ARl'M AND CALLA. 299 



and the earliest notice of it in this country is not 

 farther back than 17;J1, when it was cultivated by 

 Mr. Miller, in the botanical garden at Chelsea; 

 but it is only within these few years that it has 

 become generally known. The fashion of orna- 

 menting the houses in London with plants, when 

 routs are given, greatly contributed to bring it 

 into celebrity, its time of flowering being from 

 January to June, which is the period of our me- 

 tropolitan gaieties. It was soon found to be a 

 conspicuous candlelight plant, and was therefore 

 increased by all the rout-furnishing florists. Thus 

 introduced to public notice, its charms could not 

 fail to obtain it a favourable regard among all 

 the admirers of nature, for its appearane in the 

 group of plants reminds us of a beautiful antique 

 lamp for burning incense, which illusion the flame- 

 coloured spadix, arising out of the centre of the 

 white calyx, considerably increases. This vege- 

 table cup also pours out an agreeable perfume from 

 its graceful and beautiful horn. The leaves of the 

 Calla are large, and of a glossy fine yellowish 

 green, which contrasts as well with the foliage of 

 other plants as its white colour does with the gayer 

 tints of other flowers. 



The name of Calla is derived, according to 

 Marty n, from the Greek xstXkauov, palaaria <jalli, 

 the wattle of a cock ; but we consider it to be from 



