194 FIRST STEPS IN GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. 



" I am wondering what relations of the Olive we 

 can have in our garden/' said Henry. 



" The shrubs which will soon be its chief glory ; 

 (for there is great promise of blossom on the 

 lilacs* this year) and the handsome ashf trees, 

 whose light and graceful foliage is so late in 

 coming out, and so pretty when it does appear; 

 and the useful little dark-green privet J, which 

 thickens our shrubberies, and is not unornamental 

 when covered with its clusters of small white 

 flowers. 



" Of the CONVOLVULUS tribe I must just say that 

 the roots abound in acrid milky juice and in some 

 foreign species furnish jalap, and scammony." 



Mary did not like to hear of her beautiful bind- 

 weeds, and handsome garden convolvulus being 

 related to jalap ; but her father informed her that 

 the Syrian plant which yields that drug is a beau- 

 tiful climber with long crimson flowers. 



" The next group of orders also contains some 

 old favourites, such as the different kinds of THRIFT, 

 the PLANTAINS, more important to birds than to us, 

 and the FRIMROSES. The last-named tribe will be 



* Syringa vulgaris. f Fraxinus excelsior. 



+ Ligustrum vulgare. 



