96 GARDEN FLOWERS. 



them for his fire, or sits by its light, ponders 

 on the dajo when his fathers were rolled over 

 the craggy heights, to join the " noble army of 

 martyrs," because their enlightened spirits 

 forbade them to join in idol worship. The 

 white hares of the mountains, whose coats were 

 given them of the snowy colour to help them 

 to elude the pursuer, often feed on the hard 

 bark of these plants, when the severe weather 

 has covered up the green things of lower 

 growth, but the leaves and branches are 

 thought to be poisonous to animals in general. 



Though a large number of the rhododen- 

 drons are American plants, in the warm 

 regions of Asia they are also often found in 

 great beauty, with crimson, purple, white, or 

 rose-coloured flowers. The Daurian species 

 (Bhododendron Daiiricuni) is almost peculiar to 

 the subalpine tracts of eastern Asia, and is 

 common in the pine woods. One of the most 

 beautiful plants in the British conservatory is 

 the Nepaul species, (^Rhododendron arboreum.) 

 which is sometimes twenty feet high, with large 

 bunches of flowers, of a dark crimson or 

 scarlet hue, and the blossoms are so full of 

 liquid honey, that when the tree is shaken, it 

 falls down in showers. This species has large 

 leaves, with glossy itnder surface, as white as 

 silver, and has a variety Avith white wax-like 

 flowers. The name of rhododendron, taken 

 from the Greek, signifies rose and tree ; and 

 the French term it la rosage. 



And now, wdien the clouds seem literally "to 



