after the flower decays. They should be planted about two inches deep in the earth. Rapin, in his poem on gardens, speaks of the Asphodel as an article of food: "And rising Asphodel forsakes her bed, On whose sweet root our rustic fathers fed." GARDINER'S TRANSLATION. It is mentioned by Milton as forming part of the nuptial couch of Adam and Eve in Paradise: "flowers were the couch, Pansies, and violets, and asphodel, And hyacinth, earth's freshest, softest lap." It was formerly the custom to plant Asphodel and mallow around the tombs of the deceased. St. Pierre, after dwelling with some earnestness on the propriety of such customs, quotes the following inscription, engraven on an ancient tomb: "Au-dehors je suis entouré de mauve et d'asphodele, et au-dedans je ne suis qu'un cadavre." The fine flowers of the Asphodel produce grains, which, according to the belief of the ancients, afforded nourishment to the dead. Homer tells us, that having crossed the Styx, the shades passed over a long plain of Asphodel*. It is singular that this plant should flourish so abundantly both in Eden and in Tartarus. The latter might have been supposed too warm a climate. A poet of the present day informs us, upon grave authority, that the spirits of the martyrs lodged in the crops of green birds have their dwelling "In Eden's radiant fields of asphodel." Orpheus, in Pope's Ode on St. Cecilia's day, conjures the infernal deities * See St. Pierre's Harmonies de la Nature. "By the streams that ever flow, By those happy souls who dwell Or amaranthine bowers." Pope, according to a passage in Spence's Anecdotes, where he speaks of it with a disrespect hardly becoming a poet, seems to have thought it one of our commonest field-flowers. Dr. Hunt, speaking of Lemnos, says, "The pastures were profusely covered with anemonies of the most vivid and various hues; and the sides of the hills were white with the large towering Asphodel, which the islanders look upon as an omen of a fruitful year ASTER. CORYMBIFERE. SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA SUPERFLUA. Starwort, so named from its starry shape.-French, astére.—Italian, astero. THE varieties of the Aster are infinite; and being very showy, of almost every colour, and the colours remarkably vivid, they make a brilliant figure in our gardens in the autumn. The most general favourite is the Chinese, or China Aster, which has larger and handsomer flowers than any of the others. There are many varieties of this species; white, blue, purple, and red; single and double of each; and another variety, variegated with blue and white. The French call the China Aster la Reine Marguerite, which has been rendered, in English, the Queen Margaret may they not rather mean to call it the Queen * Dr. Hunt's Journal, Walpole's Travels in the East. Daisy-marguerite being their name for the daisy, which this flower much resembles in form, though it is of a much larger size, and of more brilliant colours? The Amellus, or Italian Starwort*, has a large blue and yellow flower. The leaves and stalks being rough and bitter, are not eaten by cattle; and thus remaining in the pastures after the grass has been eaten away, it makes a fine show when in full flower. This is supposed to be the Amellus of Virgil: "The Attic star, so named in Grecian use, GARDINER'S TRANSLATION OF RAPIN. "Est etiam flos in pratis, cui nomen amello Pabulaque in foribus plenis appone canistris." VIRGIL, GEORGIC 4. "We also have a flower in the meadows which the country-people call amellus. The herb is very easy to be found; for the root, which consists of a great bunch of fibres, sends forth a vast number of stalks. The flower itself is of a golden colour, surrounded with a great number of leaves, which are purple, like violets. The altars of the gods are often adorned with wreaths of these flowers. It has a bitterish taste. The shepherds gather it in the open valleys, and near the winding stream of the river Mella. Boil the roots of this herb in the best flavored wine; and place baskets full of them before the door of the hive."-MARTYN'S TRANSLATION, p. 390. The China Aster is an annual plant. It should be sown in March or April, and kept in a tolerably warm room * Called in France l'œil de Christ [Christ's eye]; in Italy, amello or astero affico di fior turchino. until it has risen about three inches above the earth; and should then be gradually accustomed to the open air. The seed may either be sown singly, or many together, and removed into separate pots when they have grown about three inches: in the latter case, they must be placed in the shade until they have taken new root, and be gently watered every evening. According to their situation, China Asters will require water every evening, or second evening, in dry summer weather, after they are rooted; but it is necessary to give particular attention to this when they are newly planted. They will flower in August. Most of the Asters have perennial roots and annual stalks, and may be increased by parting the roots, which should be done soon after the plant has done flowering. The Italian Starwort should not be removed oftener than every third year. The earth should be kept tolerably moist for all of them, and the taller kinds should be supported with sticks. The African species must be raised in a hot-bed, and require protection in winter. RHAMNEE? AUCUBA JAPANICA. TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. French, aucube; Italian, aucuba; English, gold-plant. THIS tree, the leaves of which are singularly dabbled with spots, is very commonly grown in pots, as an ornament for balconies, windows, &c. and seems to have been long a favourite; probably, in some measure, from being of a hardy constitution, always green, and requiring little care-for it is by no means so handsome as many which are less generally regarded. It will bear the open air all the year round: the earth should be kept tolerably moist. Some call it American Laurel. Thunberg, in his Travels in Japan, says, “I found here a tree which is called Aukuba, and another called Nandina, both which were supposed to bring good fortune to the house." He observes that almost every house in Japan has a small yard behind it, decorated with a little mount, a few trees, shrubs, and flower-pots, and that the Aucuba and Azalea are almost always seen there *. The Aucuba is comparatively a stranger in this country; it was not introduced till the year 1783. PRIMULACEÆ. AURICULA. PRIMULA AURICULA. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Mountain Cowslip, French Cowslip, and Oricolo; but all these names have been superseded by Auricula, by which name it is best known in this country. The old botanical name was auricula ursi [bear's ear], from the shape of the leaves.-French, oreille d'ours.— Italian, orecchio d'orso. THE Auricula is a native of the mountains of Switzerland, Austria, Styria, Carniola, Savoy, and Piedmont. It flowers in April and May. It is astonishing how greatly it may be improved by cultivation. It has been affirmed that Henry Stow, of Lexden, near Colchester, a noted cultivator of these flowers, had one plant with no less than one hundred and thirty-three blossoms upon one stem†. The varieties are innumerable; and they are known by the name of every colour, and combination of colours. Some are named from the persons who first raised them; others by more fanciful appellations, as the Matron, the Alderman, the Fair Virgin, the Mercury, &c. A fine Auricula should have a strong upright stem, of * Thunberg's Travels, Vol. III. p. 111. + Morant's Colchester (to which Millar refers), page 92. |