98 FLORA HISTORICA. 



of the Painted Lady, is an indigenous plant of 

 Ceylon. These two kinds have lately been 

 blended by the art of the florist, or by accidental 

 impregnation, and have produced a variety with 

 striped petals. 



The Sweet- Pea is so universally admired, and 

 so easily cultivated, that we now meet with it in 

 every garden, from the palace of the monarch to 

 the cottage of the peasant, where it equally dis- 

 penses its fragrant odours, without regarding the 

 rank of its possessor. It is also one of the prin- 

 cipal annual flowers that the market florists cul- 

 tivate to decorate the balconies of the mansions 

 of the metropolis, where it is frequently seen in 

 blossom through the art of forcing several weeks 

 earlier than we meet with it in the open garden. 

 The perfume of this elegant flower, although de- 

 lightful in the open air, is found rather oppressive 

 than reviving when confined to close apartments, 

 and we therefore caution ladies from admitting 

 it into their chambers. The fragrance of the 

 Sweet- Pea is similar to that of the orange flow- 

 ers with a mixture of the rose. The formation 

 of these beautiful blossoms has been compared 

 to that of the butterfly, and hence they are called 

 Papilionaceous flowers. These blossoms are pe- 

 culiar for their elegant negligence of shape and 

 delicacy and richness of colouring. Nature seems 



