For May, 1922 



145 



and an exquisite fragrance. This type of garden Carna- 

 tion lias the merit of coming into bloom in about three 

 months' time from seed sowing — that is, seeds sown in 

 April or May will give flowers in July and August. 



There is another type of garden Carnation known as 

 Chabaud's Carnations, marvelous for size and colors and 

 the sweet scent of their blooms. Seeds of this Carna- 

 tion, however, must be sown indoors in February to pro- 

 duce plants which will bloom in our garden in Autumn, 

 but they are worth waiting for, and when open their 

 flowers rival the finest blooms of the Perpetual-flowering 

 Carnations. 



Sweet-Scented Perexni.als 



Some perennials are tender, others hardy. To the 

 former class belongs Aloysia citriodora, whose flowers 

 are indeed insignificant, but the lavish citrus-perfume of 

 the foliage is very refreshing and gives to this plant its 

 specific name, citriodora, meaning citrus-scented, and its 

 common name Lemon Verbena. Sprays of Lemon Ver- 

 bena even when the leaves are dry retain in a notable 

 measure their agreeable perfume, especially when confined 

 in chests of clothing. The dry foliage of this plant is 

 used in potpourri. Lemon \'erbenas can be raised from 

 seeds planted indoors in \\"inter and, if planted out in 

 the garden after Spring frosts are over, will make plants 

 of considerable size the first season. 



The double-flowered, hardy-. Grass or Spice Pink, 

 Diantlius pliniiariiis tiainis flore plena, the highest and 

 most pleasing evolution from the dear old-fashioned Clove 

 Pink, has a marvelously pleasing clove-like perfume of 

 which we never tire. The colors and markings of this 

 Diantlius are as — amcencc the Romans used to say — pleas- 

 ant to the eye, as the perfume is — suaz'is, the Romans said 

 — agreeable to our nostrils. 



There is another Diaittluts. resembling to some e.xtent, 

 but yet quite dift'erent in its inflorescence from the Crass 



Pink, but like it is an old-time favorite much improved 

 by modern culture. This every flower garden should 

 contain. This plant is the Diantlius barbatus, commonly 

 called Sweet William, some William indeed was greatly 

 honored when his name was given to this sweet-scented 

 flower, whose blooms vary in color from white to deep- 

 est crimson, and revel in pretty combinations of colors. 

 There are now. thanks to our flnricuUurists, annual as 

 well as perennial or strictly speaking biennial. Sweet 

 Williams. 



There is an okl-time sweet-scenttd perennial, little seen 

 now in flower gardens, Faleriana officinalis, commonly 

 called \'alerian, and also Hardv Garden Heliotrope. The 

 showy heads of rose-tinted white flowers of this plant 

 appearing in mid-Summer have a pronounced and de- 

 licious heliotrope smell. 



There are several sweet-scented perennials, bulbous or 

 semi-bulbous mostly, which we will not describe in de- 

 tail, namely, some of the hardy lilies, especially Liliwm 

 candidum (Annunciation Lily). Hcmcrocallis flava) (Yel- 

 low Day Lily), Convallaria majalis (Lily of the Valley) 

 and Fiinkia cordata i:;randidora (Plantain Lily). 



Suppose, if you please, that we had all of these sweet- 

 scented annual and perennial plants growing in one gar- 

 den, and they were all in leaf and in bloom on the same 

 day, and pad and pencil in hand we should, as we tested 

 the smell of each one with our olfactory nerve, try to 

 describe it, do you think we would succeed? 



Another question of interest to us and perhaps to others 

 is this : Do we remember and can we recall a smell ? For 

 example, can we recall the smell of a Heliotrope flower, 

 which we smelled a year ago just as we can recall the line- 

 aments of the face of a friend we met last year? Apropos 

 of this question, Owen Meredith says in "Aux Italiens" : 



"And I swear as I thought of her thus in that hour. 

 And how after all old things are the best, 

 That I smelled the smell of that Jasmine flower. 

 That ^he used tn wear in her breast." 



Flowers as Teachers 



BERTHA BERBERT-HAMMOND 



Were I, O God, in cJmrchless lands remaining 

 Far from all voice of teachers or divines, 

 ^■. My soul zcould find in fioivcrs, Thy ordaining 

 'f Priests, sermons, shrines. — Horace Smith. 



IN an unmistakable manner do flowers, those silent but 

 persuasive teachers, bring home to us in their own 

 sweet, convincing ways, many lessons and truths. In 

 most instances these lessons are so plainly indicated that 

 there is not the slightest difficulty in observing and com- 

 prehending the tru"ths to be learned. In the language of 

 another : 



There are the little hooks of bloom 

 Whose pages printed in perfume 

 Hold lyrics in a language knoirn. 



The shy violet, hiding from view, teaches sweetness 

 and humilitv : the wild "^columbine, growing on a rocky 

 ledge with barely enough earth for a foothold, shedding 

 fragrance and beauty, speaks of courage. The dainty 

 snowdrop at:d other harbingers of Spring breathe of 

 resurrection, and evergreen leaves typify everlastmg life. 



Because, suggested by some prominent characteristic, 

 certain plants "have become associated in the minds of 

 people in general with human virtues. The stately white 

 lily is universallv acknowledged to be a symbol of purity, 



the orange blossom of chastity, the forget-me-not of 

 love, the ivy of fidelity, the nettle of cruelty, the weeping 

 willow of melancholy, and the trembling leaves of the 

 aspen for lamentation. 



There is an old legend to the eft'ect that when God 

 walked in the Garden of Eden, viewing the beauty He 

 had created, all the flowers and trees, with the one excep- 

 tion of the Aspen, bowed in homage and love, and that 

 now in penitence, wherever the Aspen tree is found, its 

 leaves tremble and sigh all the time. 



That in olden days meanings were attached to "green 

 things growing'' is evident from the custom of crowning 

 heroes with wreaths of laurel (glory), patriots with oak- 

 leaves and beauty with myrtle. The olive branch is an 

 ancient emblem of peace and the passion flower for 

 "faith." Innocence is expressed by the white daisy, tlie 

 "day's eye," and pansy faces we know induce thoughts. 

 As for the golden buttercups that so lavishly spangle our 

 fields, they bring recollections of childish ways and 



We fancy a grassy meadozn'. 

 Where tzvo little girls in blue 



Are testing the rule and and saying, 

 "I like butter; do you?" 



(Continued on page 154) ; 



