92 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



The best figure of the plant that we have met with 

 in any botanical work is in Sweet's " British Flower 

 Garden " (t. 3). It is also figured in the Botanical Maga- 

 zine (t. 1659) as C. tuberosa, which Sweet regards as a 

 mistake ; for, he says, this has " smooth leaves and 

 hairy peduncles, whereas C. tuberosa has hairy leaves and 

 smooth peduncles/' The very broad views that now prevail 

 in respect of the characters of species would sanction the 

 opinion that these two " species " are but two forms of 

 the same plant ; but we must not encumber these pages 

 with the heavy arguments that might be needful to estab- 

 lish exact identity. Certain it is that " species " are now 

 more boldly separated than in the days of Sweet and 

 Herbert and Haw T oiih. After all, more depends perhaps 

 on words than ideas that is, in respect of these verbal 

 distinctions. What one regards as a species, another may 

 regard as a mere variety, and the difference of terminology 

 will not matter much in the end, provided all behold the 

 truth as nature presents it to our notice. 



