AUGUST. 165 



was growing in profusion among low rocks and 

 ferruginous sandstone. The plants were about 

 the size of gooseberry-bushes, covered with 

 flowers, and as fine as I ever saw them, when 

 highly cultivated, in an English greenhouse. 

 This is not generally the case with Avild shrubs ; 

 they are broken by storms and cattle, and 

 overgrown one by another, in the sitiiations 

 where they grow naturally; but when culti- 

 vated, they are carefully protected from in- 



Another geniis of flowers called purple ever- 

 lasting, and whose blossoms retain their beauty 

 for many years, are the xeranthemums. They 

 are popular annuals, and their Greek name 

 signifies dry-flower. There are but few spe- 

 cies, and all are natives of southern Europe. 

 They are purple, red, or white, and one is yel- 

 low. Some of the species are small shrubs. 

 The flowers of all these kinds of everlasting, 

 when mingled together, form a beautiful and 

 permanent bouquet for the winter season. 



A flower which is equally well entitled to the 

 name of everlasting, is the globe amaranth, 

 {Gomphrena fjlohosa.) Milton has immortalized 

 this lovely flower in his Paradise Lost, where 

 he describes it as encircling the brows of 

 angels — 



" To the sround, 

 In solemn adoration, down they cast 

 Their crowns, inwove with amaranth and gold. 

 Immortal amaranth, a fiower which once 

 In Paradise fast by the Tree of Life 

 Began to bloom." 



Nor is the mention of the amaranthine wreath 



