84 



HEXAXDKIA. 



surround the pistillum; and when touched, they all 

 recede from it ; so imperfect is our knowledge of the 

 agency of nature. 



It is commonly said that the Barberry tree pre- 

 vents the ears of corn in its neighbourhood from being 

 productive. This opinion prevails as well on the Con- 

 tinent as in England. Whether there be any truth in 

 it I am not able to say, it is very generally believed j 

 and therefore, however improbable, ought not to 

 be hastily rejected; but M. Broussonet, a celebrated 

 French naturalist, who has paid particular attention to 

 whatever is connected with agriculture, has asserted, 

 that it is a prejudice void of foundation. 



ENGLISH HYACINTH. Of this genus there 

 are seventeen species. This is an English plant, com- 

 monly called Blue Harebell, and is the same flower 

 which Shakespeare alludes to, in the following passage 

 in Cymbeline : 



Thou shalt not lack 



The flower, that's like thy face, pale primrose ; nor 

 The azur'd hare-bell, like thy veins ; no, nor 

 The leaf of eglantine, whom, not to slander, 

 Out-sweeten'd not thy breath. 



The Hyacinth of our garden, or that which orna- 

 ments our sitting rooms early in the spring, is the 

 Hyacinthus oriejitalis of Linnaeus. These flowers 

 have a very sweet scent, and by the Dutch gardeners 

 are distinguished into classes by their colours; the 

 principal of which are, blue, red, purple and white, 



