BITTER-ALMOND FLAVOUR, 77 



the surrounding vessels, by growing less tursficT, with- 

 draw their pressure from such orifices. When this 

 scent of new hay is vehement, it becomes the flavour of 

 bitter almonds. The taste of syrup of capillaire, ijjiven 

 by an infusion of Orange flowers, is found in the her- 

 bage of Gaultheria proctimhens^W) Andr, Repos. f. 1 16, 

 and Spiraea Ulmaria^ EngL Bot. t. 960, two very differ- 

 ent plants. 



Some of the above examples show an evident analogy 

 between the smell and colours of flowers, nor are they all 

 that might be pointed out. A variety of the Chrysan- 

 themum indictim with orange-coloured flowers has been 

 lately procured from China by Lady Amelia Hume. 

 These faintly agree in scent, as they do in colour, with 

 the Wail-flower, Cherianthus Cheiri ; whereas the com- 

 mon purple variety of the same Chrysanthemum has a 

 totally different and much stronger odour. 



There is, of course, still more analogy between the 

 smell of plants in general and their impression on the 

 palate, insomuch that we are frequently unable to dis- 

 criminate between the two. The taste is commonly- 

 more permanent than the smell, but now and then less 

 so. The root of the Arum maculatum, Engl. Bot. t, 

 1298, for instance, has, when fresh, a most acrid taste 

 and irritating quality, totally lost by drying, when the 

 root becomes simply farinaceous,tasteless and inert ;( 12) 

 so that well might learned physicians contrive the 



(11) [ParU'idge berry of the United States.] 



(12) [The same properties occur in the Arnw triphyllum, mv 

 Thdian Turnip, common throughout the United States.] 



