I 



^ 



^ml)crci6t< 



t^ 



Poliantl)fS tubcrOSa. Xatuual Okuek: AmaryUidaccc — AmaryHi's Family. 



OLI \NTHES, denoting city-flo\ver in the original Greek, is a 

 I 11. and odoriterous plant, and a nati\e of some of the islands 

 I tile Indian Ocean, or perhaps of Mexico, as some think, 

 Init it has been culti\ated in England for tipward of two 

 hundred years, whence in all probability we received it. 

 The flowers are tubular in shape, and ha\e the appearance 

 ' of sculptiued marble, especially the double ones. The}- are very 

 h agi ant, and are borne on a slender stalk about three feet high, which 

 1 iscs fi cm the center of the group of sword-shaped leaves at the base. 

 The loot IS bulbous or tuberous (whence the common name, which, 

 therefore, is not " tube-rose "" i, and blooms but once. The young off- 

 shoots bloom when two years old. The bulbs, old enough to bloom,, 

 are very cheap, and can be ordered from any seedsman. The}' should 

 (|' be started in a hotbed, and placed in the garden when all danger of 

 frost is over. In very northern latitudes thev should be retained in 

 the pot, so as to finish their bloom in the house. 



»0 sli 



L'k her skin, so i'aultless was lu-r 

 Juno did un willing pleasure take 





To see so lair a ri' 



■Tj* ACH sound, too, here to languishment inch 

 Lull'd the weak bosom and induced ease. 

 Aerial music in the warbHng wind, 



,\t distance rising oft, bv small degrees 

 Nearer and nearer came, till o'er the trees 



'yilEX stole I up, and trancedly 



Gazed on the Persian girl alone. 

 Serene with argent-lidded eves. 

 .■\morous, and lashes like to ravs 

 Of darkness, and a brow of pearl 

 Tressed with redolent ebonv 



—Dryden. 

 It hung, and breath'd such soul-dissolving airs, 



.\s did, alas! with soft perdition please: 

 Entangled deep in its enchanting snares, 

 The list'ning heart forgot all duties and all cares 

 —Tlwmfso,,. 



In many a dark, delicious curl. 

 Flowing beneath her rose-hucd zone; 

 The sweetest lady of the time, 

 Weil worthy of the golden prime 

 Of good Haroun Alraschid. 



305 



