52 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



The spreading mass, in former shape deposed, 

 Began to shoot, and arms and legs disclosed, 

 Till, form'd a perfect man, the living mould 

 Oped its new mouth, and future truths foretold ; 

 And, Tages named by natives of the place, 

 Taught arts prophetic to the Tuscan race." 



It is a grave defect of the Mexican marigolds that they 

 emit an unpleasant odour, and therefore are scarcely fit for 

 bouquets. The pretty little T. tenuifolia (also known as 

 signata) is less objectionable than the others in this respect, 

 and, generally speaking, is the most useful of all, because 

 of its suitability for bedding, to take the place in dry soils 

 of that capricious flower the yellow calceolaria. All these 

 Mexican marigolds are half hardy, and therefore the seed 

 should be sown in a frame or greenhouse in March and 

 April, and the plants carefully nursed until strong enough 

 to take their place for flowering in the beds and borders. 



