"Where rustic taste at leisure trimly weaves Peep through the diamond panes their golden heads." The size and splendour of this flower make it very conspicuous, and some have accused it of being gaudy, although constant in the one golden colour of its attire: gaudiness, however, is a quality which may be pardoned in a flower, "Where tulip, lily, or the purple bell Of Persian wind-flower; or farther seen MATURIN'S UNIVERSE, page 55. The Sun-flower was formerly called Marygold also, as the Marygold was termed Sun-flower. Gerarde styles it the Sun-marygold. There is another genus producing the same kind of flowers, only smaller, usually called the Willow-leaved Sunflower. Their botanical name is Helenium, supposing them to have sprung from the tears of Helen, the wife of Menelaus it has not been clearly ascertained upon what occasion. Drummond speaks of this flower in his lines on the death of Prince Henry : Queen of the fields, whose blush makes blush the morn, O hyacinth, for ay your Ai keep still, Nay with more marks of woe your leaves now fill: And you, O flower! of Helen's tears that's born, E E Pliny says that the Helenium was found in the Isle of Helena, and was formed by her tears: Dioscorides tells the same story. There was an island of that name on the coast of Attica, to which Helen retired after the siege of Troy : it was a native not only of that island, however, but also grew in the neighbourhood of Alexandria, upon which Tournefort observes that Helen's tears seemed to cost her very little :-" apparemment que les larmes lui coûtoient peu* !” 66 LEGUMINOSE. SWEET-PEA. LATHYRUS. DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. French, pois odorans; pois de senteur [both signifying scented pea]; pois de fleur [flower pea]; gesse.-Italian, pisello odoroso. THE Sweet-pea has several varieties, greatly differing in colour: the common sort, which is blue and dark purple, sometimes with a tinge of red, is a native of Sicily. The more delicate kind, white and blush, or white and deep rose-colour, sometimes with a mixture of pale blue, is a native of the Island of Ceylon, and is called the Paintedlady. The Tangier-pea is a native of Barbary, its colours purple and red: it is an annual plant, which grows to the height of four or five feet; blossoms in June or July, and dies in autumn. Although the Sweet-pea is now so common in this country that we seldom see a garden, however small, that cannot boast of possessing it, it is not more than a hundred * Tournefort's Levant, vol. ii. p. 36. years since it was numbered among our rare and curious plants, and in the time of Parkinson and Evelyn it was not known in our gardens. This Pea blows in June, and continues in blossom till killed by the frost; new flowers still continuing to blow among the full-grown seed-vessels of their elder brethren: "Here swelling peas on leafy stalks are seen, Mixed flowers of red and azure shine between." SAVAGE. It may be sown about half an inch deep, and it may be well to scatter the seeds pretty thickly; if they all grow, the weaker ones may be removed, and the stronger left. They may be sown in October, and kept in-doors till spring; or may be sown and placed abroad at once in March' or April. In cold weather, the earth should be just kept moist; in hot dry summer weather, it must be watered every evening, and if necessary in the morning also. When the plants are about three inches high, sticks should be placed to support them, three or four feet in length. This plant should not be kept within doors in warm weather, or it will grow very tall and weakly, and produce few flowers. There is a variety of this Pea entirely white; but the most beautiful is the red and white. But that I fear to confess so great a heresy, I would say this flower need not yield even to the rose. Nothing can exceed the elegance of its form; nor can there be a more delicate contrast of colour: "Mira le belle foglie, e i bel colori; TALOMEI. "See the fine leaves, these lovely colours see; They are justly termed Papilionaceous, for they do indeed look like butterflies turned to flowers: "Peas of all kinds diffuse their odorous powers Where Nature pencils butterflies on flowers." It is sometimes difficult to believe that the little white butterflies which reel about in the sunshine are not white violets or peas which have broken their bonds. It is equally difficult to believe that these flowers want any thing but will to fly and we almost expect to see them start from their stalks as we look at them. Both these fancies are authorised by the poets. "In their own bright Kathaian bowers That they might fancy the rich flowers, LALLA ROOKH. These butterflies, Mr. Moore tells us, are called, in the Chinese language, Flying-leaves. "Some of them," continues he," have such shining colours, and are so variegated, that they may be called Flying-flowers; and indeed they are always produced in the finest flower-gardens.” "Here are sweet-peas on tip-toe for a flight, To bind them all about with tiny rings." KEATS. In his Calendar of Nature Mr. Hunt speaks of Sweetpeas, as looking like butterflies turned to flowers. In short, it seems scarcely possible not to feel this. They seem only lingering to sip their own honey. SYRINGA. PHILADELPHUS. MYRTE. ICOSANDRIA MONOGYNIA. From Ptolemy Philadelphus, King of Egypt. It is also called mock-orange, and pipe-tree.-French, le seringat; in Languedoc, siringea.-Italian, siringa. THE Syringa is a most delicious shrub: the foliage is luxuriant, the blossoms beautiful, and abundant, white as the purest lily, and of the most fragrant scent; in a room, indeed, this perfume is too powerful, but in the air, it is remarkably agreeable. There is a variety which has no scent; and also a dwarf variety, which does not usually exceed three feet in height: the flowers are sweet, and double; but it flowers rarely, and is on that account less esteemed than otherwise it would be. There is a species called the Myrtle-leaved Syringa, a native of New Zealand; the fresh flowering shoots of which were used as tea by Captain Cook's sailors, who found the infusion sweetly aromatic at first; in a short time, however, it became very bitter. It was considered serviceable in the sea-scurvy. The Sweet Syringa, specifically so called, is also a native of New Zealand. It flowers in July and August; the Myrtle-leaved kind in June and July; and the Mock-orange in May and June. The Mock-orange is extremely hardy, and will thrive in almost any soil or situation. It is a native of the South of Europe:-the dwarf variety, of Carolina. This species may be increased by cuttings, planted early in October. They must always be kept tolerably moist. The other kinds may be increased in the same way, must be sheltered in the winter season. but |