JESSAMINE. 209 



The first grows to the height of eight or ten feet ; the 

 leaves continue green all the year, and the blossoms are 

 of a bright yellow, very fragrant, and blowing from July 

 till October or November. They are frequently succeeded 

 by oblong berries, which turn black when ripe. 



The Spanish Jessamine, so named because it came to 

 us from Spain, is a native of the East Indies. The flowers 

 are of a blush-red outside, and white within; blowing at 

 the same time as the Indian kind. From the middle of 

 May to the middle of October they may stand in the open 

 air ; but must then be housed, having as much fresh air 

 as possible in mild weather. They should have but little 

 water at a time, but that should be given often, so that 

 the earth may be always moist. In spring, the decayed 

 branches should be pruned ; and of the Spanish kind the 

 sound ones should be pruned to the length of two feet, 

 which will cause them to shoot strong, and produce many 

 flowers. But this liberty must not be taken with the In- 

 dian kind. 



The Common White Jessamine is an exceedingly elegant 

 plant for training over a wall, where that support can be 

 allowed, and after its first infancy will bear our winters 

 very well. It is a delicate and fragrant shrub, not sur- 

 passed in beauty by any of the species. It is of this 

 Cowper speaks in the following passage : 



" The jasmine throwing wide her elegant sweets. 

 The deep dark green of whose unvarnished leaf 

 Makes more conspicuous, and illumines more. 

 The bright profusion of her scattered stars." 



The Hindoos, who use odoriferous flowers in their sa- 

 crifices, particularly value the Jessamine for this purpose, 

 and the flower which they call Zambuk. 



