The Trailing Daphne grows naturally in many parts of Europe: it is remarkably sweet-scented, and has purple or white flowers, which appear very early in spring. It may be treated like the Mezereon, but that it will not bear transplanting. The Spurge-laurel, Daphne laureola-in French, laureole mále; laureole des Anglois: in Italian, laureola maschio; -has flowers of a yellowish green, which, if the season be not very severe, come out soon after Christmas. It is a native of Britain, and many other parts of Europe. This shrub, like the Mezereon, is very useful as a medicine; but, like that also, should be trusted to the skill of experienced persons only. It is a hardy plant, and may be treated like the Mezereon. The plants may be removed from the woods, or elsewhere, in the autumn; and at that season may be increased by cuttings. The Alpine may be treated like the Trailing Daphne. The Flax-leaved Daphne* has flowers like the Mezereon, only smaller they blow in June, and are very sweet-scented. This is a native of Spain, Italy, and the South of France : it will sometimes flower twice in the year. Gerarde gives this shrub the name of Mountain Widow-wayle. It may be treated in the same manner as the Silvery-leaved. This is supposed to be the herb Casia mentioned by Virgil, and other Roman writers: the Cneoron of the Greekst. Virgil mentions it as a plant agreeable to and good for bees: "Hæc circum casiæ virides, et olentia late Georgic iv. "Round these places let green casia, and far-smelling wild-thyme, * French, garau, sains bois; Italian, gnidia, pepe montano. + For some remarks on this subject, see Martyn's Virgil, p. 159. and plenty of strong-scented savoury flower, and let beds of violet drink the copious spring."-MARTYN'S Version. "Nam jejuna quidem clivosi glarea raris Vix humiles apibus casias, roremque ministrat." Georgic ii. "For the hungry gravel of the hilly field will scarce afford casia and rosemary for the bees."-MARTYN. An excellent writing-paper is made from a tree of this genus, called the Daphne Cannabina, a native of CochinChina. There is another, called the Lace-bark Daphne, of which the inner bark is of such a texture, that it may be drawn out in long webs like lace, and has been actually worn as such. Charles the Second had a cravat made of it, which was presented to him by Sir Thomas Lynch when governor of Jamaica. It is there principally used for ropes. This tree is a native of Jamaica, where it is called Lagetto, or Lace-bark-tree; and of Hispaniola, where it is known by the name of Bois dentelle [Lacewood]. It will not thrive in England, except in a stove. But this latter plant is now removed by Lamarcke, and forms a separate genus, Lagetta, which is placed by him, even in another family, the Eleagnæ. APOCINEA. DOG'S-BANE. APOCYNUM. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. So named from a notion that it is fatal to dogs. THE Tutsan-leaved Dog's-bane is an extremely curious plant the flowers are white, or pale red; bell-shaped, and the anthers are so constituted within it, as to entangle the flies who are attracted by the honey-juice it contains: so that in August, when in full flower, it is usually found full of their dead bodies. The French, in Canada, call it Herbe à-la-puce [Fleawort], and say it is noxious to some persons, though harmless to others. Mr. Martyn quotes an author (Kalm) who mentions having seen a soldier whose hands were blistered all over merely from plucking it; whereas he frequently rubbed his own hands with the juice without feeling any inconvenience. Mr. Lambert, in his Travels in Canada and the United States, affirms that he has seen several persons who have been confined to the house in consequence of having been poisoned in the woods by this plant, and that even the merely treading on it is sufficient to create swellings and inflammations: "and yet," continues he, " I have seen other people handle it with safety; and have myself often pulled it up by the root, broken the stem, and covered my hands with the milky juice which it contains, without experiencing any disagreeable effect. What property it is in the constitution of people which thus imbibes or repels the poisonous qualities of this plant, I have never been able to learn, nor can I from observation account for it. 66 Many gardens in Lower Canada are full of Dog'sbane, which occasions it to be considered there as a weed. The roots appear to spread under ground to a considerable extent; and though the plant may be cut off every year, it springs up again in another place. It makes its appearance about the end of May, and runs up like the scarlet-beans, entwining itself round any tree, plant, or paling that stands in its way; and if there is nothing else upon which the young shoots can support themselves, they adhere to each other. Their leaves and stems are of a light green, and they are in full flower in July. Wherever the Herbe à-lapuce grows, there is always to be found a great number of lady-flies [coccinella]. They are covered with a brilliant gold as long as they are on the leaf, or retain any particle of its juice. I caught some of them, and put them into a phial; but neglecting to add some leaves of the Herbe à-lapuce, they had by the next morning lost their splendid coat, and merely resembled the common red lady-fly which we have in England. I then caught a few more, and having supplied them well with the leaves of that plant, they rẻtained their gold tinge equally as well as in the open air. In a few days they had reduced the leaves to mere skeletons, but as long as there remained a morsel of the stalks or fibres to feed upon, their beautiful appearance continued. I kept them upwards of a month in this manner; giving them occasionally fresh leaves of the plant, and admitting the air through some holes that I pricked in the paper with which I had covered the mouth of the phial. They would feed upon no other plant than the Herbe à-la-puce, from which alone they derived their beauty. I afterwards gave them their liberty, and they flew away apparently little the worse for their confinement *." The Tutsan-leaved, the St. John's-wort-leaved, and the Spear-leaved kinds will bear the open air, if not exposed to too much wet; which, as they are very succulent, would rot them. They may be increased by parting the roots, which should be done in March. Hemp Dog's-bane, a native of North America, is used by the Indians for various purposes: they prepare the stalks as we do hemp, and make twine, fishing-nets and lines, bags, and linen of them. According to Kalm, this is the species which the Canadians call Herbe à-la-puce. In Mrs. Charlotte Smith's Conversations are some lines upon the fate of a poor fly, lured to its prison by the deceitful sweetness of the Apocynum. * Lambert's Travels through Canada, &c. vol. i. p. 435. + LABIATE. DRAGON'S-HEAD. DRACOCEPHALUM. DIDYNAMIA GYMNOSPERMIA. So narned from the form of the flower, which resembles a gaping mouth. THE Moldavian Dragon's-head, commonly called Moldavian Balm-in French, la melisse de Moldavie; la Moldavique; la melisse des Turcs [Turk's balm]-is an annual plant with blue flowers, which appear in July, and continue till the middle of August. It has a strong scent, which to some persons is very agreeable. The seeds of this, and of the other annual kinds, may be sown either in March or September, in small pots, one seed in each, or several in a larger pot, and thinned as they may require it when they come up. Some kinds are more branched than others. Balm of Gilead is a perennial plant, a native of the Canary Islands: it has blue or flesh-coloured flowers, continuing from July to September. It is called Balm of Gilead, from its fine odour when rubbed. The old writers call it Camphorosma, and Cedronella, upon the same account. It should be sown in September, and kept in the house during the winter. When grown, it will require shelter from frost only; but when first sown, should be treated rather more tenderly. It may also be increased by cuttings, which, planted in any of the summer months, and placed in the shade, will soon take root. The Virginian Dragon's-head-named by the French, la cataleptique; l'herbe aux paralitiques, from its use in palsy and similar diseases—is a native of North America: it has purple flowers, blowing from July to September. This species requires a moist soil, and should have more |