SEPTEMBEE. 427 



garden, especially if it be trained upon trellis-work, or 

 against a wall, its brilliant orange flowers flashing gor- 

 geously upon the eye. The extent and height to 

 which it will spread is really wonderful; and it is 

 curious to observe that the long petioles of its remark- 

 able leaves perform the office of tendrils, and curling 

 round any object near them, support the plant high in 

 air, though to an inattentive observer it is not, at 

 first sight obvious how this is done. The leaf of the 

 Nasturtium may be said to form a living vegetable 

 Mackintosh, or rather indeed, is far superior to that 

 useful article, for not only is it impervious to rain, 

 but no wet has power even to moisten its surface, 

 rolling quickly off in silver globules. The blossoms 

 of this Peruvian plant occasionally emit electric sparks 

 in the twilight, as noticed by the daughter of LIN- 

 N^rs, ELIZABETH CHRISTINA. The Nasturtium though 

 pretty enough as a domestic plant, seems hitherto to 

 have missed poetic celebration remaining for the 

 sympathetic memory of some future bard. 



The pretty Canary-bird flower (Trapcsolum adun- 

 tum), is a later introduction than the common orange 

 Nasturtium, but from the yellow hue and curious form 

 of its flowers well contrasts with the other in the gar- 

 den, and has an elegant aspect as a porch or trellis 

 climber. 



One of the principal embellishments of the autum- 

 nal parterre is the Chinese Aster or Starwort (Aster 

 Cliinensis], now a common denizen of European gar- 

 dens, though introduced from China only about a 

 century ago. Asters are of various colours, deep pink, 



land and water cresses, a very curious circumstance in plants belonging 

 to different natural families. The capsules, in particular, make a very 

 wholesome pickle. 



