u 4 MY GARDEN 



collina, with a bloom like a sparaxis. It is brilliant, 

 and fairly long lived for an irid, but it is not hardy, 

 and its odour handicaps it in the race for popularity, 

 though in its South African home, the scent no doubt 

 proves a source of strength. Scent is a big subject, 

 and Bacon, who has something wise or fatuous to 

 say on every conceivable theme that can interest a 

 human being, makes observations concerning it. He 

 distinguishes subtly between "fast flowers of their 

 smells," and those which are not so niggard, but 

 generously cast their fragrance upon the air, and 

 breathe out their sweetness "like the warbling of 

 music." Roses damask or red he calls fast flowers, 

 and bays, and marjoram, and rosemary. These things 

 want a little pressure to bring out their high qualities. 

 Like many people you could name, they need a pinch 

 to develop their flavour ; and, to press the figure, not 

 a few plants and men, by reason of their notorious 

 qualities in that sort, never get pinched at all which 

 in the case of the plant suits it well, but in the case of 

 the man is very bad for him. The most generous of 

 his flowers Bacon found to be the violet, with the 

 musk-rose a good second. Strawberry leaves dying 

 " yield a most excellent cordial smell," he tells us ; and 

 among other fragrant things he cites the flower of the 

 vine, sweet-brier, wall-flowers, pinks, clove gilliflowers, 

 the lime tree, and honeysuckle. Next he treats of 

 sweet foliage, and tells us to plant burnet, wild thyme, 

 and water-mints in our alleys, that they may be trodden 

 upon and crushed, and yield their fragrance out of 

 personal affliction. 



