278 breck's new book of flowees. 



" For want and famine they were solitary, fleeing with 

 the wilderness in former time desolate and waste ; who 

 cut up Mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their 

 meat." 



The Mallow was formerly planted, with some other 

 flowers, the Asphodel in particular, around the graves of 

 departed friends. It was probably this circumstance 

 which led to the following reflections, in the epitaph on 

 Bion, by Moschus : — 



*' Raise, raise the dirge, Muses of Sicily J 

 Alas ! when Mallows in ti.-e garden die, 

 Green parsley, or the crisp luxuriant dill, 

 They live again and flower another year ; 

 But we, how great soe'er, or strong, or wise. 

 When once we die, sleep in the senseless earth, 

 A long, an endless, unwakeable sleep." 



Such a sentiment will do for a heathen, perhaps, but not 

 for the Christian. 



MARTYNIA.— Unicorn-Plant. 



[Named in honor of John Martyn, professor of botany, at Cambridge, England.] 



Martynia proboscidea. — Common Martynia. — This is 

 an annual, as are the other species, from sub-tropical Amer- 

 ica. It is often cultivated in vegetable gardens for its 

 capsules, which, when green and tender, make a flne 

 pickle. It is also a curious plant for the border, on ac- 

 count of its large flowers ; but more particularly for its 

 singularly curious seed-vessels. 



M. fraj^rans. — Fragrant Martynia. — Tliis is a beautiful 

 annual, that succeeds very well wlien sown in the open 

 border the tenth of May. Ii is undoubtedly one of the 

 finest species of the genus ; no other one will compare with 

 it for beauty. It is robust in habit, throwing out large 

 lateral branches ; tlie plant attains the height of three 



