1965 

 THE PURPLE LABURNUM. 



DIADELPHIA DE-CANDRIA. 



Nat. ord. Fabace^, or Leguminos*. 

 C YTISUS. Supra, /oZ. 1 1 9 1 . 



Garden Variety. 



The Laburnum is so very beautiful a tree, that when, 

 some years since, there was sent from France what was 

 called a scarlet Laburnum, Cytisus Laburnum coccineum, 

 or the purple Laburnum, every body was anxious to obtain 

 a plant with so promising a name. It was in vain that 

 persons who knew something of the tricks of foreign dealers, 

 cautioned their friends against allowing their expectations 

 to become too sanguine. The plants had a ready sale, and 

 every body was eager to be the first to obtain a sight of the 

 flowers. It is needless to describe the disappointment that 

 was felt, when the scarlet Laburnum first produced such 

 dull, dingy, dirty-purple clusters, as those in the accompa- 

 nying plate. And yet what else could have been antici- 

 pated ? For it was well known that the origin of the variety 

 was between C. purpureus and C. Laburnum. Surely 

 nothing better ought to have been expected from an inter- 

 mixture so monstrous in regard to the habit of the two 

 parents, and so unpromising as to their colours. Purple 

 and yellow do not form scarlet when they are mixed, but 

 just such a tint as tliat which the purple Laburnum actually 

 possesses. 



The plant is figured here merely for the sake of dis- 

 pelling the false impression that still exists as to its appear- 

 ance. It is not at all worth cultivation. 



