152 GARDEN FLOWERS. 



the Cape of Good Hope, has pale silvery leaves, 

 and deep yelloAV flowers, and blossoms from 

 spring to autumn. 



The plants which we term clary, are also 

 species of sage, and are cultivated not so much 

 for their tlowers, as for the deep red, purple, or 

 violet colour, which some of their young shoots 

 exhibit. The common clary, {Salvia sclarea,) a 

 native of Italy, has a most powerful odour, and 

 was once much used medicinally. Our common 

 wild clary (Salvia verhenacd) has a still stronger 

 fragrance, and is found in almost every land of the 

 globe. Its seeds contain a mucilaginous sub- 

 stance, which, if it be placed under the eyelid, en- 

 velopes any grain of dust Avhich may have settled 

 on the eye, and brings it away. It was this which 

 gave the plants the name of clary or clear-eye. 

 A wine is made of the common clary, which, 

 when boiled with suear, is said to have the 

 flavour of Frontignac, and is remarkable for its 

 narcotic qualities. This plant grows wild in 

 Syria, Italy, and Bithynia, and is one of the 

 exotic herbs of longest standing in the British 

 garden. Another species of salvia is used in 

 Holland, to flavour Ehenish wines. 



And now the awning is spread to keep the 

 sun from injiu'ing the full-blown ranunculus, 

 {Ranunctdns Asiaticus,) which glitters in every 

 colour of the rainbow, and is streaked with 

 each hue of nature. This is the month in 

 which florists usually display them in a mass, 

 and for this purpose they are planted late in 

 autumn ; but when planted in January, they 



