ROCKET. 315 



ROCKET. Ilcsperis. 



Natural Order Siliquosce. CrucifertB, Juss. A Genus 

 of the Tetradynamia Siliquom Class. 



That keep 



Their odour to themselves all day; 

 But when the sunlight dies away, 

 Let the delicious secret out 

 To every breeze that roams about. 



T. Moore. 



The ancients named this family of plants Hespe- 

 r», from Hesper or Vesper, because they do not 

 discharge their perfume until the evening. In 

 floral language, these flowers are made the emblem 

 of Falsehood or Deceit, on account of their deny- 

 ing their odorous virtues to the light of day. 



We have no plant that exhales so delightful a 

 fragrance in the night as the Hcspcris Trlstas, 

 Night-smelling Rocket, or Night-odorous Stock. 

 This flower has for many ages been a favourite 

 with the German ladies, and is consequently much 

 cultivated in that country in pots for the apart- 

 ments ; and hence it obtained the name of Dame's 

 Violet, in addition to that of Nacht Violen. It 

 has been known in this country as long back as the 



P2 



