i04 GARDEN FLOWERS. 



Rudbeck, in 1697, in honour of Charles xii. of 

 Sweden. Tliis monarch having visited Tornea 

 to observe the appearance of the solstitial sun 

 above the horizon at midnight, was so struck 

 with the beauty of the plant, that he carried it 

 about in his hand. Its large golden flowers, 

 with ruby lips, are described as rising in tiers 

 one above another, to the height of four or five 

 feet from the ground. It is abundant in 

 Norway, and found in Lapland, though less 

 luxuriant in the latter country. 



By the latter end of this month one of the 

 gayest of our garden flowers, the escholtzia, is 

 expanding its large yellow or orange-coloured 

 ujjright bells. It was, at its first introduction 

 into this country, termed Californian poppy. 

 This flower is, among several others, included 

 by gardeners in the name of Californian annuals, 

 and they were brought from California, on the 

 north-west coast of America. IVIany of them 

 were sent home by the indefatigable botanical 

 collector, Douglas, who was sent out by the 

 Horticultural Society of London, and who, in 

 the enthusiastic pursuit of his object, lost his 

 life by falling into a bull pit. The escholtzia 

 has pale sea-green leaves, covered with a fine 

 bloom ; and the flowers are verv brilliant, 

 though destitute of fragrance. When the blos- 

 som opens, the calyx, or flower cup, instead of 

 gradually imfolding at the summit, like the 

 calyxes of flowers in general, separates at its 

 base from the flower, and comes off in the form 

 of an extinguisher.. This is one of the most 



