should be done in the middle of October, soon after the flowers are past, or very early in the spring, that they may be well rooted before the droughts come on. They will require watering in dry weather, particularly when in pots.

Several of the Sun-flowers are natives of Canada, where they are much admired and cultivated by the inhabitants, in gardens, for their beauty in the United States they sow whole acres of land with them, for the purpose of preparing oil from their seeds, of which they produce an immense number. This oil is very pure, fit for salads, and for all the purposes of Florence oil*.

Thomson supports the popular notion that this flower turns ever towards the sun :

"Who can unpitying see the flowery race,

Shed by the morn, their new-flushed bloom resign,
Before the parching beam? So fade the fair,
When fevers revel through their azure veins.

But one, the lofty follower of the sun,

Sad when he sets, shuts up her yellow leaves,

Drooping all night, and, when he warm returns,
Points her enamoured bosom to his ray."

Mr. T. Moore has taken advantage of the same idea, in the words of one of his Irish Melodies:

"As the sun-flower turns to her god when he sets

The same look which she turned when he rose."

Clare gives a natural picture of the Sun-flower in the following description of the floral ornaments of a rustic cottage:

"Where rustic taste at leisure trimly weaves

The rose and straggling woodbine to the eaves,
And on the crowded spot that pales enclose
The white and scarlet daisy rears in rows,-
Training the trailing peas in bunches neat,
Perfuming evening with a luscious sweet,—

See Lambert's Travels in Canada, &c.

And sun-flowers planting for their gilded show,
That scale the window's lattice ere they blow,
Then, sweet to habitants within the sheds,

Peep through the diamond panes their golden heads."
VILLAGE MINSTREL, &c. vol. ii. page 80.

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
The gaudy orient sun-flower from the crowd
Uplifts its golden circle."

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,
Sweet rose, a prince's death in purple mourn;

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,

Into those liquid pearls again now turn."

SWEET-PEA.

LATHYRUS.

LEGUMINOSE.

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.

French, pois odorans; pois de senteur [both signifying scented pea]; pois de fleur [flower pea.]

The

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. 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 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. 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. They are justly termed Papilionaceous, for they do indeed look like butterflies turned to 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
Sparkle such rainbow butterflies,
That they might fancy the rich flowers,
That round them in the sun lay sighing,
Had been by magic all set flying.

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,
With wings of gentle flush, o'er delicate white,
And taper fingers catching at all things

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.

MYRTEE.

SYRINGA.

PHILADELPHUS.

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 Mockorange 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, but must be sheltered in the winter season.

Mason speaks of the Syringa in his English Garden;