fused in vinegar, the Marygold is supposed to prevent infection, even that of the plague itself; and, so infused, both the leaves and flowers are found a powerful sudorific. It is, however, very probable that the efficacy of the infusion, in cases of infection, is more in the vinegar than in the flower infused in it. It has been asserted that the sting of a wasp, or a bee, is effectually cured by rubbing the part affected with a Marygold-flower.

Linnæus has observed, that the Marygold is usually open from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon. The circumstance attracted early notice, and on this account the plant has been termed solisequa (Sun-follower); and solis sponsa, Spouse of the Sun.

There is an allusion to this daily closing of the Marygold in the poems of Chatterton :

"The mary-budde that shutteth with the light."

Another in the Pastorals of W. Browne :

"But, maiden, see the day is waxen olde,

And gins to shut in with the marygold."

And a most beautiful one in Shakspeare's Winter's Tale :

"The marygold, that goes to bed with the sun,

And with him rises weeping."

And again in Cymbeline:

"Hark! hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings,

And Phoebus 'gins arise,

His steeds to water at those springs

On chaliced flowers that lies.

And winking marybuds begin

To ope their golden eyes;

With every thing that pretty bin,

My lady sweet arise,

Arise, arise."

Chaucer compares the effect of joy upon a person in sorrow to that of the morning sun upon these very sun-loving flowers:

"But right as floures through the colde night
Inclosed stoupen in her stalke lowe,
Redressen hem ayen the sunne bright
And spreden in hir kindlie by rowe;
Right so began his eyen up to throwe
This Troilus."

Shakspeare says of a beautiful woman sleeping:
"Her eyes like marygolds had sheathed their light,
And canopied in darkness sweetly lay,
Till they might open to adorn the day."

Herrick entreats the Daisy

"Shut not so soon; the dull-eyed night

Has not as yet begun

To make a seizure on the light,

Or to seal up the sun:

No marygolds yet closed are,

No shadows yet appear;

Nor doth the early shepherd's star

Shine like a spangle here.

Stay but till my Julia close

Her life-begetting eye:

And let the whole world then dispose

Itself to live, or die."

There are many varieties of the Garden Marygold; one of which, the Proliferous, called by Gerarde the Fruitful Marygold, is, as he says, "called by the vulgar sort of women, Jack-an-apes-on-horseback.”

Although this Marygold is generally yellow, there is a variety with purple flowers. The Cape Marygolds, specifically so called, as well as some others, natives of the Cape, have a deep purple centre or disk; and the florets around it, which are called the rays of the flower, are of a violet colour without, and a pure white within.

These kinds, like our common Garden Marygold, open when the sun shines, and close in the evening, and in

T

cloudy weather. Two of these, the Grass-leaved, and the Shrubby, are perennial plants: the others are annual.

The Garden Marygold, and the Great, the Little, and the Naked-stalked Cape Marygolds, may be sown in April or in March; the first singly; the others, four of them, or five, in a pot ten inches wide. If they all come up, the two most promising should be preserved, and the rest rooted out; they will not bear transplanting. The Grass-leaved kind is best raised by a gardener; and should be housed, but not kept too warm, in the winter. The Shrubby Marygold is increased by cuttings planted in any of the summer months, and shaded from the sun until they have taken firm root, which will be in five or six weeks. In winter, this must be treated as the last.

The Marygolds must not be suffered to remain dry, but must have but little water at a time. Most of them flower from June till August; but the Garden Marygold continues in bloom till stopped by the frost.

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Open afresh your round of starry folds,
Ye ardent marygolds!

Dry up the moisture of your golden lids ;
For great Apollo bids

That in these days your praises shall be sung
On many harps, which he has lately strung;
And when again your dewiness he kisses,
Tell him, I have you in my world of blisses:
So haply when I rove in some far vale,
His mighty voice may come upon the gale."
KEATS.

It has been observed that these flowers were formerly called Golds, a name by which Chaucer repeatedly mentions them: we are told, in the glossary, that Gold means a Sun-flower, but it has been remarked that this title also was formerly bestowed upon the Marygold: and the following passage is an additional argument for supposing

Chaucer to have intended this flower rather than the enormous Sun-flower, now so called:

"Eke eche at other threwe the flouris bright,

The prymerose, the violete, and the gold."

COURT OF LOVE.

He also bestows a garland of them upon Jealousy, yellow being the colour emblematical of that passion :

" and Jalousie,

That wered of yelwe goldes a gerlond,

And had a cuckowe sitting in her hand.”

THE KNIGHT'S TALE.

It is rather an awkward circumstance, that the same flower should be emblematical both of jealousy and marriage: We learn from an old ballad, that

This flower should surely have been dedicated to Juno, the goddess of marriage, and certainly the most jealous of all beings, mortal or immortal.

Spenser mentions the Marygold both by its old and modern name; in speaking of Cynthia:

"I would her liken to a crown of lilies,

Upon a virgin bride's adorned head,

With roses dight, and goolds, and daffodillies :"

and in recounting the flowers planted about the tomb of the unfortunate gnat :

"And round about he taught sweet flowers to grow;

The rose engraived in pure scarlet dye,

The lilly fresh, and violet below,

The marigold, and cheerful rosemary,

The Spartan myrtle, whence sweet gum does flow,

* See notes, Beaumont and Fletcher, Vol. V. p. 423.

The purple hyacinth, and fresh costmary,
And saffron sought for in Cilician soil,

And laurel, th' ornament of Phoebus' toil."

MAURANDIA SEMPERFLORENS.

SCROPHULARIEE.

DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA.

THIS shrub is a native of Mexico, and requires winter shelter. It should be housed at Michaelmas, or, if the season be cold, somewhat earlier; and should remain within till the end of May, or the beginning of June. In April and in October the earth should be removed as deep as can be done without disturbing the roots, and fresh earth substituted. If it requires new potting, it must be carefully removed with the ball of earth about the roots: all the matted, decayed, or mouldy roots on the outside should be pared away; and, when fresh planted, it should be gently watered, and placed in the shade. April is the best time for transplanting this shrub, that it may have time to fix its roots before the time of its removal into the open air. In winter it will not require water oftener than once in five days or a week; and then, unless in very mild weather, at the roots only. In dry summer weather it may be watered every evening, or second evening, according to its situation and the heat of the sun.

FICOIDEAE.

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM.

ICOSANDRIA PENTAGYNIA.

The name of this genus is derived from three Greek words, and signifies a flower with the embryo in the middle: it was originally named Mesembrianthemum, or Noon-flower, because most of the species close in the absence of the sun, and disclose themselves in broad sunshine. The familiar name is Fig-marygold.-French, ficoïde; fleur de midi [noon-flower.]-Italian, ficoide.

THIS genus is very large it will be necessary only to select a few of the more desirable or general kinds.