GELSEMIUM SEMPERVIRENS. CAROLINA JASMINE. II 



all the seaboard States to Virginia, and De Candolle says it is 

 found in Mexico. If, however, Mexico was its original home, it 

 hardly reached us by what is now the " overland route," for it 

 does not appear to be found in Texas, nor have we any record 

 of it from any place west of the Mississippi River. 



Though called " Jasmine " in the South, it has no botanical 

 relationship to the genus Jasminum, or true Jasmines. The 

 fragrance simulates the real Jasmine, and naturally suggested the 

 name to the Spanish settlers. Several writers tell us that the 

 Italians call the Jasmine " Gelsomino," and that neio-hborino- 

 nations corrupted this to " Gelsemine." This gives us the origin 

 of the botanical name Gclscmium, and even this is occasionally 

 written Gelseminum. Jasmimun is said to have been derived 

 from the Arabic name of the plant, " Jasmin," which is applied to 

 it with slight variations of form in all European countries. It is 

 possible that it may have a relation to a Greek word of similar 

 character meaning " healthfulness," of which the grateful per- 

 fume is eminently suggestive. 



The true Jasmine — we write Jasmine in preference to Jessa- 

 mine, so common with American authors — has long had a place 

 in poetry. It is generally regarded as suggestive of amiability. 

 This refers, no doubt, to the white and not to the yellow kinds, 

 for the latter are of a rather obtrusive color, and have not the 

 fragrance which true amiability throws around freely wherever 

 it breathes. But in the white kinds this sentiment finds a fair 

 expression, for while the rather small flowers are not obtrusive, 

 yet no one can fail to notice them, and recognize their modest 

 worth. It is this particular expression of the European Sweet 

 Jasmine, no doubt, that inspired the lines of Fanny Osgood: — 



" Thy heart is like a Jasmine bell, 

 It yields its wealth of feeling." 



Our Carolina Jasmine, however, speaks not to us in this 

 language. There is 



"the perfume from the blossom's cell 

 On every zephyr stealing " ; 



