abundant moisture and a high temperature, and will
grow well in a common sitting-room in some shady nook, where the atmosphere is gen-
ally still and moist. They are propagated by cuttings or divisions, but more easily by the
latter method. One part chopped moss, one peat-earth, and one sandy loam, with a few
pieces of charcoal, will form an excellent compost for their growth. They are easily kept
green all the year round by a little extra attention in the matter of watering.

SMILJlX.

ARELY has any climbing vine taken such hold of the popular heart
for decorative purposes as has this delicate, twining, bright-leaved
beauty. Thousands of yards are used every year for decorations on
all occasions, both joyous and sad. It is a native of the Cape of
Good Hope, and constitutes an independent order of plants nearly
allied to the Lilies. The root is formed by numerous tubers united
v^n, from which the vines spring. A fertile sandy soil is the best
or its culture, and while in an active or growing state it should have
supply of water, which might be occasionally interchanged with
nure. The vine itself resembles a fine cord following a zig-zag course
illow herring-bone stitch, at each angle or joint of which there is
a glossy leaf of oval shape, with veins running lengthwise, the effect of which is
to give it a rather unique appearance. After it has started, small twine must be
supplied for a support, except it be left to fall as it pleases. The flowers, which in this
plant are a secondary consideration, are a greenish-white, and fragrant. The vines are
used in making floral arches in the house, or in the garden in a sheltered nook, for forming
festoons and wreathing around baskets. They are propagated by division of the roots

3S4

r

CUI.TIRE OF FAVORITE PLANTS.

and from seeds. For parlor culture it is best to secure good, healthy plants that are just
about to start into leaf; as, if too far advanced in growth when removed, they are ver}-
liable to suffer from the change of situation unless in the hands of some one thoroughly
skilled in their management. They are much helped by a daily syringing of the leaves,
<ir, if inaccessible, the free use of a feather duster is a partial substitute. When raising
the Smilax from the seed, the amateur must wait at least two years for his plant, though
skilled cultivators have developed it in one year. The time for planting is in October,
though greenhouse-men manage to keep two sets — one for summer and one for winter
growth, planting a second time in midwinter. It does not require a \ery sunnv place,
and when at rest should have but little water until the vines begin to start. It needs
frequent syringings to repel the red spider, its most formidable and destructive enemy.

4^f3

.S T E FHA^ 2\^C) T T S.

ADAGASC AR is the native home of the Stephanotis floribunda,
a lovely plant of the Milkweed family. It is called Stephanotis
fiom two Greek words denoting crown and ear, because of the
lesemblance in the shape of the anther, the crown of the stamen,
to the human ear; and floribunda, from the wealth of its bloom.
^ Most of the Milkweed family are not climbers, but the Stephanotis,

the Hoya and some others, are exceptions. The flowers are from
one to two inches long, with a waxen, pearly appearance, and grow in clusters
around the stems of the axils, and being also very fragrant and of rather a
J handsome shape, they are of course much used for bouquets and floral decora-
tions. The leaves are thick, fleshy and waxy, with a dark-green midrib, and
are themselves a source of much beauty. The Stephanotis, though commonly
ranked with hothouse plants, is easily cultivated in a parlor, and will flourish well through-
out the winter if kept clean, supplied with liquid manure and tepid rainwater, and kept
in an atmosphere not less than sixty-five degrees. About the beginning of summec it
should be moved outdoors and placed, with or without its pot, in some partially-shaded
bed or border, to enjoy a needed rest, and be moved back late in August or early in Sep-
tember to where it is designed to bloom. It can be propagated from leaves in the manner
described under Hoyas, the stem end being inserted in sand to the depth of about half an
inch. The plants of this genus are subject to scales and what are called cotton-bugs,
which should be v\'iped off with a sponge in open places, and rubbed off with a half-worn
tooth brush in the axils; but the regular syringing will ordinarily prevent their appear-
ance. Although natives of a hot climate, they are liable to be scorched b}' intense heat
through glass, and hence should be withdrawn from the glare of the sun. Perhaps,
because being by nature dingers to something larger than themselves, a protecting
shadow has become indispensable. The soil used is common peat earth, with a slight
admixture of manure and sand to insure the necessary freedom from stagnant moisture.

"^^B

■VL'rn'ATiox

r '

IRE-POKER plant i.^ the familiar name ot' what is scientitically
known as the Tritoma uvaria. Tiitoma signilies thrice-cut, in the
lST~jf V* original Greek, and is supposed to represent the three sharp edges ot"
the leaf, namely, the two margins and the keel ; and uvaria, from the
Latin, denotes the not very close resemblance of its raceme of flowers
I'lj- to a bunch of grapes. At a distance, the spike-like raceme looks more
ike a red-hot poker (whence its very expressive nickname), and, with its
ipporting stalk rises to a height of from two to four feet, nearly one-half being
covered with the bloom. The flowers at their first appearance are a bright red,
and change through all the shades of that color down to a light yellow, in which
they continue the best part of the season. They are conspicuous at quite a dis-
tance, and never fail to attract attention by their peculiar manner of growth; near at hand
they are no less striking by the oftensiveness of their smell. The leaves, unlike those of
most of the other Liliaceous plants, are narrow and grass-like, looking very much like a
large tuft of dark-green pampas-grass; but they make up in numbers for what they lack
in width. The Tritomas are often set out as ornamental plants in landscapes, lawns and
gardens; but are scarcely ever introduced into the parlor or displayed in the window.
This is another of those Cape of Good Hope buUis that contribute so largely to the
diversification of our Flora; and by its hardy habit is easily cared for even in our colder
northern latitudes. Placed in a box, with a slight covering of earth to protect the roots,
and an equally light covering of hay or straw for the head, it will vur\ i\(.- any ordinary
winter in a common cellar; and can be again planted early in spring as socm as all danger
of the heavier frosts has disappeared. The Tritoma will flourish with the same soil and
treatment as other Liliaceous plants; and may be propagated in the manner described
under the head " Lily."

^'

TROP^OLZ-M.

^^ASTURTIUM, from the Latin, meaning nose-twisted, is perhaps
a more significant name for this genus of plants than the one given
^\v '-.'^ it in science. It was probably intended to express by that word
V5Ap^a\i^ ' the pungent odor; while the scientific name Tropffiolum, from the
v"^-^ ^'^^ Greek tropceon, a trophy, seems to have no special application,

xWi\ ^^ unless it be because of the shield-like shape of the leaves; and
perhaps an observable, though not very striking, resemblance between the
flower and an inverted helmet. In ancient Greece, trophies raised on the field
of battle were composed largely of captured shields and helmets. It is nick-
named Indian Cress on account of its sharp, pungent taste and its occasional
use as a salad. The beauty of the flowers and leaves make it an excellent
adornment for fences and rock work, while the fresh leaves may be used as a table vege-
table, possessing marked anti-scorbutic properties. The T. Lobbianum, so called after Mr.

3S6

±\

r

CVLTVRE OF FAVORITE PLAXTS.

Lobb, a distinguished English collector, and the T. peregrinum, named from its ram-
bling propensities, are perhaps the choicest and most popular species for conservatory, par-
lor or window culture. In greenhouses they are grown abundantly, being trained along
the rafters, where their brilliant blossoms illuminate the whole house, giving an abundant
supply of floral gems for bouquets and decorative purposes. The Tom Thumb or dwarf
bushy species are perhaps the best for hanging-baskets. The varieties in color are quite
numerous, and the velvety texture of the flowers is charming, while the odor somewhat
resembles the aromatic Cinnamon. When grown in quantities the seeds are gathered for
pickles, and are used the same as capers. There are several very delicate tuberous varie-
ties, differing in blossom fiom the ordinary kind, and only retaining their foliage a part
of the year. They are adapted to pot culture, and bloom during April and May, after-
ward requiring plenty of sun or heat to ripen the roots; as the vines begin to die away,
water should be gradually withheld. The pots should be turned on their sides, and kept
dry until autumn, when they begin to start vines again. Among the choice species are
the Trop^olum azureum, with an azure-colored flower; T. Jarrattii, yellow and scarlet,
blooming abundantly; T. speciosum, scarlet; T. tricolorum, scarlet, yellow and black;
and several others. All the Tropaeolums, to grow well, must have plenty of moisture, a
soil rather poor than otherwise, and frequent sprinklings to keep off" the red spider.

TJ7BER OSE.

tfli

XDER this name is included a genus of herbaceous plants not at

■l " all allied to the Roses, as is often supposed merely because of the

identity of the final syllable. The name really springs from the

tuberous character of the roots; and the scientific name, Polianthus,

Is also rather confusing, as it lacks distinctive expression, meaning

City-flower.' It belongs to the Amaryllis family, and is chiefly cultivated

for its fragrant flowers, which are of a pale sulphury-white color. The

tubers of this odoriferous plant may be kept dormant for a long time in any

dry, airy, cool place, but must be protected from frost. For earlj' blooming

they can be planted from January to March indoors; for later growth, at any

time until June. Whenever the tubers show signs of growth, they should be

planted at once in pot, box or bed where they are to bloom. Of course it will be

necessary in winter to give them shelter in conservatory, greenhouse or elsewhere, with

plenty of warmth and light. Neither as tuber or plant can they be touched by frost with

impunity. In planting, as in all similar cases, the small tubers are best taken off" and set

in separate places. These will bloom in about two years if not neglected. A rich, loamy

soil having been provided, a few pieces of broken crockery are placed over the hole of a

six-inch pot, with the addition of a little moss if at hand, and the earth filled in to within

about half an inch of the top, so as to cover the tuber about two thirds of its own length.

When all danger of frost is over, they can be turned out of their pots into the border, or

with them placed in the soil, to be brought into the house later if desired, when in bloom.

^fe' — '■ ^^^

I

Ci'LT/\A77<>\ A.\J) A.\AL)\S/S OF PAAXTS.

When the stalks begin to run up, stakes or rods should be driven into the ground near
them, and the plants secured against the wind. In or out of doors they require an average
heat of about sixty degrees, and should therefore be housed early enough not to be touched
with frost. In their season of rest the temperature may be reduced to forty, but thfcy are
all the better for fifty degrees of heat and no stagnant moisture. Being evergreen in the
native state, it is conjectured by some that the Tuberose could be sufficiently rested with-
out allowing its k-a\cs to die; :ni(l miuiu Horists ha\ e tiieni in flower nearly all the year
round.

hen then- cultn ation tan-ly

.■ enjoyed the distinction of

le endeavoi- to piocure some

ar in the past, will return to

entirely lose tlieir popularity.

s the grasses begin to clothe

iroad much more than in tliis

re as there. There are special

f Europe every year, which cir-

their cultivation, and is itself a

u\as tents for their Tulip beds,

stoi-m. and in many ways mani-

)\\ -tlowers are known under the

The latter are often watcheil

of the otlier tlivisious. If

the event transpires faMiralilx , and a remarkahh iniii|ue specimen is |)i(iduced. it is seldom

sold for less than one hinidird (lollais.

Tulips will grow in almost any soil unless there is too much moisture. The bulbs
should be planted about six inches apart and covered up to the depth of four inches. The
best season for planting is in October. .\s a protection against severe frost, a layer of
leaves about six inches deep, with a foot of stable manure added, will be effective. This
covering should of course be removed early in spring. In planting, the usual underlying
handful of sand will be found, as a protection against rot, as ser\iceable to Tulip bulbs as
to any others. AtUr the flowers and leaves have d\vd down, the Imlbs sh.iuld be taken up

in cultivation, viz.: the Dutch, or Van Thol, the Oriental, and the Parrot. To secure a
pleasing continuity of flowers, the readiest methotl is to set bulbs of each of these. The
Van Thols bloom in March and April, the Parrots later, and the Orientals last, terminat-
ing with June. The \'an Thols or Dwarf Tulips are usually planted for window or
greenhouse cultuie; the others aie not so well adapted to such pm-poses.

3SS
^1^-

CULTURE OF FAVORITE PI.AXTS.

S»r^A

^^JiJRBEN'A

?ERBENA is a HowcT to which \vc- arc perhaps more indebted for
the gaiety of our gardens than to any other; and is a simple, procuni-
■nt plant from Buenos Ayres. For large beds nothing can equal
it, as with judicious training a few plants can be made to cover con-
siderable surface. The beds appear to the best advantage when cut
<iirectly in the lawn or grass, as the surrounding green heightens the
effect of the brilliant colors by the strong' contrast. Although the
will L;rnw in almost any soil, lo tiiiixe well it should have that most
t, which is aliout t\\ o pai'ts loam, the same quantity of leaf-mold
•o, and one part good sand. Having sci-urcd plants of such colors as
harmonize well, let there be made a ca\ it\ ihc si/c of the pot they are in,
the ball be placed within it, and the soil pressed close around, the plants being
arranged two feet apart each way. The branches are then to be laid entirely flat to the
ground, and pinned down, so that they will root at the joints, for which purpose broom-
splints doubled, forked sticks, or, what would be still better, the common wire hairpin,
could lie used, tliis treatment to he continued as long as the branches extend themselves.
It would be an aihantage to pinch oft" the early buds until the plants are well established,
the future bloom being sufficient compensation. Watering freely at first, secures good
leafage, which aflfords much protection in case of drouth. .Seedlings, although they can lie
started in the open air with ease, give earlier bloom if sown in a box in the house or hotbed.
These plants are also most excellent for window boxes and verandas having a sunny
exposure. In pot culture, for success, they must be kept in a growing state continually to
insure health and thrift. Cuttings rnake better plants than the old ones, and should coni-
])rise about three joints of the young growth. They can be rooted in wet sand, and even
in water; in either ease they should be potted as soon as rooting is assured.

^^ TO I. JET.

\R{IELY used for bouquets and floral decorations, Violets, as distin-
giMshed from the favorite species called Pansy (already spoken of),
ni. generally cultivated in four or five varieties, such as the Neapoli-
tan or Italian, the English, the Russian, etc., and are highly valued
h\ florists for winter decorations. For window culture they are best
giown in a box, though with extra attention in the way of water and
niliness they will grow well in pots. They all require a rich, sandy loam,
and a shad\ situation. In moist climates they are much used in borders or for
the edgmgs of walks. The flowers are small and simple, and not at all to be
compnied with the Pansy, though they have a very fine odor of their own,
which makes them verv acceptable in the absence of that transcendent favorite,
irlv summer the plants, which grow in lunichcs, should be set out, about a foot

Jl :.^

CULTIVATION AXD AXALVSIS OF PLANTS.

apart, in some quiet, sheltered place, the weeds and grass kept well subdued, and a lib-
eral supply of water given when required. It will be of great advantage to mulch them
with leaf-mold, sawdust or manure, according to circumstances, filling up the interstices
between the plants, and completely covering the soil to the depth of two or three inches.
As soon as frost makes its appearance, frames should be set over the beds and covered
with glazed sashes, and in cold latitudes these frames should be banked with stable
manure. In extremely cold weather the sashes will require to be covered with mats or
shutters, which should be made close-fitting and weatherproof. Thus protected, they will
bloom early in spring, otherwise the flowers will come later, or not at all. The extia
labor and expense will be recompensed by the earlier flowering of these plants; and the
frames, sashes, mats and shutters can be used for many other less hardy plants after having
done service for the Violets. In warm climates these precautions are of course unneces-
sary, as there they will bloom all the year round if desired. Indoors, the flowers begin
to appear in autumn, and continue to bloom through the winter and spring.

IL

\NDSOME, hardy and accommodating, the Weigela, so called in
lienor of the German botanist, Weigel, is a desirable shrub of the
Bignonia family. The original species, introduced from China, .was
designated W. rosea, because of its rose-colored flowers. It is one
of the prettiest of the shrubs that have, through the zeal of collectors
w ithni the last fifty years, been made to enrich the Flora of Europe and
^ America. The large, trumpet-shaped flowers, appearing generally in
jpiS^T^ p.uis at the axils on almost every stem, add much to the beauty of the plants,
' ^\f^ while the foliage admirably supports by its density and abundance the graceful
effect. One new variety, called the W. variegata, will often have some leaves
entirely white, others green, and still others mixed, all in the same plant.
Another variety, the W. amabilis, will flower from May to October, surpass-
riegata and rosea, whose blooming is confined to the earlier months. May and
June; it also is superior to them in size of leaf. Small specimens of any of the Weigelas
may be grown in the parlor, and being hardier than most house plants, are easily taken
care of. They should have a season of rest, by withholding water, for one or two months
in the early fall, to ripen their wood before being transferred to the house for winter
blooming. The same course can be adopted to advantage with those which are to be
left out all winter, for if watered freely to the close of the season, the frost would find
many green shoots, through which it would seriously damage the whole plant. Being
hearty feeders, they luxuriate in abundance of rich, liquid manure during the flowering
season, in or out of doors; and the soil in which they grow can scarcely be made too rich.
During hot, dry weather, they demand a free use of the watering pot. They can be best
propagated by layering or side-shoots; by cuttings, also, if taken whi
recn, but these require to be carefully watered and protected
390

the

fresh and

the shoots are
om the winds.

<^i

Jlpglprtpb {IBpflufips.

k

ECHANICAL imitation of our predecessors in tlie choice
and culture of favorite plants, for the most part borrowed
from abroad, is not worthy of our age or country. Powers
of independent observation should be cultivated by amateur
culturists, as nothing contributes so much to their enjo}--
ment as what they disco\er for themselves. More espe-
cially is this applicable to the study of indigenous plants,
so frequently neglected by persons who pride themselves
upon their knowledge of the common exotics. Every
climate is esjDecially adapted to the growth of certain kinds
Z6 ^ij^SHSfP- °^ plants, which propagate themselves naturally in their

-d{ (^ I^^^^SIkn. proper habitat, with little or no effort or labor on the part of

the cultivator. A knowledge of these circumstances will
.ndtr easv the covering up of blemishes in the landsciipe, or unsightly
\ f/^ ^ pitches in a yard, lawn or garden. It is a fact not creditable to our exercise
-f ff "" *=^ of mdependent judgment or natural taste, that very many of the native Ameri-
\ can ^^ ild flowers find a cordial welcome in the gardens of the European
aiistociacy, while denied the smallest attention in their own home, republican
Ameiica. This is entirely wrong, as many desolate-looking homesteads could
be made quite cheerful by the presence of these neglected beauties. With
\ei\ little trouble, expense or attention, these wild flowers could in man)'
' ^J' instances be made to rival or eclipse the imported favorites. Many species
of ^vlld intn e shiubs and plants are being pushed out of existence by the agricultural
needs or heedless unconcern of our advancing civilization, and like their human anti-
types and cotemporaries, the Indians, bid fair to be entirely overwhelmed and rooted
out, before many generations, if not rescued by timely interference. Possessing an indige-
nous Flora of great intrinsic beaut}-, no specimen that survives former neglect should
be allowed to perish bv the more enlightened flower-lovers of today. Nor should this
work of preservation be left to directors of botanical gardens, professional florists and
enterprising seedsmen; but all lo\ers of their country who cherish a friendly interest for
plants should labor in this neglected vineyard, assured of a pleasant, if not an enriching,
reward. Wild flowers are nature's jewels in emerald settings.

CCLTIVATruX A.XV AA'ALTSIS OF PLANTS.

CHOICE NATIVE WILD FLOWERS.

Among the most widely-spread and attractive of native wild Howeis are tlie tbllowin<i,
selected from an almost innumerable multitiuie of like beauties.

Anemone neiuorosa, or Wind-flower of the Woods, is a pretty, low-growing plant, adapted to any
shady border or neglected corner in a garden, or where most other plants will refuse to grow. It is an
early bloomer, shooting up its pinkish-white flower before the frost is fairly out of the ground. There
are six species of the Anemone indigenous to the United .States, and some imported ones are also culti-
vated. (See A. coronaria, p. i8.)

Uyularia, or Bellwort, is one of the prettie>t of tlie native Lilies, and blooms about as early as the
Anemone. It comprises four well-known s]uiiv-, \ i/,. : t". yraiuliflora, U. perfoliata, U. sessiliflora and
U. flava, any of which is worthy of a ]ihKe in llic clioiixst iiKloor or outdoor collection.

ErythrOIliuiU, or Dogtooth Mokt — which, by the way, is not a Violet, but a Lily — is also a very
pretty low-growing wild flower, which blooms about the same time as the foregoing; it has blotclicd
leaves, and its lily-like flowers gracefully droop and recurve their petals, as in the Fuchsia, bi;t in open
sunlight become wheel-shaped. There are four species of this plant which are indigenous in our Aniei-
ican woods, all pretty, and destined to become general fa\ orites for parlor or garden, as they already aie
in Europe.

Dodecatheon Meadia, or Shooting Star — sometimes called the American Cowslip, and not unfre-
qiiently in Illinois the Prairie Pointer — is one of our neglected prairie-flowers worthy of a better fate.
Floweiing quite early, and needing but a damp place in any common soil in or out of doors, it fully
equals the Cyclamen in the color, form and fragrance of its blossoms.

Tradescantia Virginiea, or Spiderwort, is already described (p. 2S1), to which may be .-idded that it
will flourish with little attention, in any soil, in or out of doors, requiring only plenty of sunlight and
water.

Coreopsis, or Tickseed, already described (p. 94), is as easily grow n as any of the foregoing wild
flowers, but requires plenty of room to develop its best specimens.

Asclepias tuberosa, or Butterfly Weed — sometimes called Pleurisy Root — is a very fine ornamental
plant that grows wild on most sandy or gravely soils throughout the country, awaiting the notice of flori-
culturists. In a few instances it has been transferred to gardens with good effect, and will no doubt one
ilay be extensively cultivated in and out of doors, as its perennial roots, besides its native attractiveness,
will specially recommend it.

Cassia Chamsecrista, literally signifying Dwarf-crested Cassia, is familiarly called Partridge Pea,
because of an alleged partiality of the partridge for its seed. When not in flo\ver it so closely resembles
the Mimosa, or Sensitive Plant, as to be sometimes mistaken for it; and as it evinces a degree of sensi-
tiveness, by closing on the approach of rain or night, this'inistake is not inexcusable. But thev are essen-
tially different, as the Cassia has a very bright, showy, large, yellow flower, while the flower of the
Mimosa is very insignificant. The Cassia has already been introduced into the seedsmen's catalogues,
and is of course forevermore rescued from oblivion. It is adapted to indoor or outdoor purposes, and
those who have experimented with it prefer to raise the seedlings under glass.

Liatris, or Blazing Star of our western prairies, is a very fine, showy plant for outdoor cultivation.
There are at least ten species indigenous to the United States, all of them pretty, desirable, and easily
cultivated. Their bright, purple-red flower-spikes constitute their chief attraction.

Gentiana crinita, or Fringed Gentian, so graphically described by our great American poet, William
Cullen Bryant, is deserving of all the eflFort and expense that may be necessary to introduce it into cultiva-
tion. It now grows naturally in moist, sandv places, and those who seek to cultivate it should endeavor-
to prepare similar surroundings. There is quite a number of other species of the Gentian, all of them
hardy, interesting and worthy of attention. Many of these will undoubtedly prove to be very acceptable
house plants, as well as g.irden ornaments, at no very distant day.

Asters, or Starworts, are a numerous family of extremely pretty plants, there being no less than sixty

ive American species, all of which are verv .admirable for the abundance and beauty of their flowers. |

■ Li^_t'J

^

NEGLECTED BEACT/EH.

M
^i

Sometimes a single plant will attract great attention on account of the dense masses of tiowers with which
it is covered. The most common and perhaps the most desirable species are the A, multiflorus, just
alluded to, generally abounding in white flowers; the A. grandiflorus, where the flowers are somewhat
larger and usually purple, with a yellow eye; and the A. cyaneus, with lanceolate leaves and large blue
flowers; this last is perhaps the handsomest of nil the Asters. It is clear that these plants may be easily
cultivated here in their native habitat, when ^o many h:nc been (.■ulti\ atcd in Europe as exotics. They
will grow in any soil, providing it is artificially di- nalurally kcjrt nioi-t. Some species grow too large for
indoor culture, but the smallest plants of the .\. multirtoja would certainly prove very delightful house
plants, as their mild fragrance, abund:uit bloom and comparative indiliVrence to attention could not fail to
give satisfaction.

The wild plants here selected will constitute a nice collection in themselves, and have
been chosen because of their general excellence, and also becau.se they will supply a
continuous bloom, in about the order in which they ha\e been named, from early spring
until early frost. But time antl space would fail us to enumerate half the beautiful wild
plants that adorn our woods, prairies, movmtain slopes and shaded \ alle\ s, and the little
that has been said is rather by way of suggestion than elaborate treatment.

^

' j^ OR house decoration nothing is finer than ;i gootl climher, anil the
Ws^A. ""'"^^'' o'^ varieties that can be grown around a window frame or
I^TTi ' doorway, over a mantelpiece, or to entwine a picture, is so great that
it is difficult to make a choice. And even in our northern latitudes
anybody who is rich enough to afford a fire during the night may
I fy indulge in a choice climbing plant. The investment of a few cents in such
seeds will furnish, with little care, a beautiful framework of foliage and flowers
for a whole winter. The wealthy may indulge in an endless variety of pretty
climbers, native and exotic, but every one may have one or more of the native
kinds, which scarcely fall behind the more expensive imported beauties. Some
are cultivated for the richness and abundance of their foliage, which is, moreover,
in a few varieties, remarkably variegated; others for their curiously-shaped flowers —
like a bell, finger, or trumpet — which are also often strikingly' marked in various colors.

There is a pleasure in daily watching a plant climb, creep, or twine itself around the
things near it. The rapid growth of many of them is truly wonderful, some making no
less than six inches in a single day. The seeming intelligence with which they appear to
feel and reach out for supports is one of the inost striking phenomena of plant life. The
adjusted proportion with which they push out a flower here and a bunch of leaves there,
is truly artistic, being carried on under the guidance of that greatest of all artists, Mother
Nature.

The whole collection here loosely designated Climbing Plants, may more properly be
divided into Climbing, Twining, Creeping and Trailing Plants, from each of \\ hich
classes a few choice examples are subjoined.

393

Sfe,

CVI.riVATIOX AXD AXALVSIS OF PLAXTS.

CLIMBERS.
Climbers proper are such as send out coiled tendrils, an inch or more in length, by
which thej- lay hold of either projection or crevice, to sustain themselves as they climb.
They, however, sometimes dispense with these tendrils when a natural support for the
main stems has been already attained; as, for instance, when a long shoot has reached the
summit of a house, tree, or other horizontal or nearly horizontal surface. Among them
the most deservedly popular are perhaps the following:

Passiflora Fordii. — Ford's Passion-flower, so called in honor of a celebrated English florist of that
name, is one of the prettiest and every way most desirable of the true climbers, being larger than the
older type, P. coerulea (p. 233), and more easily cultivated. It is preeminently a parlor plant, surpassing
anything of the kind that has been introduced for years; it -w-ill, however, like most climbers, do well
outdoors from early summer until frost. The very remarkable shape and appearance of the blossom,
from which the generic name Passion-flower is derived, is still more conspicuously beautiful and well-
marked in this variety, which has most probably been hybridized from the old P. coerulea and the later P.
trifasciata.

Clematis virgilliaiia. The common Wild Virgin's Bower is known scientifically by this name, and
it is among the finest of outdoor climbers, being well adapted to conceal unsightly objects in a lawn, yard
or garden. (See "Deformities Concealed," page 333.) It is covered with large clusters of white flowers
in July and August, which are followed by a crop of the large, plumose, grayish tufts that envelop tlie
seeds, making the plant appear as if short wool-clippings had been spread all over it, thus constituting
a very singular object in a collection.

Clematis Sieboldii, originating in Japan and introduced thence by the well-known traveler whose
name it bears, has very large blossoms of an azurc-lilue color, not unlike those of the Passion-flower. It
is a rapid grower, and flowers constantly indoors, and, in tropical climates, out of doors.

Clematis Jackmanni, so called fi-om a florist of that name, is a hybrid from the C. Sieboldii and
some other species of Clematis. It has a very large flower of a purplish-blue color, often fi\e or six
inches in width. The flowers have unusually long footstalks; hence they stand away from the stems
and leaves, giving the plant quite a graceful and unique appearance.

Clematis John Gonld Veitch, or '• Double Blue Clematis," is perhaps the climax of beauty and
grace in the Clematis tribe. The flowers are not only double and of a fine azurehlue, but they last
longer than the others, often remaining for several weeks; and a well-grown plant sometimes gives the
appearance of a string of blue balls, reaching from the base to the summit.

There are perhaps not less than forty other species or varieties of the beautiful Clem-
atises, all in cultivation, which may be procured from any first-class florist.

Cobaea SCandens, or Climbing Cobjea, is an extremely handsome climbing plant, with large, pinnate
leaves, producing a dark-purple flower not unlike that of the Foxglove in shape, and blooms ail summer
out of doors. Indoois it will bloom throughout the winter. There is a variegated sort which has the
added attraction of \arying colors in the leafage, sometimes the leaflets on one leafstalk being entirely
white, while those on the next will be the usual green.

EccremocarpilS scaber, literally Rough Hanging-fruit, is a very beautiful climber; its leaves resem-
ble some of the Ferns or the Meadow Rue, and it has a flower which is a dull red on the top,-and a light
yellow at the bottom. The plant grows rapidly in a warm atinosphere, in or our of doors.

Cucnrbitacese, or Gourd Family, comprise many beautiful climbers (see Lagenaria vulgaris, p. 147:
Echinocystis lobata, p. 333). They are hisjlily ornamental both in fruit and foli.age, and admirably adapted
to hiding unsightly places.

TWINERS.

Under this term are inchided such plants as do not shoot out tendrils like the climbers
proper, hut wuid or twine their stems or leaves arounil supports as they motnit upward.

.394

Ipomcea, or Morning Glory, is perhaps the best known of twining plants, and is entirely worthy of
its great popularity. Its habit of growth is very peculiar: At first it sends forth two curiously -shaped
seed-leaves, quite different from the aftergrowth. Between these two leaves springs a shoot with a small,
heart-shaped leaf, which grows to a relatively large size ; for when first noticed it is like a pin's head, and in
a few days it reaches a diameter of three or four inches. The shoot mounts higher, throwing these broad
leaves to either side, and twines around any projection that offers, as if gifted with intelligence. In time
a trumpet-shaped flower appears at the axil, opening most generally in early morning, whence its
common name; and, perishing before night, is not infrequently replaced by other flowers, sometimes to
the number of eight or ten, continuously, on the same axil.

Qnailioclit vulgaris, or Cypress Vine, is already described, page 171.

Calystegia sepiuni, or Bracted Bindweed of the Hedges, is a twining plant often found by the road-
sides of our coimtry, east and south of the Mississippi, and is a very fine plant, well adapted to house
culture. A double variety of it is much used by the florists for hanging-baskets and for training into
window-frames in or out of doors. The roots being perennial, it can be kept from year to year undis-
turbed in the same place, to yield its annual wealth of leaves and flowers as a cheap embellishment to our
homes. The ease with which it may be secured, as well as cultivated, should not be allowed to depreciate
its value in the estimation of lovers of flowers. Should the vine at any time become unsightly, the whole
may be pruned down to the ground, when it will make a new. healthy start, if in a warm atmosphere and
duly refreshed alternately with liquid manure and water.

Bonssingailltia baselloides, or Madeira Vine. This is another cheap and easily procurable twiner,
requiring but little care in the development of its beauties. It will grow thirty feet long, and spread
laterally as much more, in one season, under favorable circumstances. As the plants grow larger they
need more root-room, and therefore require not infrequently to be transferred to larger pots several times
in a season. It will do no harm to begin with a larger pot than they need, provided that the soil is not too
much watered.

Mikailia scaildens, or Parlor Iw (perhaps more familiarly known as German Ivy), is a rapid-growing
substitute for the slower and more valuable English Ivy, this rapidity of leafing constituting its principal
recommendation.

Lonicera, or Honeysuckle, of which there are several highly-prized species in cultivation, is a well
and favorably known genus of twining plants. The most popular species is perhaps the L. sempervirens
or Trumpet Honeysuckle. It flowers all the season out of doors, and makes a good parlor plant when
rightly cared for, blooming all the year round in skillful hands, whence it is called senifervirens, always
green or flourishing. It is unnecessary to describe or e\en to name the different species or varieties
of the Honeysuckle; they are all pretty and desirable twiners, easily procured and as easily cultivated, and
inost of them are very hardy.

Celastrus scandens, or Climbing Bittersweet, is a native twiner with beautiful, glossy leaves, and
waxy, red berries which hang on the plant until late in the fall, and often through the winter.

Aristolochia Sipho, or Dutchman's Pipe, is already described on page 35.

Lathyrns odoratus, or Sweet Pea, is another old fa\orite because of its abundant butterfly-shaped
flowers, and the sweet fragrance (whence its specific name), which may be replaced but not surpassed by
new claimants for popular esteem. The different varieties have dift'erently-colored flowers, and from a
single seed-packet one may sometimes have half a dozen variations in color.

Mauraildia, in three choice varieties, mostly with a pale-purple or bluish flower, is an acceptable,
low-growing twiner, adapted to hanging-baskets and window-screens.

Thunbergia, also in three varieties, somewhat resembles the Morning Glory, but the tube of the
corolla is closer, and the flower is more flattened on the top, resembling a miniature table. The color is
orange, yellow or white, with a black eye in the center of each flower. They are very subject to Red
Spider, and therefore not desirable for house plants.

Menispermiim Caiiadense, or Canadian Moonseed, is among the favorite twiners, but is not so gene-
rally known among amateur culturists as it deserves to be. The small, yellow flowers grow in drupes in
the axils, and the fruit, which is a small, dark berry, grows in a thyrsus, resembling a bunch of grapes.
Another species, the M. palmatum, is much grown in Mozambique and other parts of tlie east for its

395

CL'LT/ VAT/ON AXV AXALTS/S O/' PLAXTS.

commercial value, yielding the well-known tonic and antiseptic drug, calumba. The M. Canadense pos-
sesses the same properties, but in an inferior degree. It is, however, grown in this counti-v mainly tor it^
ornamental flowers, fruit and leaf.

Wistaria Sinensis, or Chinese Wistaria, is a rapid-growing twiner of superb appearance in leaf and
flower. The flowers come in long racemes like the Lupine inverted, but larger and more waxy in texture.
while in color they resemble the Lilac, which, however, they surpass in the delicate tintings, often pro-
gressing through the various shades from a deep blue to a pearly white. There are many varieties of the
Wistaria, but none superior to the W. .Sinensis. Their size forbids their adoption as indoor plants unless
in large conservatories.

Phaseolns mnltiflorus, or Scarlet Runner — sometimes called Spanish Bean — though most fre-
quently cultivated as a vegetable, for the pod and the inclosed bean, is not to lie despised as an ornamental
indoor or outdoor twiner. It sends out long racemes of bright scarlet, butterfly-shaped flowers, which,
contrasting with the green foliage around, produces a very pleasing eftect. Many people grow it because
of its artistic beauties, elevating it from the kitchen garden to the parlor window.

Adlnmia cirrhosa, or Fringed Adlumia, is one of the most beautiful and hard}' of twining plants.
It climbs by its leafstalks, which serve the purpose of tendrils, and grows to a height of ten or twelve
feet in a season. The flowers come in delicate flesh-colored panicles, and succeed each other all summer.

Jasniinum otticinale, or White Jasmine, is already described, page 175.

Hlliuulus Inpulns, or common Hop, page 162.

Periploca Grieca, (literally Greek twiner), or Silk Vine, is a hardy, orn;nuent:il twiner, common
throughout our northern States and worthy of attention.

CREEPERS.
This chiss of plants is distinguished by the property of clintfing by the rootlet-Hke
shoots, or sucker-like attachments, which it sends out at convenient distances, for catching-
hold of the wall or other surface or support along which it creeps.

Hedera Helix, or English Ivy, is perhaps the choicest of all creeping plants, and has been immor-
talized in prose and verse, Charles Dickens's almost unique contribution to poetic literature, "The Ivv
Green," being forevermore associated with its beauties. The permanency as well as the deep, glossy,
green color of the leaves makes it a universal favorite. Its hardy qualities render it fit for cultivation
almost e\ery where; and it needs more protection from heat than it does from cold. It thri\es best in the
United States when planted to the north of a house, fence, or other shade. A good way to save outdoor
Ivies in winter is to lay them down carefully along the ground, and cover with sods in their natural posi-
tion, grass upward. Indoors, the English Ivy should be kept clean and shielded from an excessively dry
heat. In ordinary living rooms, a daily damping of the leaves will prove sufficient. (See p. 174.)

Ampelopsis Veitchii, or Veitch's Creeper, a distinct species introduced from Japan by the florist
Veitch of London, is of the same genus with the A. quinquefolia, the common American or Virginia
Creeper, but difters much in the manner of growth, the structure of the leaves, and other peculiarities.
Its young shoots are of a rich, brown purple, and its leaves are rounded and simple, while the flower is
inconspicuous. A peculiarity of the Veitch's Creeper that should strongly recommend it to a more
general acceptance, is its habit of attaching itself, without aid from its owner or mechanical contrivance
of any kind, to whatever object is near; the young stems send out sucker-like attachments by which they
cling to wood, stone, or indeed to any substance, however smooth. Another attractive feature of this
Creeper is the crimson-purple coloring of its rather persistent foliage, which clings to the branches often
until midwinter in .sheltered places, presenting an appearance almost as bright and beautiful as if the
leaves were so many flowers.

Ampelopsis qilinqnefolia, already alluded to, has five leaflets with serrate edges on a common
stalk, curling gracefully downward, and is so familiar, under the name of Virginia Creeper, as to need no
further explanation.

Tecouia radieans, or Trumpet-flower, has been described, page 304.

*^ ^^

i

XEGLEC TED BEA CTIES.

Fieus repens, or Creeping Fig, originally introduced t'roni China, is now a very popular delicate
creeper, which holds itself tirmlj bv its rootlets to any uneven surface, and is much used in conservato-
ries, but not out of doors. In parlors it should be planted among other plants, as it requires shade and
moisture. The leaves are small and firm, resembling green parchment, and will endure much neglect
without being destroyed.

TRA1LER.S.

The epithet "traihng" is suliicieiitly iiKHcati\e of the habit of these plants, which
might be said to hug the ground, so low is tlieir growth.

Epigaea Repens, or Trailing Arbutus — sometimes called Mayflower — has been put forward in some
i|uarters as suitable to be adopted as the national flower of the United States, and is described on page :;3.

Tradescantia zebrilia, or Wandering Jew, is a low-spreading, trailing plant, differing from the more
erect Tradescantias in that respect, and striped in brown and green, zebra-like, whence its specific name.
There is another species — the T.- alba, or white-flowered. Both are much used for hanging-baskets and
for rock work, or to cover old stumps or other deformities. They demand copious moisture, but are
almost indifferent to soil conditions. They are of the same genus as the T. Virginica, page 2S1.

Several Trailing Plants have been described elsewhere, as follows: Mentzelia Lindlevi. or Golden
Bartonia, p. 42. Stellaria media, or Chickweed, p. Si. Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, or Ice-plant,
p. 169. Portulaca grandiflora, or Great-flowered Portulaca, p. 249. Potentilla fbrmosa, or Handsome Five-
finger, p. 250. Trifolium repens, or Shamrock, p. 274. Fragaria vesca, or Wood Strawberry, p. 287. Ver-
bena Aubletia, p. 311. Nepeta Glechoma, or Ground Ivy, p. 14S. Vinca, or Periwinkle, p. 237.

These are but a few of the many phints of the four chisses — CUmbers, Twiners,
Creepers, Trailers — that might be mentioned, and are chosen because they are all easily
cultivated, needing but little care when once established, and because they are, in foliage,
flower and fruit, the most beautiful of their respective kinds. Moreover, they all mav
be easily propagated from cuttings or slips, by layering, and from di\ isions of the roots,
as well as from seeds.

The best general rule for cuttings would he perhaps to make them in the earlv spring
before the plants begin to sprout, burying them about two inches, oi' a third of their length,
in the ground. In the hands of a skilled workman these cuttings can also be taken in the
fall, the same method being followed. Green shoots two or three inches long, severed
from the parent stem, with a little of the old bark attached, will generallv make good
plants if placed to strike root in a box of moist sand, and jjiotected from drving winds as
well as excessive heat.

A light, rich soil is congenial to most if not all the climbing plants of the foregoing
classes; and a good artificial .soil will comprise two parts leaf-mold, one cow-manure, one
loam and one sand. They are, however, not especially dependent on soil conditions, but
require, as essentials to a thrifty growth, abundance of water for leaf and root; and an
occasional application of liquid manure, if one wishes to take the trouble, will insure a
more vigorous growth and an incieased loveliness of foliage. Their chief enemies are
the red .spider, scales and caterpillais, wliich can easily be kept down by daily syringing
and other careful attentions.

If it be desired to test the full capacity of the common climbing plants, the soil should
be dug to the depth of about a foot, and on each available side to a distance of three feet,
when the earth thus disturbed should be freely mi.xed with manure and leaf-mold in about
equal parts, and plenty of root-room allowed to each plant, especially tor the first season.

^, 397

a^S

^ CULTIVATIOX AXD AXALISIS OF PLANTS.

)'{j^\0\V\ to science as Filices, from the Latin, these flowerless plants
^^■'- posses', a characteristic charm in their peculiar leafage or fronds.
> many prett}- forms of these leaves, and the various shades and
color, from a pure bright green to a golden yellow, are among
's Ion cliest products. They constitute a remarkable family of the
. sign. 1 ted Acrogenous, from two Greek words that signify increas-
■ ^ iiij; 111 giouth from the extremity, which is one of the most conspicuous

''classes of the Ci\ptogamous or Flowerless series. The whole Fern family, or
Oidei of Filices, is divided into eight suborders, six of which are represented
m the United States. It is only within a comparatively recent period that these
i lovelv members of the vegetable kingdom have been thought worthy of a place

in collections of plants. Lacking the common element of conspicuous flowers,
with their accompanying attractions of brilliant coloring and fascinating fragrance, the
Ferns had long failed to elicit the admiration they deserve. But a more refined taste has
learned to fully appreciate their merits, and specimens are now brought together from
nearly every quarter of the world to adorn gardens, conservatories and parlors. In fact
many wealthy admirers build greenhouses for their exclusive cultivation. Some Ferns
from tropical and subtropical climes often have a tree-like appearance, while others from
colder regions are so dwarfish that they have frequently been mistaken for mosses by
those not possessed of a thorough and discriminating botanical knowledge. Many of
them succeed well as common house-plants when kept out of drying winds or currents
of cold air, care being taken to dampen their fronds daily. Some are hardy enough to
endure excessive heat as well as ordinary winds, with the simple provision of supplying
enough of moisture at the roots. The Lomeria Gibbii will even grow best in a strong
sunshine; also the Scolopendrium vulgare, the Poly podium vulgare, and the Adiantum
capillis-veneris will grow well in an exposed situation. Some Ferns, as the Adiantum
cuneatum, A. trapeziforme, A. Farleyense, Lygodium palmatum, and many others, will
only grow well in moist, still situations, as in a Wardian case or in a quiet nook sheltered
by other plants.

As a generally good, manufactured soil for most Ferns, chopped sphagnum, or gray
bog-moss, common loam, broken charcoal or potsherds, and sharp, silver sand, all well
mixed in about equal parts, cannot be surpassed.

Ferns are often found growing on inaccessible rocks near mountain streams, or in the
valleys, in the woods or on the prairies, varying in size and form. One that most delights
in rocky places, is a curiosity of its kind, and is familiarly known as the Traveling Fern.
Its leaves bend over until the tips touch the earth, where they readily strike root and form
new plants. These doing likewise, the whole constitute a network of Ferns often cover-
ing several square yards. All the foregoing species of Ferns are evergreens, and every
house or yard may be beautifully decorated at little or no expense by a collection of
native Ferns, the many and various members of which may be picked up in country
rambles. A good guide to their successful cultivation would be to note the soil and loca-
tion where they naturally Houiish best, and endeavor to reproduce in their new home the

'cm

^

.XEi.LEC JED BE A UTIES.

same conditions and surroundings, as nearly as circumstances will permit. When Ferns, or
indeed any plants, are collected at a distance, they should be wrapped in a closely-woven
wet cloth, both roots and fronds, and the bundle wrapped in another hut dryer cloth, for
transiDortation. Two common handkerchiefs, one wet and the other dry, will serve the
purpose very well. In this way they can be safely carried long journeys, while for
shorter distances, paper wrappings will suffice.

aRJ^SSiJS.

'j'inS Older of plants, scientifically designated, from the Latin, Gramines,

one of the most useful of nature's products for the support of ani-
al life, and is coextensive with the animal kingdom, being found
almost everywhere. In tropical and subtropical climates, some of the
(glasses assume a tree-like appearance, as the Bamboo, Sugar Cane,
and Indian Corn. Wheat, Oat, Barley, Rye, Rice and some others
i-h the staple food for the great majority of mankind; and most domestic
.I', well as many wild animals derive their sustenance from these and other
members of the Grass family. And as the human family depends largely
upon these animals for food and clothing, it is not easy to conceive, much less
to estimate how much the world owes to the two hundred and ninety-one
genera and three thousand eight hundred species of the grass family. In this
large array there is but one species that is not nutritious; this is known as Lolium temu-
lentum, or poisonous Darnel Grass, which fortunately is not very plentiful. Where
found, its rough exterior and bitter taste are repulsive to animals, and therefore its destruc-
tive powers are but little felt. Our home surroundings are often beautified by the short-
cropped lawn Grasses, making a delightful natural carpet for children's play, as well as a
pleasing object for the eye to rest upon. Though far removed from the gaudy and bril-
liant colorings of the Tulip, and for the most part but simple, unpretending plants, the
Grasses possess a modest beauty all their own, or shared only with the Ferns. The
florists and collectors have been busy for some time in bringing together the Grasses from
distant parts of the world, and an admirer might now collect in his yard or window
enough of specimen Grasses to effectively aid his children in their geography lesson-,
on the well-known principle of association of ideas. For instance, he might say this Grass
in our southwest coiner is from New Zealand; that in the southeast is from Australia;
that other in the extreme east is from Japan; the next to the west is from China. And
thus he might form the circuit of the whole world, pointing consecutively to the Grasses
of India, Persia, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Azores, West Indies and
America. Many of the Grasses are well adapted for indoor culture, and all for outdoor,
in their proper climatic surroundings. Among the verv choicest of the former are
Panicum variegatum, which presents transformations of color equally singular and beau-
tiful; the Isolepsis gracilis, with its bright-green, wiry leaves, adapted to borders in

399

r

.I.W) .l.^^l/, i'.V/.V Ol- PLANTS.

shaded nooks; Festuca c<eca, which is a fine ornamental grass for pots or vases, and con-
trasts well with the Holcus lanatus, or Velvet-Grass, which is of a silvery appearance and
not unlike the common ribbon-grass of our gardens, but of finer texture. These four
Grasses which we have singled out form a neat little collection for indoor culture when
grown together, even without any admixture with other plants. A generally acceptable
soil for the growth of nearly all Grasses, is made up of equal parts of cow-manure, leaf-
mold, loam and sand well mixed; and all Grasses like water, but not stagnant moisture.

i:iiELL known tooi;

widely spread in

the Heaths ha\ c

although it is nc

natives of this count

II t: A T US.

Anglo-.S;i
the counti

terature, because indigenous and
lere that literature had its rise,
•nltivated in the United States,
It twenty-six of the genera are
s scientificallv called Ericaceje,

The ordt
from Erica, the Heath proper, the accepted type of the family. There
are five or more suborders, perhaps seventy genera, and about eleven hiuidred
species, besides uncounted varieties. Erica carnea, fleshy Heath, so called on
account of its flesh-colored bloom, and Erica Mediterranea, or Heath of the
Mediterranean, whose bloom is of a somewhat darker flesh-color, are cultivated
florists and others, and are much valued as exotics. They make desir-
able window plants if plentifully supplied with moisture and protected from
excessive heat, whether artificial or natural. The more common indigenous sorts are the
Kalmia, or .Sheep Laurel ; the Azalea arborescens (Tree-like Azalea), or False Honey-
suckle; the Rhododendron, or Rosebay; the Rhodora Canadensis, or Canadian Rhodora;
the Ledum latifolium, or Broad-leaved Labrador Tea; the Andromeda in several species;
the Vaccinium in a large number of species, known in the vernacular as Blueberry, Cran-
berry, etc.; Gaylussacia, or Huckleberry; and the Pyrola, or False Wintergreen.

All these members of the Ericaceas family are of easy culture, hut, being originally
natives of bogs, downs and sheltered mountain dells, they grow best on northern slopes,
behind fences or evergreens, or otherwise protected from the noonday sun as well as from
drying winds. Like the Begonias, they delight in a steady supply of uniform moisture.
The fibrous rootlets are very fine, and extremely sensitive to deleterious substances, such
as clods of half-rotted manure, lumps of clayey, uncongenial soils, and the like.

The best compost for their growth is three parts leaf-mold, one of sharp sand, one
of common earth, and one of well-rotted manure. Commonly growing upon a sub-
stratum of freestone, a limestone or other calcareous subsoil is hurtful, and the application
of lime-water is accordingly found to be pernicious; hence rainwater should alone be used.
An occasional dose of liquid manure will prove acceptable to these plants when in flower
or when making a new growth. The Ledums, Kalmias, the small plants of the best
varieties of the Rhododendron, the Azalea nudiflora, and other dwarf members of the
family, besides the two imported species already mentioned, make pretty house plants.

400

p^^

'^l^ XEdLECTED BEAUTIES.

In a south-looking window the young leaves require careful protection from the sun's rajs,
as they may easily be scorched beyond reco\ery.

Though exposed to the open air, and at a rather low temperature, in their native
homes, these plants are less hardy than would be supposed, and therefore should be
carefully shielded from strong, drying winds, whether hot or cold.

The most common plant of the whole order is the Calluna vulgaris, which covers
extensive tracts of waste moors throughout Great Britain and Ireland, and which is also
found sparsely in Canada and our New England States. This is more hardy than any
of the other species, and will flourish in almost any soil with a temperature under fift}';
but in more southern latitudes it requires to be shaded in hot weather.

f^ ^u^^-^ , J^^O SS£JS.

SCI, or Mosses, which comprise three orders and thirty-six
1^ Ejenera of cryptogamous plants, are among the lower forms of
\egetable life. In the economy of nature they come next to the
Lichenes, or Lichens, serving by their decay to form a suitable
soil for the more beautiful and more useful plants. They grow in
such dense, compact masses — often a hundred to a square inch —
that their remains constitute a bed in which plants of a higher order
; loot. They are to be found in all climates and on all soils, requiring
as absolutely essential only a constant, gentle moisture. The Mosses cover with
d coat of emeiald green the trunks of trees, the sides and summits of barren
rocks, the moldering walls of old ruins, the margins of running brooks, the
crevices of damp, subterranean caves and the like. The Sphagnum palustre, or
Gray Bog-moss, is much used in Lapland and other countries of North Europe for bed-
ding and coverlets. When flattened out by use, they can be renovated so as to assume
their original elasticity by being soaked in water and again dried. The tenacity of life in
the Mosses is truly wonderful; they have been known to have rooted and grown afresh
after having lain pressed in a herbarium for thirty years.

In collections of plants, it is found worth while to cultivate them as toppings for the
stands, pots or boxes in which ornamental plants are grown. They prevent a too rapid
evaporation of the moisture, where it is desirable to retain it, besides adding a neatness
which the uncovered soil does not present. Some amateurs make a specialty of growing
a patch of Mosses for the yard or house, because of their intrinsic beaut}', and the refresh-
ing greenness of the dense, compact mass in which they grow. They can be studied to
advantage only with the aid of a microscope, and are by that means found to present the
appearance of miniature trees and various other curious forms. The Tortulas resemble
small, fine screws, whence their name. The Hypnums, or Feather Mosses, are probabh-
the most numerous, and are often exceedingly pretty, resembling miniature ferns, feathers,
or trees.

401

jShurfurp of pianfx.

NIMATED nature includes, besides animals, all plants, by which are
( meant in this connection the living organisms that constitute the
*■ vegetable kingdom, such as trees, shrubs, herbs, vegetables, grasses.

ferns, etc. It will be recollected that there are three great "king-
doms" in nature — the mineral, the vegetable and the animal; and
of these the one we are at present concerned with holds the middle
place. Plants are living things, and the superior vegetables approach
so nearly to what are generally considered inferior classes of the
animal kingdom, that scientists are at a loss to determine the exact
1 dividing line. On the other hand, it is well known that certain
M n ; • ■«» ^ w ^ minerals are remains of former vegetation. Hence, in nature one
/i!A) kingdom merges into another by gradations so fine that where one begins
/ r^f '\ and the other ends remains a sort of mysterious secret eluding the analytical
powers of man. Vegetable life, like animal life, is a continued succession of renewal and
deca\, of assimilation and elimination. (;ro\\th ma\- therefore be said to be the lesult of
the assimilaling processes in excess; maturity, of a balance of the assimilating and elimi-
nating; and decay, of an excess of the eliminating processes. Vegetables derive their
support from the atmosphere, as v\-ell as from the soil, and, like animals, contain a far
greater proportion of water than of anything else. The other ingredients are carlion,
acid gas imbibed from the air; often a little nitrogen; and

derived fn

rboi

general 1\

a small quantity

of mineral

substances absorbed

roots.

CHE M I S

rR V OF PLANTS

liquii

ton

the

rally

.■nts kn.

recognize<l as containing about eighteen of the sixty-five
:iture, and these are all contributed by the vegetable king-
iloni to the support of animal life. It is equally pleasing and instrueli\e to learn, through
the scientific principles of the chemistry of plants, how and of what materials the beautiful
forms that we see around us are made, as well as what useful propejties the)' possess.
Thereby we obtain an inierring guide to the most wholesome food for oursehes and oiu"
domestic animals; and a discriminating sense of the proportion in which the different
kinds should be used. Hence we know that it is unwise to partake of the same plants too
continuously, frequent changes being a fixed law of their healthful action on the human
system. By a knowledge of the chemical components of the human frame on the one

402

STRUCTURE OF PLANTS.

hand, and those of the useful plants on the other, man is enabled to select the materials
proper to be used in accordance with his varying needs. It is easy to eat too much of plants
that contain sulphur, lime, phosphorous, fatty, carbonaceous matter, or any other of the
chemical ingredients of plants, when the system may really demand the use of those
endowed with quite different properties; hence the value of this knowledge.

It is truly wonderful that an order of plants, containing perhaps several hundred
genera and many thousand species, will maintain, throughout all their variety of form and
color, a predominance of one or more chemical elements. For instance, the Cruciferae, or
Mustard family, one of great utility to man, every member of which affords nutritious
and medicinal benefits, principally anti-scorbutic, or scurvy-destroying, in character.
Thev all contain nitrogen and sulphiu" more largely than other plants, which accounts for
their yielding ammonia when undergoing decay, as well as for their blood-purifying prop-
erties. Many of our familiar table condiments, as mustard, horseradish, cress, etc., belong
to this order. The Crucifera are natives of the temperate zone, and are a natural antidote
for the excessive use of fat-producing matters, so common in those regions.

The order LeguminosEe is perhaps the largest of all, and is remarkable tor containing
lime, albumen and starch. Its value in the animal economy is great, as it furnishes the
bone and sinew, which constitute the essential framework of the animal structure. Like
tile other useful plants, they are found everywhere, to meet the necessities of uni\ersal
animal life, while the poisonous or dangerous plants are confined to a very limited range.
The LeguminossB are also possessed of many well-known medicinal properties, whose
\alue can scarcely be overestimated. Plants yield about thirty-four different products,
such as resin, oil, wax, gluten, starch, sugar, etc.; and at least eight well-known acids,
viz. : oxalic in rhubarb, tartaric in grapes, citric in lemons, malic in apples, gallic in
oak, benzoic in balsam, prussic or hydi-ocyanic in almonds, and phosphoric in oats.

Vegetable chemistry, as may be conjectured from the remarks already made, is much
too extensive a subject to receive proper attention in a subsidiary paragraph of a popular
work devoted mainly to the poetry and cultivation of flowers; but this much it has been
thought desirable to insert as a slight hint on an important subject, and a stimulus to
further investigation.

For the more easv comprehension of the general principles of botany by tile unsci-
entific lover of flowers, it is now proposed to consider the individual plant under the various
relations of its internal structure, and its component parts viewed externally, together with
the more important subdivisions of these, in a natural sequence, and in as few words as
possible. What plants are composed of becomes then the next subject for consideration.

TISSUES.

Plants are made iiji of innumerable minute sacs, called cells, and generally of a lot
of tubes or vessels, which were also originally rows of these cells, the whole constituting
the material substance of plants, or what is technically known as tissue. The nourishment
of plants passes from cell to cell through the thin membranes that constitute the cell walls.
These cells are of a definite structure, as found by microscopic observation, and the tissues
are of different kinds according to the structure and arrangement of the cells and tubes. j \

CULTIVATION AND AN ALTS IS OF PLANTS.

Cellular tissue, which composes the whol
as mosses, seaweeds and the like, is where the
oval sacs crowded close together. Peculiarly
known as the skin or epidermis.

Wood tissue consists of long tubes, tapering
which form in woody plants what is known as

Bast tissue consists of long, flexible tubes,
in the liber or inner bark, constituting in hemp
the manufacture of linen, ropes, etc.

['oscular tissue consists of long tubes or vc
titions between which have been absorbed, ;
dotted ducts, spiral vessels, annular bands, etc.

The chief organs of plants are four, viz. :
Each of these is subdivided under difltrent aspe

e structure of some of the lower orders,
whole mass is made up of these minute
flattened, they compose the outer layer

and closed at the ends, placed side by side,
wood proper.

closed at both ends, and is mostly found
and flax the portion of those plants used in

ssels, formed of superposed cells the par-
LUid comprises what are variously called

I, Root; 2, stem; 3, Leaf; 4, Flower.
cts and relations.

■OOTS are the parts bv which tlic plant draws nourishment from the
, and are sometimes supplied \\'ith rootlets, holding about the
e relation to them that they do to the plant. Roots are of six
Is : Fibrous, when composed of tufts of fibers with pores at their
points, as in common grasses (i*); repent or creeping-, as in the
Couch-grass (2); fusifortn, or spi?idle-skaped, as in the Carrot (3);
prcinorse (as if bitten off) when the spindle-shape ends quite abruptly, as in the
Plantain (4); tuberous, as in the Potato, where the root comprises one or more
ndish, solid masses, fed by rootlets from the soil (5); bulbous, where the root
is one round, solid mass, producing buds from the upper surface and rootlets from
the lower, as in the Narcissus (6); the bulbous is, however, sometimes a mass
of overlapping, fleshy scales, as in the Lily (7), or of concentric coats, as in the Onion.

Collar. — The collar is that portion of the plant where the root merges into the stem,
or where they both unite (S).

In respect of duration, roots as well as plants are designated and defined as follows:
Annuals are such as in one season grow from the seeds, blossom, and ripen their
seeds for the following year, and then perish. Among the annuals are to be found many
of the most charming of the summer flowei-s, some blooming for short periods of a week
or two, and others during the whole season.

Biennials are such as start from the seed one summer, and spend all their strength in
establishing their roots and laying up nutriment for the flowerstalks ()f the following
year, when they blossom, ripen seed, and perish, having fulfilled their mission. Some
very pleasing flowers are found among this class. In order to have flowers of any of the
biennials every year, seeds must be sown «ach \ear, thus calculating

* Thf jf^^ttres inclosed in parenthc.'.fs. //•. ;tiy t« 410, refer tn the iltttslrattous
404

ar in advance.

*:

m.

STRUCrCRE OF PLANTS.

Perennials are those that live and bloom year after year, except under extraordinary
vicissitudes, many of them blooming the first summer if sown early in the spring. Such
plants can be propagated by a division of the roots and cuttings as well as by seeds. Some
of these cannot be surpassed for utility and beauty, and are best for permanent beds where
circumstances will not permit the steady attention demanded by other classes of flowers.

sometune
in the St

%VB,

STEMS.

EXT to the root is the stem, or that part of the plant which springs
»^^\ from the root, and serves to support the leaves, buds and flowers.
i^'S^^ It usually seeks the light, appearing above the ground, and is sub-
■ ' divided as follows: Simple., wYitw found without branches (8), as
in the Parnassia; componiuU when branched, as in the Chickweed
icj); forked, when partetl into two equal or nearly equal branches, as
in the Bouvardia (lo); erect, when growing wp\\ght, ascenditig-^vchen rising
obliquely upward — when several stems grow from the same root, the central
one is often erect and the others ascending, as in the Violet (ii); prostrate,
ox procumbent, when it lies flat along the ground, as in the Petunia; creeping,
or rcpei/t, when it runs along the ground and sends out roots from its joints —
a plant has an upright stem, and sends out creeping shoots from its base, as
wherry (12); twini/tff, or voluble, as in the Hop, when they rise by spirally
coiling themselves around supports; climbing, or scandcnt, when they rise by clinging
step by step to other objects, as in the Ivy.

Stems are classified according to certain peculiarities of size and duration, as follows:
Herbaceous, when thcv die down to the ground every year, as in Mint or other herbs,
whence the cpitlii.t ; fruticosc,\\\\c\\ living from year to year, and of considerable size,
like Lilac or other shrubs; suffruticosc, when fruticose or shrubby below, and herbaceous
above, as the Horseshoe Geranium; suffrutescent, when the stem has an appearance of
being moderately shrubby, and is only a little woody, as the Pelargonium ; arborescent,
when approaching to a tree-like appearance, as the Oleander; and arboreous, when it is
the trunk of a tree properly so called, as the Magnolia.

The stem is composed — beginning from the center — of the pith, the sof't, spongy
substance in the center of many plants, consisting of cellular tissue; the wood, or material
immediately surrounding the pith; the //i5er, or inner bark, which is fibrous; Xhc cortex,
or outer bark, which consists of cellular tissue only; and the epidermis, or skin — a thin,
membraneous covering, with pores, that envelops all the rest. The stem, longitudinally
considered, comprises the nodes, or knots; and internodes, or parts between the knots.

It has been already stated that the stem is usually above ground; there are, however,
several forms of underground stems, 'as the rhizoma, or rootstalk, a creeping stem grow-
ing wholly or partly beneath the soil; the corm, which is a very short, fleshy rhizoma;
the bulb, a shorter stem, usualh' underground, with excessively crowded and overlapping
coats; an«] the bulblcl, which is a small excresence that grows on the older and larger bulb.

405

il

•^Vxs-^"

^m

f

L

CULTIVATION AND AN ALTS IS OF PLANTS.

Stalks. — The stalks are the offshoots from the stem, which directly support the leaves,
and are variously styled peduncles, pedicels, petioles, meaning respectively flowerstalks,
footstalks and leafstalks.

Axil. — The axil is the angle formed on the upper surface, between the stem and leaf,
where the buds, called on that account axillary, spring from the stem (13).

l:e^v'\^ss.

'^.^ XDERS TOOD to lie expansions or elongations from the stem,

leaves consist of a network of fibers or nerves in two distinct sets,

1 one to each surface. The purposes they serve are mainly three: to

expose a broader surface to the action of the light and heat, to aid

' evaporation, and to facilitate the absorption of carbonic acid from the

air. They discharge the function fulfilled by the lungs in the animal

kingdom. They are called radical, when they spring around the root,

the Dandelion; alternate, when only one appears on each joint of the

stem, as in the Toad-flax (13); opposite, when in pairs opposite each other, as

in \hc Mint (14); ■whorled, when in a circle around the stem, as in the Pin-ple

Etipatorium'(i5); and tufted, when they appear in bunches or tufts at the top,

as in the Ervngo (16), or as in the Palm.

Leaves are further distinguished as sessile, when they sit, as it were, on the stem,

without intervening stalks, as in the Eryngo (16); deciduous, if they fall annually, as in

most trees and shrubs; and persistettt, if they survive the season, as in the evergreens.

A leaf is simple, when composed of one piece only, as in the_ Round-leaved Bell-
flower (17); binate, ternate, quaternate or quinate, according as it has, on a common
stalk, respectively, two leaflets, as in the Listera; three, as in the Clover (18); four, as
in the exceptional four-leaved Clover; or five, as in the Ampelopsis {ig); pinnate, when a
number of leaves are arranged feather-like along the stalk, as in the Pea (20). A simple
leaf is sometimes wavy along the edge, as in the China Primrose (21), or has three lobes,
as in the Hypatica, five, as in the Castor-oil Plant, or seven, as in the Lady's Mantle (22).
Leaves are digitate, when they all spring, like so many fingers, from the tip of the
leafstalk, as in the ^'irginia Creeper (23); palmate, when the leaflets leave a space at their
common center, not unlike the palm of the hand, as in the Horse-chestnut (24); pcdotc,
or foot-like, as in the Chenopodiums, or when a palmate or other leaf has an additional
cleft in the edge, not as deep as the digitate, and hence called pedate, as in the Manthake
(25); peltate, or shield-like, when the stalk is attached at or near the center, as in the
Nasturtium (26); perfoliate, when the stalk passes through the leaf (27), as in the Bone-
set; connate, when two leaves are joined at their bases, the stalk passing through at the
junction, as in the Ljchnis (28).

Again, by reason of peculiarities of the edges, leaves are called entire, when there is
an unbroken, gradual curvature of the margin, as in the Silene (29); crcnatc, crenellcd or
scollopped, when it is notched like a scollop slicll, as in the Ground Ivv (30); serrate, or

406

1?

/S^^

STRICTURE OF PLA.\,TS.

sa-w-edged, as in the Rose (31); pectinate^ or comb-like^ an expression sometimes used
where the edges are a deepl3-cut dentate; dentate^ or toothed, as in the common Hoar-
hound (32); incised, or cut, also called laciniate, when slashed or cut more irregular than
in the dentate, as in the Fennel; undulate, or wavy, as in the Beech; sinuate, or
sinuous, that is, of larger scope than the wavy, but of the same general outline, as in
the White-oak ; lobed, when cut in sections, with the incisions reaching about halfway to the
midrib, and these may be tivo-lobcd, three-lobcd, etc., according to their number, as
already described; cleft, when cut still more deeply, half way down or more toward the
midrib — the Latin equivalent fid, as a sufHx, from findo, I cleave, with a qualifying
prefix, is very much used in this connection, as pinnatifid, multifid, bifid, etc., denoting
respectively cleft like a feather, many-cleft, two-cleft, etc. — farted, when almost reach-
ing the midrib; and divided, or bisected, trisected, etc., when incised quite to the midrib.

In addition to the foregoing divisions, leaves are distinguished, as to form or general
shape, by epithets that are sufficiently clear in themselves, or may be readil}' comprehended
by reference to the engraving on page 328, viz.: Linear, as in grass; oblong, as in the
Chickweed (33); hairlike, as in the Schizanthus (34); strap-shaped, as in the Heath (35);
elliptical, as in the Rose (31); oval, or egg-shaped, as in the Apple (36); obovate, or
iiivcivcly oval, as in the Juneberry (37); rounded, as in the Round-leaved Violet (38);
heart-shaped, as in the Dog Violet (39); inversely heart-shaped, as in the Clover (iS);
kidney-shaped, ^s, in the common Water-cress (40); arrow-shaped, as in the Sagittaria
(41); angular, as in the Hypatica (42); and sword-shaped, as in the Gladiolus (43).

Stipules are two winglike appendages that are often found at the base of the leaf-
stalk (united with or distinct therefrom), sometimes oblong, as in the Evening Primrose,
and at others arrow-shaped, as in the Rose (44).

Bracts. — These are the small leaves that are sometimes found immediately below the
flower-cluster, on its stalk or peduncle, as in the Pentstemon (45, 46), generally green,
but occasionally picturesquely colored, as in the Poinsettia. When they appear on
the pedicel, they are called bracteoles, as in the Cardamine (47); and when these grow in
a circle, or whorl, they are called an involucre, as in the Thistle (48).

Buds are the germs of the branches, as the seed is of the whole plant, and sprout from
the stem as this does from the root; hence the branches might be regarded as secondary
stems, or even as individual plants springing from the buds. ■ These buds are called term-
inal when they appear at the end of the stem, and lateral when they appear at the sides;
the most important of the lateral are the (7 v/ZArri' already mentioned — the others being
accessory or supernumerary when two or more supplement the axillary, and adventi-
tious when they appear elsewhere than at the axils.

Estivation, or prjefloration, is the arrangement of the parts of the future flower in
the bud before blooming; and is called open, when the calyx and corolla are not closed
over the other parts of the flower; valvate, when the several parts meet each other exactly
by the edges without overlapping; induplicatc, if the edges are tui'ned in; reduplicate, if
turned out; contorted, when the edges are twisted; imbricated, when they overlap; quin-
cunxial, if two parts are inside, two outside and one intermediate; vexillary, if one petal
inwraps the other parts; plicate, if the tubular corolla or calyx is folded lengthwise; and
supervolute, if the folds are wrapped around each other in one direction.

407

^.

CULTiVATION AND AXALVSIS OF PLANTS.

FLOWERS.

OOKIXG at flowers from the technical, scientific standpoint, they are
the whole aggregate of the organs of reproduction; sesthetically they
are the crowning glory of the plant; and familiarly, the bloom or
blossom, the part for which alone most plants are cultivated. The
chief parts of the flower are the Calyx, Corolla, Stamen, Pistil, Peri-
carp, Seed, Receptacle and Nectary.
Caljx, from the Greek through the Latin, denoting a cup, is the outer
covering or leaf-like envelope of the flower, mostly green, but at times colored ;
it enfolds the bud before it is fully in bloom, and afterward generally' surrounds
tlie blossom loosely. Its chief use apparently is to support and protect the fine
inner parts by its greater consistency ; it was considered by Linnssus to be the
continuation of the outer bark, performing the same service to the bud as the bark does to
the stem. The calyx varies much; it is sometimes double, as in the Flax (49), and at
others is a mere ring which afterward becomes the down, as in the Teasel (50).

Corolla, an abbreviated form of the Latin corofiilla, a little crown, comprises the
leaves of the flower proper, or blossom, within the calyx. These leaves are called petals,
and are usually as many as the sepals of the calyx. When the petals are all of the same
size and shape, the corolla is called regular, as in the Silene (51); and this regular corolla
maybe salver-shaped, as in the Lychnis (52); funnel-shaped, as in the Primrose (53);
wheel-shaped, as in the Holly (54); bell-shaped, as in the Bellflower (55); trumpet-shaped,
as in the Convolvulus (56). Other corollas are termed irregular, as when the petal is
only one, but divided into lobes; if the lobes are open, it is called gaping, as in the
Mint (57); if closed, personate or masked, as in the Snapdragon (58); when there are four
petals placed crosswise, the corolla is called cruciferous, as in the Radish (59) ; papiliona-
ceous, or butterfy-shaped, when there are five rudely resembling a butterfly, as in the
Pea (60).

When the calyx and corolla are not readily distinguishable, the whole corresponding
part that encircles the stamens and pistils is called perianth, from two Greek words: peri,
around, and anthos, a flower. Sometimes this word is used by preference, and said to be
double when the calyx and corolla are both present and clearly distinguishable. Some
flowers have neither calyx nor corolla, as in the Equisetum (61).

Stamen, from the Greek through the Latin, signifying the warp, and this from its
standing or upright property, denotes one of the small organs, of which there are
generally several, that stand around the center of the perianth, as in the Coreopsis (62), and
in most flowers. They comprise the j^Vawew/, or thread-like (sometimes awl-like), upright
portion, and the ai/tkcr, or flower proper, which is the part essential to reproduction, and
contains the tine w bite, yellow or black dust called pollen, or fertilizing matter. The
filaments arc sometimes in bundles, as in the St. Johnswort (63), and at others form a
hollow tube, as in the Mallows (64); the anthers are sometimes free when standing sepa-
rately (63), or united into a ring, as in the Dandelion (65).

Pistil, from the Latin denoting a pestle, is the central part and seed-bearing organ
of the flower, as in the Anagallis (66); and comprises three parts: the ovary {a), the hol-

408

UTRUCTURE OF PLA.\TS.

%

low case or pod containing the rudimentary seeds called ovules; the style, or column {b),
wanting in certain flowers, which bears aloft the third part, known as the stigma (c).
This is the extreme viscous tip of the flower, and is exposed on all sides for the reception
of the impregnating pollen from the encircling stamens. Sometimes an ovary has several
styles and stigmas, when the pistil is called compound, and each part a carpel, as in the
Blackberry (67). Some flowers have only stamens, while others of the same plant have
only pistils as in the Cucumber (68), and as those alone that have pistils produce seed, they
are called ycr/-/«7e, while those possessing stamens only are designated barren. Again, the
pistils and stamens are sometimes to be found only in different plants of the same species,
as in the Willow (69). When in different flowers of the same plant, ihev are called
monoecious, from two Greek words meaning single-housed, as in the Cucumber; when in
different plants, they are termed dicecious, or two-housed, as in the Willows. When the
ovary is above the base of the perianth, it is termed superior, as in the Purslane (70);
when below, as in the Roses, it is called inferior.

Pericarp (from the Greek peri, around, and karpos, fruit), or seed-vessel, is the
case, pod or covering of the seed or seeds of a plant, the enlarged anil ripened ovary,
which with the enclosed seeds constitutes the fruit. It presents various forms in different
plants, as the capsule in the Purslane (71), the silique in the common Mustard (72), the
silicic or capsella, a short pod (72), in the Shepherd's Purse, the legume or long pod in
the Bean (73), the berry in the Currant (74), the nut in the Hazel (75), the drupe in the
Hawthorn (76), and the cone in the Pine (77). Fruits ms Jleshy when the seeds are en-
circled by a juicy, pulpy substance, as in the Apple, the Pear, the Melon and many others.
Stone-fruits is the name given to those in which the pulpy matter incloses tlie hard, horny
substance, or " stone," which covers the seed. They are called dry fruits when the seed-
vessel does not become juicy or pulpy, but is a mere husk or dry covering, as in Wheat,
the Five-finger, the Ground Cherry, etc.

Seed. — This is the portion destined to reproduce the plant, and is itself the result of
the action between the stamens and the pistil, indicated above. The stigma receives the
pollen, which is conveyed through the style to the ovary, where it comes in contact with
the ovules, j^roducing the seed that in due time arrives at the maturity necessary to repro-
duce the plant according to its kind. When the plumule or embryo plant is enclosed in a
seed of two cotyledons, it is styled, from the Greek, dicotyledonous, that is, having two
lobes, as in the Bean (78), when in one, it is monocotyledonous, as in the common Grasses
or Sugar-cane; and when there is no apparent nourishing seed-lobe, it is called acotyle-
donous, as in the Ferns.

Receptacle is the top of the stem, or apex of the flowerstalk, from which the
organs of the flower spring, and into which thcv may therefore be conceived as gathered
or inserted, whence the name. It is conical (79), as in the Obeliscaria, chaffy (So), as
in the Thistle, or bristly, as in the Cactus (81), and is the part on which the other portions
of the flower rest, as in the Scabious (82).

Nectary is a term applied to any of the organs which may happen to contain nectar,
that is, the sweet secretions from the plants. The nectary of the Crown Imperial
comprises a number of cells around the center of the flower, while in the Crowfoot it is a
scale at the base of the petals (S3).

'1 . ..^^

r

CULTIVATION AND ANALISIS OF PLANTS.

=S5
1

ily IFFERENCES in the mode of flowering or in the crcneral arrange-
?nt of the blossoms along the stem or branches, mark the various
'•^J" " forms of inflorescence. When the flower that terminates the axis
.'l^r opens first, and the others in the order of their nearness to this one, the
iflorescence is called determinate, definite, or centrifugal, as in the
^Wv^ ' " Hydrangea. When this order is reversed, and the first flower to bloom
is the one farthest from the terminal one, this being the very last, the inflo-
rescence is said to be indeterminate, indefinite, ox centripetal, as in the Gladiolus.
In a few genera the inflorescence partakes of both peculiarities, and is called
mixed, as in the Teasel, and also the Llati'is, familiarly designated Blazing Star.
Flowers, like buds, are known as terminal when they appear at the end of the
stem, as in the Parnassia (S); iv/iorled, when grouped around the stem in a circle, as
in the Mint; and axillary, when at the axils, as in the Pentstemon (45).

The flowerstalk, when common to the whole cluster, is called a fed uncle, the indi-
vidual stalk of each separate flower being a pedicel, as in the Cardamine (47). When
the peduncle bears a single flower, the inflorescence is called simple, as in the Morning
Glory (56). When the peduncle with its flower springs directly from the root of the
plant, the inflorescence is called a scape, as in the English Primrose (84); and when
it has several flowers placed one above another and sessile (that is, without pedicels), it is
called a spike, as in the Veronica spicata (85), or spadix, which is a fleshy variety of the
spike, as in the vSpiranthus; raceme, where each flower of a cluster has its own pedicel
arranged along a lengthened axis, as in the Canadian Milk- Vetch (86); panicle, or
branched cluster, where each pedicel (itself a branch of the peduncle) again branches, as
in the Stellaria (87); corymb, where the lower flowers are on longer stalks, the inter-
mediate on shorter, and the top ones nearly or quite sessile, as in the Mountain Ash (88);
cyme, where the stalks are irregularly branched, but the flowers are nearly le^-el at the
top, as in the Dogwood (89); a fascicle is a cyme with the flowers crowded into a bundle,
whence the name, as in the .Sweet A\'illiam; a t;-loiiicriilc is a dense, compact cyme resem-
bling a head, as in the Cocklebur; iindn-l, where the flower-stalks spring, like so many
umbrella ribs, from a common center, and rise to about the same height, each bearing
its flower, as in the Milkweed (90); when, as sometimes happens, there is a smaller umbel
on each pedicel, instead of a single flower, the inflorescence is called a compound umbel,
as in the Carrot (91); when crowded in a dense mass and sessile, it is called a head, as
in the Button-bush (92); a catkin, or ament, is a spike enclosed in a deciduous scale, as in
the Hazel (93) ; a fliyrsus is a compact panicle of pyramidal shape, as a bunch of grapes
or the cluster of the Lilac.

i!

m

-T^

Bitisinns of l^|p '^pgpfflfilp Kingbora.

lUui illy tclt by all amateur cultiiiists in the
LtiMc kinj^dom. Ages before the knowledge
d nito the complete science called botany,

RE VT mtei
dniMonsot
ot pi nils di

cLit nil icl itionships lud affinities were known to exist between
m un ol them, but the formal distribution into the subjoined
di\ isions and subdl^ isions is a comparatively recent addition,
and has been adopted by scholars for the purpose of placing
btfoie the mmd \n a clear and methodical manner the various
degiees of relationship that exist between plants. An exhaustive
enumeiation in the piestnt state of botanical science embraces
the following twehe heads: Series or Subkingdom, Class,
Subcliss, Oidei oi F imih', Suborder, Tribe, Subtribe, Genus,
Subgenus or Section, Species, Race, and Variety.

To aid the student of floriculture in forming a clearer con-
ception of the arrangement, relationship and subordination of
tliL dilkient membeis of this distribution, the whole vegetable kingdom might be likened
to the a\ ailable \\ ai foices of the United .States. The Series would correspond to the
military as distinct from the naval, and vice versa/ Class, to the regular army as distinct
from volunteers, or the reverse; Subclass, to the "Army of the Potomac," or the like;
Order, to army corps; Suborder to division; Tribe, to a brigade with its full complement
of cavalry, artillery and infantry; Subtribe, to the more usual incomplete brigade of two
or three regiments; Genus, to a regiment; Subgenus, to a battalion; Species, to a com-
panv; Race, to a company of infantry as distinct from one of cavalry; and Variety, to
the same companv with the shades of difference arising from the variation in numbers,
discipline, or any other minor feature — for instance, Company A, as differing from Com-
pany B in any one or several of these respects.

In this methodical arrangement it will be noticed that the Variety, a subdivision of the
Species, is the lowest term, as the individual plant does not obtain an individual name.
The Species is designated by the name of the Genus to which it belongs, with a distin-
guishing epithet, usually an adjective, added to denote the peculiar characteristic (or what
it has been agreed to consider such) of each particular .Species. Thus in Rosa moschata,
or Musk Rose, Rosa represents the Genus Rose; and moschata, a Latinized version of

411

m^

=^ ,xr^'tg-

CULTIVATION AND ANALYSIS OF PLANTS.

musk in the adjective form, or musky, denotes the characteristic distinction of the Species.
Hence it is not strictly correct to say that such a name corresponds to that of an indi-
vidual, as Publius Cornelius Scipio; but it would be allowable to compare it with Cor-
nelius Scipio — Cornelius, the gens, or clan, and Scipio, the family name within the clan —
if, like the Romans, we lived in a state of society where these constituted a recognized
division of the community. The Variety is further distinguished by one or more addi-
tional epithets, adjectives or names of persons, subjoined to the name of the Species to
which it belongs, as the Fragai'ia Virginiana Illinoensis — the Illinois Variety of the Spe-
cies of Strawberry known as the Virginian.

What these various terms imply will now be explained more in detail, taking for this
purpose the foregoing divisions, as used by most modern writers on floriculture, and in an
inverse ordei", beginning with the most restricted: *

Variety. — By this term is meant such a group within the same Species as is marked in
all its individuals by some striking peculiarities, and often so as to create a doubt whether
it does not constitute a distinct Species.

Subspecies, or Race. — Where the marks of the Variety are regularly propagated.

Species is an aggregate of such individual j^lants, or varieties of plants, as agree
in common attributes and characteristics, and which aic designated by the same distin-
guishing epithet, as the Rosa moschata, already explained.

The Species of plants have been esilnuted, ami pn.liably within bounds, as high as
one hundred and twenty thousand, of which nearly four thousand belong to our own
country, east of the Mississippi. The more conserwative estimates of earlier botanists,
putting the number at about sixty thousand, will therefore have to be abandoned; the
moi-e, as new discoveries are being perpetually made.

Subgenus, or Section, is used by some botanists to denote such collections of certain
Species as are more nearly allied to each other than the other plants of the same Genus.

Genus. — This embraces all the various Species that bear a strong resemblance to
each other, hut diflfer in the shape or general pro]3ortion of their parts; thus the various
Species of the Roses belong to one Genus.

Tribe and Subtribe are subdivisions of the Suborder in some elaborate systems of
classification.

Suborder. — For convenience of treatment, and because of important differences, an
Order is often subdivided into three or four Sul)cjr(lers, each embracing several Genera, as,
for instance, the Order Rosacea into the Almond or IMum, the Pear, and the Rose proper.

Order comprehends many Genera broadly resembling one another, as in having
their flowers and seeds constructed on the same plan, but with very striking differences in
important features. Thus the Order Rosacea, or Rose family, embraces not only Roses
proper, but .Strawberries, Blackberries, Apples, Pears, etc.

Subclass, or Alliance, is a subdivision of the Class, and embraces several Orders.

Class. — This is a still broader grouping or aggregation of plants, comprising \arious
Orders that resemble each other in some few important features.

Series, or Subkingdom, is the first grand division of the vegetable kingdom, and
embraces all such classes as are not radically so very different as to refuse to be grouped
together because of their most essential properties, such as flowering or not flowering.

m^ '- ^.5»

li

r

1

^-"-<:>^^

-^i^VS!"

^^%hm% of (Jiflssifiration.

I

>;//:

•as that first invented a system of classification of

i uncertain. Since the days when Solomon, king of

Israel, "spake of trees from the Cedar tree that is in

Lebanon even unto the Hyssop that springeth out of the

wall;" or those of Zoroaster, who is said to have taught

that the primeval creative power called forth from the blood

of the sacred Isiiill 120,000 forms of plants; or earlier

if the reader wishes, since the time when primitive

began first to observe and \\ undci at liis surroundings,

the present hour, the glory of the vegetable creation

necessarily excited his admiration. The Chaldaean

t'i ^H' ' '•' shepherds, who are credited with the discovery of astron-

£] SK' " ■ '""yj through their undisturbed contemplation of the

" -^"V ' " tlowers of heaven," could not have been entirely unmind-

• > till of the " stars of earth, the beautiful flowers."
74-266), a Greek philosopher and pupil of Aristotle, wrote a
"History of Plants," and a work "On the Causes of Plants," which evince not a little
knowledge of the organs and physiology thereof. Pliny the Elder (a. d. 23-79), in his
great compilation, the " Thirty-seven Books of Histories of Nature," gives many curious
bits of information in reference to about one thousand plants. Dioscorides, who flourished
about one hundred years later, described five hundred plants; and his work is lemarkable
as being the source of much of the terminology still used in our hooks on floriculture.

Scientific botany, however, owes its rise to the revival of letters in the ■-ixteenth
century. Otto Brunfels (1464-1534) is considered the first among the moderns to attempt
a classification of plants. Andrea Cesalpino {1519-1603), Italian physician and botanist,
was perhaps the first to establish a natural svstem of classification. Robert Morison
(1620-S3), a Scottish physician and botanist, separated plants into woody and herbaceous,
and divided them into eighteen classes. John Ray (1628-1705), English botanist, sepa-
rated flowering from flowerless plants, and subdivided the former into monocotyledonous
and dicotyledonous plants. A. Q. Rivinus (1653-1723), a Saxon anatomist and botanist,
published, in 1690, a system based on the differences of the corolla. J. P. de Tournefort
(1656- 1 708), French botanist, described about eight thousand species in twenty-two classes,
the classification being based mainly on the differences in the corolla.

4'3

CVLTlVATloy AXD ANALYSIS OF PLANTS.

^RTIFICI^VL SY^STEM OF LI^^^^ITJS.

The s_vstem of LiiiniPus (i 707-1 778), comprised twcntv-tbur classes, distinguished from
each other b}^ certain external peculiarities, relating to the stamens and pistils, which were
exJDressed by equivalent Greek compound words, and is therefore called artificial. Though
superseded by the natural systems of more recent botanists, it still possesses both interest
and value, as much of the terminology of Linnsus has been permanently ingrafted on
botanical science. Among other things, he was author of the binomial system of naming
plants bv the genus and specific characteristic. This system is as follows:

Monandi
Diandrin

TWENTY- FOUR CLASSES.

ith one stamen.

li ci'^lit stamens.
itli nine -tamens.

PH/ENOGAMOUS
("APPARENT
MARRIAGE "1;

WITH STAMENS

AND PISTILS

MANIFEST-

FLOWERING

PLANTS.

10. Decandria, with ten -tamens. 1

11. Dodeeandiia, ele\ en to nineteen]

(literally, twelve) -tanuiis.

12. Icosandii.i, witli twenty or more

stamens, adhering to calyx.

13. Polyandria, with twenty or more

staniens,adhering to receptacle^

14. Didynamia, " two with power;"

two long and two short sta-/ St.\mens,
mens.

15. Tetradvnamia, " four with po

er ; "" tour long and two short\ Length
stamens.

16. Monadelphia, " single brotherhood," that i

with filaments in one bundle.

17. Diadelphia, " double brotherhood," with fil;

ments in two bundles.
iS. Polyadelphia, "many brotherhoods," with/ Joined with

filaments in more than two bundles.
19. Syngenesia, " together born," united by the \

anth(
2.0. Gvnandr

21. Moncecia, "single-housed," in the same pla

22. Dicecia, "double-housed," in two plants.

23. Polygamia, " polygainous," in one, or two.

Unequal

EACH OTHER

more than two plant

CRYPTOGAMOUS
PLANTS; STAMENS \

1N™T- )-'■ COTtogamia, "concealed

FLOWERLESS /
PLANTS. 1

image."
4H

%

Sl'STEMS OF CLASS/FIC.iriU.X.

TWENTY- SIX ORDERS.

The foregoing twenty-four Classes were subdivided into twenty-six Orders, accord-
ing to the number of pistils or distinct stigmata, as far as the twelfth order, inclusive;
and above that the differences were founded on other peculiarities. It is not to be unikr-
stood that each Class had twenty-six subdivisions known as Orders, but that this distribu-
tion formed a basis for thus distinguishing as many Orders as might be found bj- actual
observation. The Class twelve or thirteen, for instance, might be comprehensive enough
to give scope for the elaborate subdivision into twenty-six Orders, while most others
would seldoiii reach beyond five, and many might lia\e only one, two or three. The

Monogjnia, with one pistil.

Digvnia, with two pistils.

Trigynia, with three pistils.

Tetragynia, w^ilh four pistils.

Pentagynia, with five pistils.

He.\agynia, with six pistils.

Heptagynia, with seven pistils.

Octogynia, with eight pistils.

Enneagynia, with nine pistils.

Decagynia, with ten pistils.

Dodecagynia, with twelve pistils.

Polygynia, with many pistils.

Gymnospermia, with naked seeds.

Angiospermia, with covered seeds.

Siliquosa, with seeds in siliques, or long pods,

Siliculosa, with seeds in silicles, or short pods

Monogamia, having some florets with stamens
and others with pistils.

Polygamia equalis, all florets having stamens
and pistils.

Polygamia segregata, eacli floret having a sepa-
rate calyx.

Moncecia, having stamens and pistils on sepa-

; plant,
and pistils on

rate flowers of the s
DioEcia, having stam

plants.
Trioecia, having stamens and jiistils on three

plants.
Filices, Ferns.
Musci, Mosses.
Hepaticae, Liverworts.
Alga; and Fungi, Seaweeds, Lichens, Funguses.

J<rj^TTJItJLL ORnERS OJT LIKNJEVS.

No one was more sensible of the need of a natural classification of plants than the
distinguished author of this artificial system, who declared that a method of classification,
based on the true intrinsic differences of plants, was " the first and last desideratum in
botany;" and he accordingly busied himself in arranging such a method, leaving as his
contribution in that direction the following fifty-eight families:

1. Palma; — Palms.

2. PiperitiE — Arums.

3. Calamari;E — Sedges.

4. Gramineie — Grasses.

5. Tripetaloide^ — Rushes.

6. Ensatae — Sword-leaved, as the Iris.

7. Orchidere — Orchids.

S. Scitamineae — Dainty plants, as the Banana.

9. Spathacere — Sheathed, as the Narcissus,

10. Coronariaf — Crown-bearing, as the Lily Family

Sarmentace^ — Runner-bearing, as the Straw-
berry.

Moloracea; — Whole-rooted, as the Goosefoot.

Succulentse — Succulent, as the Purslane.

Gruinales — Crane-bill, as the Geranium.

Inundatse — Pond-weeds, as the Potomageton.

Calyciflora-— Where the calyx-tube enclo-ses
the ovary, as the Oleaster.

Calvcanthem^ — With the stamens inserted in
the throat of the calyx, as the Melastomas.

^^

fr^^

CULTIVATION AND AN ALTS IS OF PLANTS.

Bicornes — Two-horned; where the pollen is 40.
discharged by two pores or tubes, as in the

Heath and Cranberry. 41-

Hesperidae — Myrtles. 42.

Rotacese — Wheel-form, as the Anagallis.

Precis — Primroses. 43-

Caryophylles — Pinks. 44.

Trihilatie — Maples.

Corvdales — Tufted, as the Futnitory. 45.

Putamineic — Pod-like-fruited, as the Caper. 46.

MultisiliquK— Many-podded, as the Hellebore. 47.

Rhoeadepe — Soothing, as the Poppy. 48.

LuridiE — Lurid, as the Nightshade. 49;

CampanacefE — Bell-like, as the Beliflower.

Contortae — Twisted back, as the Milkweed. 50.

Vepreculs — Bushy, as the Daphne. 51.

Papilionaceie — Butterfly-shaped, as the Pea. 52.

Lomentacese — With jointed pods, as the Cassia.

Cucurbitacea; — Curved, as the Gourd. 53.

SenticosjE — Thorny, as the Rose. 54.

Pomaceie — Apple.

Columniferae — Column-like, as the Mallow. 55.

Tricoccere — Three-kernelod, as the .Spurge. 56.

Siliquosa- — With long pods, as the Mustard; 57.

same as Crucifera', or Tetradvnamia. 58.

PersonatiE — Masked, as the Snapdragon; near-
ly same as Didynamia Angiospermia.

Asperifolise — Rough-leaved, as the Borage.

Verticillatie — Whorled, as the Holly; nearly
equivalent to Didynamia Gymnospermia.

DumosiE — Swelling, as the Viburnum.

Sepiariie — With seeds hedged in, as the Jas-
mine.

Umbellata; — Umbrella-like, as the Parsley.

Hederacese — Ivy.

StellatiE — Star-like, as the Madder.

AggregatiE — Scale-like, as the Scabious.

Compositoe — With massed flowers, as the Sun-
flower.

Amentacea? — With catkins, as the Willow.

Conifera; — Cone-bearing, as the Fir.

Coadunata; — United at the base, as the Mag-
nolia.

Scabrida; — Rough, as the Nettle.

Miscellaneoe — Miscellaneous flowering plants
not embraced in the foregoing.

Filices — Ferns.

Musci — Mosses.

AlgiB — Seaweeds.

Fungi — Funguses.

.»

\^^4 TZ^RJVL S YS TEMS.

e recent botani.sts have developed various natural systems of clas-
sification, based on the internal affinities and essential properties of
plants. One of the great advantages derivable from such methods
is the bringing together into the same groups the plants that approach
I nearest to each other in structural characteristics. The}- are of course
more philosophical than the artificial methods, vv'hich depended mainly
onoutv^rard similarities; but the final determination of the numerous divisions
and subdivisions of the vegetable kingdom, and the most appropi-iate nomen-
clature, has not yet been reached. The investigations of specialists are con-
tinually bringing to light new peculiarities, or differences that had escaped the
notice of earlier observers. And hence every new writer on botany devises a
method which is assumed to be an improvement on what preceded him.
distinguished native botanist. Dr. Asa Gray, of Harvard University, whose ele-
mentary works on botany ha-\e been declared by competent criticism to be " unsurpassed
in the language for precision, simplicity, perspicuity and cornprehensiveness," has formed a
very elaborate system, mainly natural, but with a slight admixture of the artificial method.
The following table, showing a natural system, has been constructed, mainly from the
"Genera Plantarum" of the late Austro-Hungarian botanist, Stephen Ladi.slaus Endlicher:

416

Our

%

J

^^T

^

t

:):s77;.u.s of classif/cat/ox.

1

m^-.

1 Protophyta (first-born J
t First in the economy of na
ture, thriving without soil

>ture, tnnving wi
deriving- tlieir gr
J the sea or air.

Hystekophyta (late-born) :

mains of the Protophyt;x.

Anophvta (upward-borr
Of a still higher grade th:
■the foregoing sections,
called because of a tendency
to upright growth.

AcROBRYA (from a
top, and bntein, to spi
- Stem growing onlv from the
top ; the same as 'Acrr
in other classifications.

A.MPiiiBRYA (from amphi^
around, and brueiti,
sprout): With the stem
• rtaj^ing or growing p"
,.l„ricu!l.v,or«-hat,rnot
~\--ii_-ms of classification, is
vn as the Endogenous

I Naked seeds.

Turpentine- vieldi
Cranebill-like...
Calyx -flowered .
M>Ttle-flowered

Rose bearing

Leguminous plai

Dialypetahr :
With" separati
pet;Us: equiva
lent to the polv
petalous of th<
other systems.

the clas!

grow in the form of ;i

rus," and without ai

Flowerless Plants

I of . L,

fip^

"^t Influrnrp of l^lorirulturp.

I CII littiaiy leave-takings as epilogues and Petivoys have grown
111 > ptihips deserved disuse: for, as Shakespeare says, "A good play
ntcds no tpilogue;" yet, before taking final leave of a work that has
Lonstituted the delightful labor of many years, and bidding good-bye,
IS It weie, to the thousands of human beings to whom the book will
>ifloid an introduction, the author would fain add a parting woi'd to
.ntoice the incalculable moral, intellectual and sesthetic value of flori-
L Science, in any department of knowledge, is of intrinsic worth to
he hum ui mind, but floriculture is eminently instructive, useful and agree-
ible It ill the plants of the v^'orld were of one shape, size and color, there
Jl^^^ "would iLsult a monotonous imiformity so burdensome to our imagination
is can scaicely be conceived in the presence of the almost infinite variety we
now enjoy. Nature, as if enticing us to search for her hidden treasures, has
produced many woiidLvfiil forms so different from each other that our curi-
osity is awakened when we first observe some unusual product of her handiwork;
and, thus stimulated, we are led to look for fresh peculiarities, and to push our
investigations into the innumerable recesses of the vegetable kingdom,
researches of the botanists have added largely to our list of food-plants, and ha\ e
given us a sure guide as to which, among the many varieties of edible plants, are best
adapted to supply our wants. Indeed, primitive man must have been a botanist in a
small way when he first discovered that plants afforded food fit for his use; so that a rude
botany must have been the first science cultivated among men. The first step toward
civilization was therefore made by each wild tribe when, with some uncouth dibble, or
pointed stick, they planted the first seed in the fruitful earth; and the cu!ti\ ation of plants,
though doubtless long confined to the food-plants only, constltuteil an important factor in
the career of humanity as it progressed to refinement. Even now, when man has reached
the greatest height yet attained, there is no better test of the civilization of the individual
or the nation than the degree in which floriculture has become a fine art. So the ama-
teur culturist may gather confidence from the thought that his favorite pursuit is the first
and the last step in the progress of civilization. A knowledge of the healing proper-
ties of plants has been found no less useful by physicians. Indeed, for long ages the
healing art was entirely confined to their use; and Liebig has said that all ordinary dis-
eases may be cured or averted by a judicious change of the constituents of our plant-food.

418

The

i}

Tin: ixi-iA i:x(E of iLoR/cri.iiRi- ^\^^

All outline study of botany, or (what is sometimes sulistituted tor this) a close observa-
tion of nature, is necessary in most of the arts and sciences. The graceful, wavy, curved
lines of flowers, leaves and fruits form an important feature in architectural ornamentation,-
as well as in the minor arls of cabinet-making, engraving, moldin- and the like. The
e\(|uisitc blending of colors in the Howcrs and foliage of plants fuinishcs the painter \'\ith
studies which he may imitate but cannot surpass. And the poets ha\e ever been indtlucd
to the vegetable kingdohi for some of their happiest flights of brilliant fency.

A love of flowers will supply a praiseworthy incentive to the merchant, clerk, artisan
or laborer to leave behind him the smoke, dust and discomfort of the crowded cit\ , awX
bask during an hour's or a day's leisure in the invigorating countr}- air. w hilt' he tnlargcs
his stock of knowledge by investigations that gently interest but do not o\ ei tax his intel-
lectual powers. The moralist will find in the love of plants and flowers a helpful hand-
maiden to religion and virtue; even the mechanical pursuit of the mere trade of gardener
has been conducive to a relatively superior morality, and freedom from crime. Horace
Mann found that there were fewer gardeners, in proportion to their numbers, than of any
other trade or calling in the poorhouses and prisons of Great Britain. Floriculture
has also an acl\antaL;c over many amateur jnnsuits in the cheapness and facilitv with
which it can be followed, as every plant may be regarded as an unfolded book, and every
flower an attractixe object-lesson, while, unlike mechanics, astronomy or chemlstr\, it
needs no expensive working apparatus. Flowers are the most delightful of all teachers.

THE USE OF FLOUEKS.

God might have bade the eartli biiiii; Ibrtli

Enough for great and small,
The oak-tree and the cedar-tree,

Without a flower at all.
We might have had enough, enough

For every Avant of ours.
For luxury, medicine and toil.

And vet have had no flowers.

Then wherefore, wherefore were they made,

All dyed with rainbow light.
All fashioned with .supremest grace

Upspringing day and night: —
Springing in valleys green and low,

And on the mountains high.
And in the silent wilderness

Where no man passes by.'
Our outward life requires them not;

Then wherefore had they birth.'
To minister delight to man,

To beautif\- the earth ;
To comfort man — to whisper life,

Whene'er his faith is dim.
For who so careth for the flowers

-.U,„v llo-.-ilt.

FMOPEKTY UtRAUr

^^^ •'

r^

"m

"j(\^^^wkiv;

T-7Ir^^7^

vl^

^Oihri of- ^ ml i men I

A BELLE — Orchis, 227.
Abruptness — Borage, 52.
Absence — Wormwood, 322.

A CONSTANT HEART Belltlowcr, 47

Adulation — Cacalia. 63.
A c;iFT — Eutoca, 130.
Agriculture — Medick, 20 v
Allurement — Quince, 255.
Always delightful — Cineraria, S(>.
Ambition — HoUyhocli. 158.
A meeting — MusV; Plant, 215.
A messenger — Iris, 173.
Amiability — White Jasmine, 175.
Amid nature's beauties — Persinimci
Anticipation — Anemone, iS.
Architecture — Candytuft, 71.
Artifice — Fennel Flower, 133.
A SOUR disposition — Berherrv, ^.S.
Asylum — Juniper, 176.
A trifling character — Bladdenuit,
Attachmf.nt — Ipomcea, 171.
Austerity — Thistle, 299.
Authority — Yucca, 32?.
Awakenin<; i.ovr — Lil.ac, iSS.

Baseness — Dodder, 115.
Bashful modesty — Sensitive Plant, :
Beauty in retirement — Rhodora, 2
Beloved daughter — Potentilla, 250.
Benevolence — Calycanthus, 68.
Benefits — Spikenard, 2S2.
Beneficence — Feverfew, 135.
Beware — Oleander, 223
Blushes — Sweet Marjoram, 201.
Blushing beauty — Damask Rose, 2C1
Boasting — Hydrangea, 167.
Bonds of love — Honeysuckle, i6i.
Bound by fate — Marsh Andromeda.
Bounty — ]')ouble China Aster, S3.
Bravery — Lion's Heart, igi.

Bri

Poinsettia

Calu.mny- Hellebore, 156.
Can you bear poverty — Browallia
Ch.vrms — Sweet Balm, 38.
Charms — Musk Rose, 265.
Chastity — Orange, 226.
Cheerfulness — Spring Crocus, 101
Cheerfulness in old .\ge — Aster,
Chivalry — Daflbdil, 107.
Cold-he.vrted — Lettuce, 187.
Complaint — Ground Pine, 150.
Confession — Lavender, 1S5,
Confidence — Geranium, 144.
Consolation — Snowdrop, 277.
Conquer your love — Asclepias, 27
Contempt — Carnation, 75.
Coquetry — Day Lily, 113.
Country life — Oats, 222.
Courtesy — Maurandia, 203.
Cruelty — Marigold, 200.
Curiosity — Walking Fern, 134.

Danger — Dragon's Claw, 117.
Death — Deadly Nightshade, 114.
Deceit — Adder's Tongue, 2.
Deceit — Venus's Fly-trap, 309.
Deceitful Charms — Thorn Apple
Deception — Winter Cherry, 320.
Deceptive appearances — Chestnu
Declaration of love — Tulip, 3c/).
Defense — Privet, 2-^2.
Deformity — Begonia, 46.
Del.\y — Eupatorium, 12S.
Delirium — Foxglove. 140.
Departure — Sweet Pea, 234.
Design — Dyer's Weed, 119.
Despair — Almond. 7.
Detraction — Clothur, 89.
Dexotion — Heliotrope. 155.

,^

s^

I\DE.\ OF .SH.\//MU.\"J\

1

DiFFiciLTY — Thorn, 300.

Diffidence — Cyclamen, 105.

Dignity — Dahlia, 108.

Discretion — Lemon Blossom, 186.

Distrust — Buttercup, 61.

Does he possess riches — Golden Bartonia,

Domestic industry — Flax. 137.

Domestic virtue — Sage, 269.

Dreams — Osmunda, 221J.

K ARLY FRIENDSHIP — Periwinkle, J37.

Ecstasy — Lophospermuni, 195.

Elegance — Birch, 49.

Eloquence — Crape Myrtle, 100.

Eloquence — Water Lily, 316.

Emulation — Asparagus, 29.

Energy — Salvia, 270.

Enjoyment — Ground Ivy, 149.

Enthusiasm — Gum Tree, 151.

Estimation — Indian Mallow, 170.

Eternity — Eternal Flower, 127.

Excessive sensibility — Aspen, 30.

Exhilaration — Snowdrop Tree, 278.

Experience — Sarsaparilla, 271.

Extent — Gourd, 147.

Falsehood — Apocynum, 20.

Fame — Trumpet Flower, 304.

Fancy — Globe Flower, 146.

Farewell — Spruce, 2S3.

Fate — Hemp, 157.

Favor — Sassafras, 272.

Fear — Arethusa, 24.

Felicity — Sweet Sultan, 293.

Female fidelity — Speedwell, 2S0.

Female loveliness — Justicia, 177.

Feminine beauty — Calla Lily, 67.

Festivity — Parsley, 232.

Fickleness -Lady's Slipper, 179.

Fidelity in misfortune — Wallflower, 314.

Filial affection — Virgin's Bower, 313.

Fitness — Sweet Flag. 291.

Flattery — Venus's Looking-glass. 310.

Folly — Columbir

93-

P'opper Y — Cockscomb, 92.
Foresight — Holly, 159.
Forgiveness — Alovsia, 9.
Formality — Ice Plant, 169.
Fortitude — English Moss, 125.
Frankness — Basket Osier, 228.
Friendship — Rose Acacia, 1.
Future happiness — Celandine, 78.

Gaiety- Butterflv Orchis, (,2.

Good nature — Mullein, 214
Goodness — Mallow, 198.
Good wishes — Sweet Basil,
Gossip — Cobiea. 91.
Glorious beauty — Cli.mtlui
Glory — Laurel, 1S3.
Gr.\ce — Fuchsia, 142.
Grandeur — Ash, 28.
Gratitude — Canterbury Bel
Greatness — Cotton Plant, 9
Grief— Aloe, 8.

Happy at all times — Coreopsis, 94.

Hardihood — Cranberry, 99.

Health — Fir Balsam, 136.

Heroism — Nasturtium, 218.

Hidden qualities — Sweet Potato, 292.

High-bred — Pentstenion, 236.

Holy love — Passion Flower. 233.

Home — Eglantine, 121.

Honesty — Honesty, 160.

Honesty- true nobility — Dogwood, 1 16.

Honor — Oak, 221.

Humility — Broom, 55.

Hypocrisy — Bugloss, 58.

I AM THY PRISONER Catchfly, 76.

I AM YOUR CAPTIVE — Peach Blossom, 235.
I DIE IF neglected — Laurestine. 184.
I CHANGE not — Globe Amaranth. 12.
I LIVE FOR THEE — Red Cedar, 77.
Immortality' — Amaranth. 1 1.
Impatience — Balsamine. 41.
Impatience — Cuphea. 103.
Imperial power — Crown Imperial. 102
Indecision — Bulrush, 59.
Indifference — Mustard. 216.
Industry — Clover, 90.
Infatuation — Cardamine. 73.
Ingratitude — Ranunculus, 257.
Injustice — Hop, 162.
Innocence — Dwarf Pink. iiS.
Innocence and beauty — Daisy. 109.
Inspir.\tion — Angelica. 19.
In.stinct — Pitcher Plant, 244.
Intellect — Walnut, 315.
Intoxication — Baccharis. 35.
Intri.nsic worth — Gentian. 143.
Intrusion — Bouncing Bess. 53.
I reject you — Black Hoaihound, 50.
I respect thy tears — B:i\ berry, 44.
I will think of it — Singh- Lhiiia .\ster.

•^^^Ss*-

I VALUE YOUR SYMPATHY — Wild Balm, 39.
Jealousy — Hyacinth, 166.
Jesting — Southernwood, 279.
Justice — Rudbeckia, 267.
Justice to you — Tussilago, 307.

Keep your promises — Petunia, 2yj.
Kxight-erraxtry — Monkshood, 211.

Labor — Broom Corn, 56.
Lasting friendship — Ivy, 174.
Let me heal thy grief — Arnica, 26.
Levity — Larkspur, 182.
Lightning — Pomegranate, 247.
LiGHT-HEARTEDNESS — Shamrock, 274.
Lofty THOUGHTS — Sunflower, 290.
Love — Myrtle, 217.
Loveliness — Austrian Rose, 260.
Love OF NATURE — Magnolia, 197.
Lovers' tryst — Beech, 45.
Luxury — Horse Chestnut, 163.

Malevolence — Lobelia, 193.

Marriage — Citron, S7.

AL\trimony — American Linden, 16.

Medicine — Endive, 124.

Meekness with dignity — Plumbago, 245.

Melancholy — Weeping Willow, 317.

Memory — Syringa, 296.

Mental beauty — Kennedya, 17S.

Mercy — Chamomile, 79.

Merit — Coriander, 95.

Merit before beauty — Alvssum, 10.

Mirth — Pimpernel, 242.

Misanthropy — Teasel, 29S.

Modesty — Violet, 312.

Necessity — Mermaid Weed, 207.
Night — Ebenaster, 120.
Nobility — Queen of the prairie, 254.
Novelty — Calceolaria, 66.

Obstacles to be overcome — Mistletoe. 21
Offense — Stapelia, 284.
Opinion — Escallonia, 126.
Opportunity — Phaseolus, 240.
Obliging disposition — Valerian, 30S.

Painting — Auricula, ^3.
Parental affection — Oxalis, 230.
Patriotism — American Elm, 15.
Peace — Olive, 225.
Perfect goodness — Strawberr\-, 2S7.
Perfect loveliness — Camellia, 69.

Persecution — -. Fritillaria, 141.
Perseverance — Canary Grass, 70.
Philanthropy — Melilot, 206.
Philosophy — Pine, 243.
Pleasure — Loasa, 192.
Politeness — Ageratum, 4.
Praise — Queen of the Meadow, 253.
Preference — Apple Blossom, 21.
Preferment — Cardinal Flower, 74
Presumption — Snapdragon, 275.
Pride — Amaryllis, 13.
Pride befriend me — Tiger Flower, 303.
Promptitude — Matthiola, 202.
Prodigality — Aristolochia, 25.
Prosperity — Neinophila, 219.
Providence — Oleaster, 224.
Proximity undesirable — Burdock, 60.
Prudent economy — Chicory, 82.
Purification — Hyssop, i6S.
Purity — Lily, 189.

Quick-sightedness — Hawkweed, 152.

Ready armed — Gladiolus, 145.

Reciprocity — Star Flower, 285.

Reconciliation — Star of Bethlehem, 2S6.

Remembered beyond the tomb — Asphodel,.3i.

Remembrance — Rosemary, 264.

Repentance — Rue, 268.

Repose — Morning Glory, 212.

Reproof — Euphorbia, 129.

Reserve — Rock Maple, 199.

Resistance — Tansy, 297.

Retirement — Lake-flower, iSo.

Return of happiness — Lily of the \'alley. 190,

Riches — Wheat, 318.

Rigor — Lantana, 181.

Rivalry — Rocket, 259.

Rumor — Mayweed, 204.

Secrecy — White Rose, 266.

Sensibility — Verbena, 311.

Sculpture — Hoya, 16.;.

Shame — Paeony, 231.

Single blessedness— Bachelor's Button. 36.

Simplicity — Arbutus, 23.

Slander — Nettle, 220.

Sleep — Opium Poppy, 24S.

Slighted affections — Chrysanthemum. 85.

Solitude — Heath, 153.

Sorcery- — Enchanter's Nightshade, 123.

Sorrow — Cypress, 106.

Sorrow — Yew, 324.

SORROWFLL XEMEMBRAXCES — Adonis, 3.

Splendor — Sumach, 28S.

Star of my existence — Chickwecd, Si.

Stoicism — Box, 54.

Stratagem — Sweet William, J94.

ScccESS — Summer Savory, 2S9.

Success crown your wishes — Coronilla, 97.

Suspense — Ipomopsis, 172.

Sweets to the sweet — Daphne, 1 1 1.

Sympathy — Thrift, 30:.

Sympathetic feeling — Bahn of Gilead, 40.

'I'alkini; — Rosebav, J6i.

Tears — Helenium, 154.

Temperance — Azalea. 34.

Temptation — Apricot, 2J.

Time — Four-o-clock, 139.

Thankfulness — Agrimony, v

Thine till death — American Arbor ^'ita;, 14.

Thoughts in absence — Zinnia, 326.

Thoughts OF heaven — Snowball. 276.

Threats — Rose-leaved Rubus, J63.

Transient happiness — Spiderwort. 2S1.

Transient beauty — Night-blooming Cactus, 64.

Trifling beauty — Flower-of-an-Hour, 138.

I'nanimity — I'hlox, 24 1.

Understanding — White Walnut, 319.

;ate attachment^> — Mourning Bride,

L"tility — Gr

14S.

Variety — Portulaca, 249.
Vice — Darnel, lu.
Vicissitude — Locust, 194.
Virtue — Mint, 209.
Vivacity — Houseleek, 164.
Voluptuousness — Tuberose, 305.
Voraciousness — Lupine, 196.

War — Yarrow, 3J3.
Wit — Ragged Robin, 256.
Witchery — Witch Hazel, 321.
Woodland beauty — Sycamore. 295.
Worth above beauty — Corn Cockle. 96.
Worthy all praise — Fennel, 132.

Vou EXCITE my curiosity — Molucca Balm. 37.
Vou PLE.\SE all — Currant, 104.
YoiR EYES ARE BEWITCHING — Evebriglit, 131
Your qualities surpass your charms— Mil;

nonette, 20S.
You TERRIFY me — Snake Cactus, 65.
YoiTH — Primrose, 2-^1.

Youthful recollections — Dandelion, no.
Zeal — Elder, 122.

v«S#

?3as9

ife^

424

i3 '^D