98 COROLLA. 



Odour of Flowers. 



The odour of flowers has its origin in the volatile oils, ela- 

 borated by the corolla : its production results from causes both 

 external and internal, but equally beyond our observation. 



Temperature renders the odours of flowers more or less sen- 

 sible ; if the heat is powerful, it dissipates the volatile oils more 

 rapidly than they are renewed ; if the heat is very feeble, the 

 volatile oils remain concentrated in the little cells where they 

 were elaborated ; in both cases the flowers appear to possess 

 but little odour. 



But if the heat is neither too great nor too Iktle, the volatile 

 oils exhale without being dissipated, forming a perfumed at- 

 mosphere around the flowers. 



You see now the reason, that when you walk in a flower 

 garden in the morning, or towards evening, the flowers seem 

 more fragrant, than in the middle of the day. The air being 

 also more charged with humidity, is another cause of an in- 

 crease of fragrance at those times ; the moisture, by penetra- 

 ting the delicate tissue of the corollas, expels the volatile oils. 

 There are some exceptions to the laws just stated ; for some 

 flowers are only odorous during the night, and some, others 

 during the day. Some flowers exhale fetid odours, which at- 

 tract such insects as are usually nourished by putrid animal 

 substances. Many flowers exhale sweet odours; but however 

 odours may differ, in the sensations which they produce, it is 

 certain, they all have a stupifying, narcotic effect upon the 

 nerves, and that it is dangerous to respire, even the most 

 agreeable of them, in a concentrated state, for any great length 

 of time. 



One important office of the corolla, is to secure those delicate 

 and important organs which it encloses, the stamens and pis- 

 tils, from all external injury, and to favour their developement. 

 After the germ has become fertilized* by the influence of tho 



references ; none o which are to be considered as perfect. But when any one 

 of these forms ia referred to, it is to be understood that it is nearer the true 

 form of the organ under consideration, than any other of these standard forms. 

 U 2d. All' standard forms are either drawn from well known natural bodies, 

 or from artificial bodies, or implements known to the ancients. Some of the 



most common natural bodies are the egg, lips of animals, the throat, head, 

 knee, the heart, the kidneys, the hand, bird a feet, spur, feather, tooth, hair, 

 bristles, silk, down, eye lashes, veins, nerves, wings, ears, claws, &c. Some of 



the most common artificial bodies or implements, are a spike, spindle, circle, 

 oval, lance, line, awl, arrow, halbert, viol, lyre, saw, shield, cross, sabre, nee- 

 dle, bell, keel, club, cone, leather, cup, fork, urn, wheel, &c. Eaton. 



t Anomalous is derived from twoaGreek words, a, without, and nomoffjaw; 

 it signifies without law or rule. 



Origin of the odour of flowers^Odour affected by temperature Odour af- 

 fected by moisture Odours sometimes disagreeable Dangerous of respiration 

 for a long time Uses of the corolla. 



