12 GELSEMIUM SEMPERVIRENS. CAROLINA JASMINE. 



but the deep, grassy green leaves and rich golden flowers speak 

 rather of a rollicking joyousness that spring has come, — a joyous- 

 ness that finds no bashfulness in its expression, but is rather 

 anxious that all the world should know the good floral season is 

 close at hand. Mrs. Sara J. Hale is the only one of our Ameri- 

 can poets, that we know of, who refers especially to our native 

 Jasmine, — if Jasmine it is to be. She seems to have it in 

 view speaking of a character drawn by N. P. Willis, w^iose native 

 grace and elegance, qualities which are certainly peculiar to 

 the Gclscmmm sejnpervirciis in its growth and manner of flower- 

 ing, she describes as follows: — 



"The fashion of her gracefuhiess was not a followed rule, 

 And her effervescent sprightliness was never learnt at school." 



This plant is a remarkably easy one to cultivate, even in those 

 parts of the world where the thermometer falls below zero, if it 

 can only have the protection of a cool green-house in winter. It 

 looks best trained over flat trehises of wire or wood, though it is 

 often grown as a cylinder, or on balloons. For a basket-plant it 

 is admirable, as it blooms in the winter season when room flow- 

 ers are most highly appreciated, and a single flower is sufficient 

 to scent a whole room. It will hardly do well in the open air 

 farther north than its natural territory, unless with some protec, 

 tion. At the Laurel Hill Cemetery, near Philadelphia, there is 

 a plant growing on a wall among some evergreen ivy, the leaves 

 of which afford it sufficient protection, and through which it 

 pushes its branchlets, with the sweet flowers, in early spring. 

 The cuttings grow very easily, if taken off in early summer while 

 the wood is half ripe, put in boxes of sandy soil, and kept in a 

 partially shaded place. 



