1252 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 
cottages, allowing the shoots to droop down on every side like curtains, and 
drawing them back from the windows in a similar manner to what is done 
with drapery. 
Historical, poetical, and legendary Allusions. The jasmine (of which 
Cowper observes, — 
** The deep dark green of whose unvarnish’d leaf 
Makes more conspicuous, and illumes the more, 
The bright profusion of her scatter’d stars, ’”) 
has been frequently celebrated by the poets; and several of them have alluded to 
the custom which prevails in some countries, of brides wearing jasmine flowers 
in their hair when they are married. The origin of the custom is said to be, 
that a grand-duke of Tuscany had, in 1699, a plant of the deliciously scented 
jasmine of Goa (J. odoratissimum), which he was so careful of, that he would 
not suffer it to be propagated. His gardener, however, being in love with a 
peasant girl in the neighbourhood, gave her a sprig of this choice plant on her 
birthday; and he having taught her how to make cuttings, she planted the 
sprig as a memorial of his affection. It grew rapidly, and every one who saw 
it, admiring its beauty and sweetness, wished to have a plant of it. These the 
girl supplied from cuttings, and sold them so well, as to obtain enough money 
to enable her to marry her lover, “ The young girls of Tuscany, in remem- 
brance of this adventure, always deck themselves, on their wedding-day, with 
a nosegay of jessamine; and they have a proverb, that ‘ she who is worthy to 
wear a nosegay of jessamine, is as good as a fortune to her husband.” 
(Sentiment of Flowers, p. 8.) This custom, however, appears to prevail, also, 
in the East, according to Moore: — 
*© And brides, as delicate and fair 
As the white jasmine flowers they wear, 
Hath Yemen in her blissful clime.”” 
The flower alluded to in the beautiful lines below, also by Moore, is J. Stmbac, 
a hot-house plant, but, which like many other tender shrubs, might be turned 
out to blossom for the summer. 
*© *Twas midnight — through the lattice, wreathed 
With woodbine, many a perfume breathed, 
From plants that wake when others sleep, 
From timid jasmine buds, that keep 
Their odour to themselves all day, 
But, when the sunlight dies away, 
Let the delicious secret out 
To every breeze that roams about.”” 
Propagation and Culture. The common jasmine throws up side-suckers in 
great abundance; by which, by layers, or even by cuttings, it is readily pro- 
pagated. The double-blossomed variety is rare, and is generally propagated 
by budding on the species. When it is desired to turn a green jasmine into 
a variegated one, a single bud of either the silver-leaved, or the golden-leaved, 
will communicate its variegation to every part of the plant, even to suckers 
thrown up by the roots. This has been done in the Chelsea Botanic 
Garden ; and we are informed by Mr. Pince of Exeter, that the same result 
takes place with the va- 
riegated laburnum, even if 
the bud should die, pro- 
vided a portion of the bark 
to which it was attached 
continues to live. We have 
little doubt that the same 
thing would take place in 
the jasmine, and, doubtless, 
in various other plants. 
Insects, That very re- 
markable lepidopterous in- 
1079 

