28 GARDEN FLOWERS. 



perhaps, any other mountain in Syria. Grow- 

 ing wild upon its heights, may yet be seen the 

 ""bright blue hyacinth, the yellow jonquil, the 

 varied anemone, and the golden cup of the 

 poets' narcissus; while thyme and wallfiower, 

 and a variety of odoriferous herbs, yield to 

 every pressure of the traveller's foot an exqui- 

 site perfume; and the luxuriant vine, trailing 

 its broad leaves over its slopes, contributes, 

 with the flowers and shrubs, to render it yet 

 worthy of its Hebrew name of Carmel, which 

 signifies, a country of vineyards and gardens. 

 Its laurels are ever green; its olive-trees ever 

 fruitful, from the rivulets which wander down 

 its heights; Avhile on its very summits grow 

 the tall dark pines of the north, and the hardy 

 oak of our climates. 



The wallflower is prized highly by Asiatics, 

 especially by the Persians. It will ever be a 

 favourite flower with us, for the fragrance 

 which it yields before the rose and other 

 summer flowei's yet please us with their odours. 

 Its pungent leaves are very wholesome for cattle, 

 and on this account it is often planted in j^as- 

 tures destined for their food. It bears the 

 smoke of cities better than some other flowers, 

 and is, therefore, frequently seen in the little 

 plot of ground which in the large towns is 

 devoted to the culture of flowers. The botanic 

 name — taken from the Greek — signifies hand- 

 flower, because it was gathered so often for 

 nosegays; and as we see it in the pent-up 

 garden, or the balcony which fronts the city 



