254 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



some weeks later than those of the Common Lilac, and last 

 longer in beauty ; but do not produce ripe seeds in England. 

 It is a light and elegant shrub, of a more lady-like delicacy 

 than the Common kind ; compared to which, it is as the 

 light and crisp Chinese-rose compared to the full-blown 

 beauty of the Cabbage-rose. This shrub was formerly 

 known among the nurserymen by the name of the Persian 

 Jasmin ; the Italians call it Gelsomino di Spagna (Spanish 

 Jessamine). 



The Common Lilac thrives best upon a rich, light soil, 

 such as the gardens in the neighbourhood of London are 

 chiefly composed of ; and there they grow much larger than 

 in any other part of England. In a strong loam, or a chalky 

 soil, they make little or no progress. The best time to 

 transplant them is in the autumn. The Common Lilac is 

 a native of Persia, as well as the Persian, specifically so 

 called; but the latter was brought to this country about 

 half a century later. 



It may not be altogether useless to mention, that the 

 flowers of the Lilac are always produced upon the shoots 

 of the former year; and below the flowers, on the same 

 shoot, other shoots come out to succeed them ; for that 

 part upon which the flowers stand decays down to the 

 shoots below every winter. Therefore, if it is desired to 

 preserve the tree in full beauty, care should be taken, in 

 plucking the flowers, not to take with them those young 

 shoots which are to produce the flowers of the following 

 season, or the blossoms will be comparatively few. 



The earth should be kept moderately moist, and the 

 Persian Lilac should be sheltered from frost. 



The Lilac flowers in the beginning of April, at a time 

 when, as Warton observes, little of Flora's embroidery is to 

 be seen in the shrubbery 



