152 breck's new book of flowers. 



handsome foliage, with either scarlet, orange, or yellow 

 flowers ; but I find C. Lidica the best for this climate. 

 All the species require a rich garden soil. 



CARDAMINE.— Cuckoo Flower. 



[An ancient Greek name for Cress.] 



Cardamine pratensis. — Cuckoo-flower, or Lady's Smock, 

 is a native of England and is a common plant in meadows 

 and brook-sides. The Double Cardamine., is the only va. 

 riety cultivated or deserving a place in the borders, and 

 not very common in this country. " This floAver has been 

 usually described by the poets as of a silvery whiteness, 

 which shows the season they have chosen for their rural 

 walks to have been a late one ; as, in its natural state, it 

 is more or less tinged with purple, but becomes white as 

 it fades, by exposure to the heat of the sun. The various 

 shades of these flowers, with the little green leaves that en- 

 close their unopened buds, have an exceeding pretty eflect 

 when a quantity of them are collected ; and, if kept in 

 fresh water, and well su^^plied, they will survive their 

 gathering for a fortnight or more. The height of the 

 plant is about one foot. The double varieties are purple 

 and white ; tliey are increased by parting the roots in au- 

 tumn. They love the shade, and require a rich moist soil. 

 It is called ' Lady's Smock,' from the white sheets of flow- 

 ers they display ; and ' Cuckoo-flower,' because it conies 

 at the time with the Cuckoo. Shakespeare's Cuckoo 

 buds are yellow, and supposed to be a species of Ramm- 

 cidus. Indeed, he expressly distinguishes Jiis Cuckoo bud 

 from this flower " : 



" When daisies pied, and violets bine, 

 And Lady's-smocks all silver white, 

 And Cuckoo buds of yellow hue, 

 Do paint tiic inc;ulows v\ith delight." 



