198 FLORA BOMESTICA. 



evening, and, if the weather be very hot, in the morning 

 also. If this is neglected, the plant will droop with a 

 kind of magical quickness ; and a large draught of water 

 will as suddenly revive it: but a frequent repetition of 

 such changes would materially weaken the plant. 



" So have I often seen a purple flower. 

 Fainting through heat, hang down her drooping head. 

 But soon, refresh her with a gentle shower. 

 Begin again her lively beauties spread. 

 And with new pride her silken leaves display. 

 And while the sun doth now more gently play, 

 Lay out her swelling bosom to the smiUng day." 



P. Fletcher. 



" Like as a tender rose in open plain 

 That with untiinely drought nigh withered was. 

 And hung the head ; soon as few drops of rain 

 Thereon distil and dew her dainty face 

 Gins to look up, and with fresh wonted grace 

 Dispreads the glory of her leaves gay." 



Spenser. 



Some of the gardeners have metamorphosed the word 

 Hydrangea into head-ranger, as if it had been named 

 after the chief officer of a park. The misnomers of plants 

 are often as amusing as those of ships. The poplar has 

 become a popular tree ; the elm is called ellum ; acacia is 

 twisted into casher ; nasturtium into 5^cr^m» ; the jonquil 

 is termed john-hill ; and the pyracantha, pia-campiwr. 

 Asparagus has so long been sparrotc-grass, that it is now 

 often deemed sufficient to term it grass alone. Loudon 

 in his Encyclopaedia of Gardening, lately published, has 

 strongly recommended the formation of these misnomers 

 to gardeners, as a means of enabling them to recollect the 

 true names of plants : and has given some very amusing 

 and ludicrous instances, as dieese-monger for casumunar, 

 Mnjocc/tt for mioga. 



