ASPHODEL. 41 



humble state, are well known to children under the ap- 

 pellation of lords and ladies. Their natural stateliness 

 gets them a fine name, in spite of their situation *. 



Clare has some pretty lines, describing the pleasant recol- 

 lections excited in his mind by the sight of these flowers. 



ASPHODEL. 



ASPHODELUS. 



ASPHODELE^E. HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



King's-spear. French, asphodele. Italian, asfodelo ; asfodillo. 



THE yellow Asphodel (* is a native of Sicily, flowering in 

 May and June : the white species J, a native of the south 

 of Europe, flowers in June. The Onion-leaved Asphodel 

 is a native of France, Spain, and the island of Crete : it 

 flowers from June to August. The two last bear a starry 

 flower, streaked with purple. 



They are tolerably hardy, the white least so ; but they 

 will all bear the open air, except in severe frosts, from 

 which they require some protection. In dry summer- 

 weather they should be watered every evening ; in winter, 

 once a week will suffice. The last-mentioned kind is an 

 annual, and decays toward the end of October. It should 

 be sown in the autumn : one seed in a pot. The first two 

 species, as they do not flower the first year, will be better 

 raised in a nursery : the first, when once obtained, may 

 be increased by parting the roots, which should be done 



* They are also called Wake Robin; cuckow pint; ramp. In 

 French, le gouet commun; bonnet de grand pretre [high-priest's 

 mitre] ; herbe a pretre ; cheval bayard [bay horse] ; pain de lievre 

 [hares' bread] . 



*h In French, la verge de Jacob [Jacob's staff]. Italian, scettro 

 di re. 



^ In French, hache royale, baton royal, both signifying the royal 

 sceptre. In Italian, cibo regio [royal food] ; porrazzo. 



