vii RIVERSIDE LETTERS 53 



is in no sense a mallow. It acquired this 

 name by a mistake, for formerly botanists 

 had named it Corchorus Japonica from 

 its similarity in appearance to Corchorus 

 olitorius, a Syrian plant, used by the 

 Jews as a pot-herb, and hence the name 

 " Jew's Mallow." Corchorus capsularis, 

 another species, very similar in appearance, 

 is the plant from the fibre of which jute is 

 made. Our plant, however, is of a different 

 natural order, that of the roses, belonging 

 to the genus Kerria. It is generally seen 

 as a climbing wall shrub beside a cottage 

 door or summer-house. I only know it in 

 its common or double yellow form, though 

 there is a pretty single one, and I believe 

 a white variety. Its flowers look very like 

 small tufts of orange wool, the leaves are 

 pointed, much serrated, and of a warm 

 green colour, their surface is rendered dull 

 by deep corrugations. Though I was never 

 properly introduced to this Kerria until a 

 year ago, I have known and loved it ever 



