ON THE HONEYSUCKLE. 271 



The perfume of the honeysuckle being of the most agreeable 

 kind, it should be frequently met with in the shrubbery ; when 

 planted near the fore-ground it ought to be kept as a shrub, 

 which, as well as giving neatness, ensures a succession of flowers. 

 In the wilderness walks, it should have liberty to climb the trees, 

 and hang its wreaths from branch to branch ; and where the ivy 

 gives verdure to the bare trunk, there should the woodbine display 

 its blossoms and shed its odours ; as also over the rural arbours of 

 the present day, as it did o'er those of Shakspeare's. 



" Beatrice, who e'en now 



Is couched in the woodbine coverture." 



Much Ado. 



The nurserymen of this country now offer us many distinct spe- 

 cies of the lonicera, besides many varieties of the common wood- 

 bine. The dutch honeysuckle, Lonicera Belgica, may be trained 

 with a stem, and formed into a head like a tree ; the flowers of 

 this variety are of a reddish colour on their outsides, and yellowish 

 within, of a very delightful odour. There are two varieties of the 

 Dutch honeysuckle, one of which is called the Long blowing, as it 

 blossoms in June, July, and August ; the other succeeds it, and is 

 therefore called the Late Red-blowing Honeysuckle, L. serotina. 

 Both of these should be planted in considerable quantities. The 

 latter kind has only been introduced about a century ; for in 1715 

 it was esteemed a great curiosity, and is supposed to have been 

 first brought to this country by the Flemish florists, who were 

 then in the habit of coming over annually with plants for sale. 



The Virginia trumpet honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, 

 was cultivated in this country by John Tradescant, jun. as long 

 back as 1656, and although it is without odour, it is a desirable 

 evergreen climber, the bright scarlet flowers being so ornamental 

 from May to August. There is a new scarlet flowered variety 

 very superior to the old kind which deserves a place in every 

 shrubbery, trellis, or harbour. . This kind of honeysuckle requires 

 a south aspect, and a sheltered situation. The branches being 

 weak and rambling, it is generally trained to a wall ; but it has a 

 better effect when its branches are interwoven with the cypress, 

 or any other evergreen, which will shelter it, from the north, and 

 support its gay trumpets to advantage. 



The common honeysuckles will grow in almost any soil or situ- 

 ation, and there are few inmates of the shrubbery more desirable 

 than these odiferous stragglers, which perfume the air to a great 



