ILLUSTRATION'S. 3 



"Wordsworth saj r s, on viewing the Daisy — . 



" If stately passions in me burn 



And one chance look to thee should turn, 



I drink out of an humbler urn. 



A lowlier pleasure ; 

 The homely sympathy that heeds 

 The common life our nature breeds, 

 A wisdom fitted to the needs 



Of hearts at home. 



When smitten by the morning ray, 



I see thee rise alert and gay ; 



Then, cheerful flower ! my spirits play 



With kindred gladness. 

 And when at dusk, by dews oppresf, 

 Thou sinkst, the image of thy rest 

 Hath often eased my pensive breast 



Of careful sadness." 



The above lines of the poets named are but small specimens of what 

 they, and many others, have wrote about this pretty flower in its native 

 state so universally found. We have now, however, to notice the 

 Daisy producing double flowers ; and in that state is one of the pret- 

 tiest, lowly ornaments of the flower-garden, or (in suitable places) the 

 pleasure-ground. 



The Daisy is what Botanists term, a compound flower, consisting of 

 a number of small yellow florets placed upon one common receptacle 

 (like a number of cups upon a stand) ; each flower contains about 

 150 of these florets. The centre ones are tube-shaped, and those at 

 the margin of a flat form. It is stated that the first double-flowered 

 Daisy originated by Vertumnus selecting a very beautiful one in a 

 meadow, which he removed to his garden, and particular attention was 

 paid to promote its growth. The effect of growing it in a richer soil 

 was, the yellow florets were transformed into petals, and thus became 

 completely what is termed a double flower. 



Whilst some have only flat-shaped petals, others are formed of little 

 pipes, or quills, and are termed Double-quilled Daisies. The most 

 curious variety is the Proliferous Daisy, commonly called the Hen and 

 Chicken Daisy, because the flower is surrounded by a number of 

 smaller flowers, which are produced from the sides of the principal 

 flower, but out of one and the same calyx. 



Our respected correspondent Mr. P. Mackenzie, of West Plean in 

 Scotland, favoured us with some remarks on the double-flowered Daisies, 

 which are inserted in vol. ix., p. 270, and he observes that it was' the 

 common opinion that there were only five or six varieties ; but at a 

 recent meeting of the West Plean Horticultural Society there were 

 twenty varieties exhibited, prizes having been offered for the best col- 

 lection. On the Continent very considerable attention has been paid 

 to obtain improved varieties, and there now are upwards of 105 distinct 

 kinds. M. Louis Van Houtte, nurseryman, of Ghent, possesses a most 



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