THE POPULAR EDUCATOR. 



of orange peel is squeezed between the fingers. Although the 

 characteristic of agreeable odour is a very good common sign by 

 which we may be justified in expecting that a plant may, in cer- 

 tain cases, belong to the Myrtacece, nevertheless it is a very loose 

 sign when taken apart from others. We can only arrive at a 

 correct botanical comprehension of the Myrtacece by studying 

 some of the generic characters that have been mentioned in our 

 preceding list. 



If the specimen of common myrtle under examination be a 

 sprig, not a single leaf, the student, before he lays it down, 

 should observe that the leaves are opposite, not alternate 

 (Fig. 143). Let us now examine the flower. The particular 

 species under consideration has a calyx of five divisions, and 

 there are also five petals, but in certain species these floral parts 

 are generally four. The stamens are numerous, as will be 

 readily observed ; and the reader need not be told at this period 

 of our labours that it is necessary to ascertain whether these 

 etamens grow from the calyx or the receptacle. They grow 

 from the calyx, as will be readily distinguished. The ovary is 

 inferior; it contains three little cells, and each cell contains 

 many ovules ; and it shoots up a single style, which terminates 

 in a small stigma so very minute that it cannot be seen by the 

 naked eye. 



Figs. 141 and 142 are representations of a vertical section of the 

 flower and ovary of a common myrtle, and a transverse section 

 of the ovary with adherent calyx, or rather the fruit with ad- 

 herent calyx. If the reader examines Fig. 142, he will observe 

 that the number of seed-cells in the species of myrtle under 

 consideration is three, or, to use the language of Botany, the 

 ovary is trilocular, or three-celled. If the reader now refer to 

 the list of characteristics of this family, he will find the expres- 

 sion, " ovary, usually two to six-celled," which signifies that the 

 number of cells may vary between two and six. 



By well considering the characteristics already discussed, the 

 student will be at no loss to recognise an individual of the myrtle 

 tribe, even without taking into consideration minute microscopic 

 peculiarities. 



Let us now proceed to mention a few particulars in connection 

 with the dimensions, natural habitation, and properties of this 

 beautiful and useful botanical order. 



The stem of the Myrtacece is generally woody, the leaves oppo- 

 site or alternate, simple, entire, rarely stipulated; frequently, 

 as we have seen, provided with secretive glandular appendages, 

 embedded in the parenchyma. The flowers are complete, regular, 

 solitary, or irregularly agglomerated. The greater number of 

 myrtaceous plants have berries for their fruits ; but some others, 

 the principal of them being Australian plants, have a dry hard 

 fruit ; these, too, have alternate leaves, which is not usual in the 

 myrtle tribe. The great districts for myrtles are the intertro- 

 pical regions and Australia; only a few species existing in 

 temperate climes. The spice sold as cloves is the produce of 

 one of the myrtle tribe, Oaryophyllus Aromaticus (Fig. 144), of 

 which cloves are the dry flower-buds. Allspice is the berry 

 of another (Eugenia Pimenta). Guava jelly, so valued and 

 esteemed wherever it can be procured, is the conserve made of 

 the mashed berries of a myrtle which grows in the West Indies. 

 The pomegranate, too, a native of Northern Africa, but which 

 now grows in the south of Europe, furnishes another example 

 of a fruit-bearing myrtle. 



In reviewing, then, the chemical and physiological character- 

 istics of the Myrtacece, we learn that none of the tribe axe 

 poisonous. The greater number contain an abundance of 

 fragrant oil. Some yield fruits which are delicious to eat ; and 

 all are imbued with a certain, but variable amount of astringent 

 matter, similar to that contained in oak bark, whence it has 

 been denominated tannic acid by the chemist. 



In this country the myrtle requires protection during the 

 winter months in all districts north of the Thames, but in the 

 the south of England, and especially along the coast of the 

 western counties, it flourishes against a wall, often growing to 

 a great height, and covering a considerable space with masses 

 of dark-green foliage. 



Many of the species of the myrtle tribe are very large trees. 

 The Sapucaya tree, as it is called in Brazil (Lecythis Ollaria), is 

 one of the tallest trees amongst the very tall ones that grow in 

 Brazilian forests. In Fig. 136 the reader will find a represen- 

 tation of a branch of this species. How different from a branch 

 of the common myrtle 1 



LESSONS IN GERMAN., XXIV. 



SECTION XLV. PECULIAR IDIOMS. 



Sid; ertnnern corresponds, in signification, to the English verb 

 " remember," as : (r crtnnert ftd) meiner ( 126), he remembers 

 me (literally, he remembers himself of me). 3d; ertnuere mtdj 

 jener fdjonen 3eit, I remember (remind myself of) that sweet time. 

 In referring to a thing already learned, the verb beljaltcn, " to 

 keep, to retain," is generally used, as : 3d; lonn bte 2Bctt nidbJ 

 (im ebdctytmj}) beb. alien, I cannot retain or remember (keep in 

 memory) the words. @r macfyt fo stele Setter, lueit er tie JRegein ntdjt 

 betyatt, he makes so many mistakes, because he does not retain 

 (remember) the rules. 



1. The dative of a personal pronoun is frequently used instead 

 of a possessive pronoun, as : 3d; I;abc mir ben Singer abgefd;mttcn, 

 I have cut off my finger (I have to me the finger cut off). ter 

 gab e8 mir in bte dnbe, he gave it into my hands (he gave it to 

 me in the hands). 



2. The phrases tS fdflt fdjtoer or cS b,dlt fd;n>er are nearly synony- 

 mous, and signify " to be hard, to be difficult," as : JDtefem 

 armeu iDianne fillt e8 fd;n>er, gu betteln, it is hard (it comes hard) for 

 this poor man to beg. @8 $telt ftytuer, tbn ju bcrub.tgen, it was diffi- 

 cult to calm him. 



VOCABULARY. 



ttlfe, /. help, assist- 

 ance. 



ptelen, to play. 

 23erbre'd;en, n. crime. 

 2Bt'bcrn>drtigfeit, /. ad- 



versity. 

 3utoet'Ien, sometimes. 



SWatro'fen. 



I;atte etn fo guteS e* 

 tdd;t'm't!, taji er tie Slamen feiner 

 metften @ofba'ten befyal'ten fonnte. 



Sr fluft'erte tb,m etwaS in'3 D6.r. 



@ 1jalt (career, einen St'genftnntgen 



ju ubeqeu'gen. 

 g fattt ben meiften SKenfdjen fitter, 



fid; tent etytcffal gebufbtg jit un* 



tertvet'fen. 



sailor. 



Napoleon had so good a me- 

 mory that he could remember 

 (retain) the names of most of 

 his soldiers. 



He whispered something in his 

 ear. 



It is difficult to convince an 

 obstinate (person). 



It is difficult for most people 

 to submit patiently to their 

 destiny. 



EXERCISE 86. 



1. .ffonnen <tc ftd; te SagcS metner Slnfunft m'cbt me6.r erinnetn ? 2. 

 D (a, id; erinnere mid; keffetben nod; fefer gut. 3. @ giebt mete 2ftenfc6en, 

 tie ftd; licber tb,rer fcfjtecbten, atS ib,rer guten 6aten ertnnern. 4. biclt 

 fcbhjer, tfyn con ter 2Bab,rIett biefer <rjd6,tung ju ubevjeugen. 5. @8 6dtt 

 juiBcttcn fcbftcr, etttaS ju glauben, tca hrit ntcfct begvetfen fonnen. 6. @ 

 fdflt bent armen, abet ffetfigen SDJanne fitter, tie utfe fremtcr Scute in 

 Slnfprud; nc6.men ju tnuffen. 7. Die englifcbe (Spracbe fallt mir fcfcujcver, 

 nli tie fran$iftfd;e. 8. 33ei fetnem elte, fetnen 33er>oanttcn unb fetnen 

 tfenntniffen ftet e ib,nt md;t fdjroer, et'ne eben fo gut* atS angene^me tefle 

 ju ftnten. 9. SOBarum lernt 3b,r 33ruber fo tet fd;neOer, alS @te ? 10. 

 2Bett er etn beffere ebad>tmjj at, unt bte 3Borter beffer betyalten lann. 

 11. flcnnen @te fid; ntcf;t metyr ertnnern, toem @te bte Sucfyer unb taS 

 SJJapter gegeben 6.aben ? 12. 3d; fann mid; beffen nid;t meijt ertnnern. 

 13. Der 5aulen$er beljdtt tie Oiegetn ntdjt, toetC er ttefelbcn ntd;t gruntlid; 

 (crnt unt Jieber fptett, aU arbettet. 14. er S)tebfta6J tft etn OScrbrecben. 

 15. Grr tritcfte tent armen SWanne einen Skater in bte anb. 16. 3n 

 bev 5erne ertnnern ftir un gern ter Sreunte. 17. Sunge Scute tragen 

 SUhjetten Sriltn, um gefe^rt auSjufefycn. 



EXERCISE 87. 



1. Do you remember the day of the arrival of your friend ? 

 2. Yes, I remember the day very well. 3. Most people remem- 

 ber the years of their youth with pleasure. 4. There are many 

 who remember their follies with shame. 5. It is difficult to 

 remember every rule of a language. 6. It is not so difficult to 

 convince a learned as an unlearned man. 7. Is it difficult to 

 submit to the adversities of life ? 8. Yes, it is very difficult ; 

 but the thinking man conquers them. 9. Can you not re- 

 member to whom you have lent my book ? 10. No, I cannot 

 remember. 11. To lie is a sin. 



