FRENCH HONEYSrCKLE. 217 



near four feet higli, aflbrding excellent nourishment 

 to horses and mules, both green and when made 

 into hay ; and we earnestly recommend a trial of its 

 use in husbandry in this countr}^ particularly to 

 those farmers whose lands are situated on chalky 

 downs or hills where there is frequently a want of 

 green fodder for cows, as it is well known that since 

 the introduction of Saint-foin and Lucerne, many 

 dairies have been set up, where these were formerly- 

 thought impracticable. The cows which are fed 

 on the French Honeysuckle in Italy and Spain 

 produce abundance of milk, and the butter made 

 from it is good flavoured. 



It has long flourished in the British parterre, 

 having been known in this country previous to the 

 year 1596. 



Parkinson calls it '« The Red-flowered Fitch- 

 ling, and the Red Satin-flower/' and observes, 

 *' some foolishly call it the Red or French Honey- 

 suckle." 



The generic name of this plant is derived from 

 the Greek, 'H^Cafxoc, sweetness, and aoov, ointment. 

 It is considered a biennial plant, but it grows 

 stronger and becomes perennial if cut down before 

 it seeds. It flowers in June and July, in spikes of 

 papilionaceous flowers of a rich red colour and satin- 

 like appearance ; but the large straggling nature of 

 the plant makes it more calculated to ornament the 



VOL. II. L 



