28 OLIVE. LILAC. 



the class Diandria, because the flowers contain two 

 stamens. In the north of Lancashire, when grass 

 is scarce, the tops of the ash trees are cut down 

 to feed the cattle. The wood is hard and tough, 

 and is much used for making tools employed in 

 husbandry. It is one of the latest trees in coining 

 into leaf, and loses its leaves early in autumn. 



The Olive tree belongs to the genus O'lea, in 

 this class, of which there are several species. It 

 is supposed to have come originally from Asia, 

 where it gave the name to the Mount of Olives 

 near Jerusalem. The O'lea Europae'a is a small 

 evergreen tree, universally cultivated in the south 

 of Europe for the sake of its fruit, from which 

 olive oil is obtained by pressing it in. a mill. The 

 Unripe olives, when pickled, are sent over in barrels 

 to England, where they are eaten at desserts. An- 

 other species, called the sweet-scented Olive, O'lea 

 fra'grans, is kept in greenhouses in this country : 

 it is valuable for the delightful scent of its little 

 white flowers, and is used on that account to fla- 

 vour the most delicate green tea. 



The common Lilac, Syrin'ga vulga'ris, a native 

 of Persia, white Jessamine, Jasmi'num omcina'le, 

 of the south of Europe, Rosemary, Rosmari'nus 

 officina'lis, and Sage, Sal' via, are also in the class 

 Diandria; and they all show very distinctly the 

 characters of their class and orders. Rosemary, 

 which you have seen in the garden, is an evergreen 



