299 



CHAPTER XIX. 



VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY. 



\f ATCH OF FLORA. ANTIPATHIES. SMELL OF FLOWERS. FLOWERS 

 IN A ROOM. LEAVES. NECESSITY OF ALTERNATION OF LIGHT 



AND DARKNESS TO PLANTS. ACIDITY OF FRUITS. STARCH. 



BRAZIL NUTS. GENIPA. CANNON-BALL TREE. CALABASH. IN- 

 FLAMMABLE PLANTS. FRAXINELLA AND LYCOPODIUM. DOODOE 



NUTS. STORMY PETREL. GUACHARO. BOG FIR AND OAK. 



PAPER FROM PEAT. C.KSALPINIA PLUVIOSA. CORYANTHES MACU- 

 LATA. SHAGREEN. FRAGRANCE OF FLOWERS AFTER RAIN. 



What are flowers? perfect things 

 Breathing in unwholesome air; 

 Left to aid Hope's weary wings 

 To soar above the clouds of care. 



FLORA'S OFFERING. 



MRS. F. 



HERE is that table which I once promised to show you, 

 giving the hours of expansion and closing of different flow- 

 ers; or, as it is usually termed, a dial or watch of Flora. It 

 may amuse you to verify its correctness by your own obser- 

 vations. But I should tell you that the hours given are those 

 which are recorded by Linnaeus for Upsal, and by De Can- 

 dolle for Paris; they will therefore not exactly agree with the 

 time here. Most of the flowers selected are common, either 

 wild or in our gardens. 



ESTHER. 



In what manner, then, does climate influence the opening 

 and shutting of flowers? 



