1 82 Notes and Gleanings. 



Helleborus NIGER {the Christmas Rose). — This kind is a native of woodv 

 mountains in many parts of Europe, especially those of Austria, Piedmont 

 Styria, Greece, Provence, the Pyrenees, and Apennines ; and is an old inhabitant 

 of English gardens, for it was introduced so far back as the year 1596. 



The Christmas Rose grows from nine to twelve inches high, and has rather 

 large, smooth, pedate leaves, somewhat resembling a large bird's foot, and pro- 

 duced in the spring after the flowers have faded. The flowers are large, cup- 

 shaped, with a white or rose-colored corolla-like cal3'x, and produced in scapes 

 from the end of December to March ; at first pure white, afterwards rather pink, 

 and finally becoming green before fading. 



In mild seasons, the flowers begin to expand towards the end of December : 

 which circumstance has gained for the plant the name of Christmas Rose. 



There are two varieties of the black hellebore, — one the common kind, and 

 '.he other with larger flowers and narrower leaves. The latter is an Austrian 

 plant, sometimes named vsnialis in gardens, on account of its flowering much 

 later in the spring than the common or broad-leaved kind. 



The virtues of the Helleborus niger were formerly too much extolled in the old 

 herbals. It is probably now undeservedly neglected : but its use requires great 

 caution ; for its effects are very uncertain and dangerous, as it loses its virtues by 

 keeping. Its medicinal uses are as purgatives in cases of mania, melancholy, 

 lethargy, dropsy, and for worms. Snuff made from the dried leaves causes vio- 

 lent sneezing : while, if smoked like tobacco, it is a good remedy for the tooth- 

 ache. 



The roots, however, are the part used in medicine, and consist of a black 

 furrowed roundish head, about the size of a nutmeg, from which short-jointed 

 branches arise, sending out numerous fibres about the thickness of a straw, 

 blackish outside, white or yellowish-white within, and of an acrid, nauseous, and 

 rather bitter taste, exciting a sense of heat and numbness in the tongue, and 

 having a nauseous smell. The root is used in the form of a tincture ; but its 

 effects are uncertain and dangerous. 



Viola cornijta^ and its Culture. — This was introduced from Spain to 

 the Royal Gardens at Kew, by Dr. Ortega, in 1776. A very correct figure of it 

 appears in Curtis's "Botanical Magazine," vol. xxi., plate 791. It is strange 

 that the plant should have remained unnoticed by any one, with the exception 

 of its being figured and described in " The Botanical Magazine " above referred 

 to, for nearly ninety years ; more especially as it offers a shade of color that has 

 been so long wanted for toning down, and giving effect to the many strong and 

 glowing colors which we possess amongst our bedding-plants. The plant would, 

 no doubt, have perished long ago, but for its extreme hardiness. It thrives in 

 any common soil without care ; and, when once the plant is established, there is 

 some difficulty in eradicating it, as the smallest piece of the root will grow if K;!'t 

 in the soil, and will soon produce a plant. 



It flowers very profusely in a dry soil ; but thrives better, and produces larger 

 and more highly-developed flowers, when grown in a rather moist and partially- 

 shaded situation. It seeds very freely, and may be propagated either from seeds 

 or cuttings. 



