144 OUR ROCK-GARDEN 



his name and by its vivid crimson recalls his 

 sanguinary fate. The flower is in France 1'Adonide, 

 in Germany die Adonis blume, in Italy the fiore 

 d'Adono. 



Several of our plant-names have classic associa- 

 tions. Thus the pseony is so called from Paeon, 

 a physician, who by its means cured Pluto of a 

 wound inflicted by Hercules. The centaury is 

 in like manner called after the Centaur Chiron, 

 who was famous for his knowledge of medicinal 

 herbs, and who instructed mankind in their 

 uses ; while the yarrow, or achillea, derives the 

 second of these names from the efficacy of the 

 plant in the hands of Achilles in the healing of 

 wounds. 



We have in Britain some eight species, at all 

 events, of violets, besides others, sub-species, that 

 may serve scientists to dispute over as to their 

 more or less good claims to full specific rank. 

 Several of these, as the pansy or heart's-ease, the 

 yellow mountain-violet, and the marsh-violet, we 

 may well find a little space for, but the sweet violet 

 Viola odorata is a sheer necessity. It is curious 

 that while this latter is not uncommon in England 

 in the woods and hedge-banks, it is a choice rarity 

 in Scotland. When once established it extends in 

 all directions, like the strawberry, cinquefoil, and 

 other lowly plants, by means of the runners that 

 it so freely throws out Its flowers are ordinarily 



