96 BOTANY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 



in 1818, and called by him the magnificent 

 Titan of the vegetable kingdom. To increase 

 the wonder, it is entirely destitute of roots and 

 leaves, the blossom, the like of which the mind 

 of man had never conceived the existence of, 

 forming the entire flower. It was attached to 

 the stem of a grape vine, the circumference of 

 the full expanded flower is nine feet, its necta- 

 rium calculated to hold nine pints, and the pis- 

 tils as large as cows horns ; the whole weighing 

 about fifteen pounds. The color is a mottled 

 yellow. Since that time other species have 

 been discovered but not quite as large. 



L. SONG OF THE DKECIAN TUBS. 



Princess, we lay on the floral shrine 



Light wreaths the graceful ffumulns weaves ; 



Our northern myrtle with these we twine, 

 The sweet Myrica's fragrant leaves. 





The dark festoons of the Tamus cling 

 To the silvery willow's bending spray, 



Whose blossom like down from the cygnet's wing 

 Sheds a golden light on the vernal day. 



The pearly tufts of the Misseltot- 

 With many an evergreen leaf we bind, 



And the Aspen's slender bows that throw 

 Their trembling leaves to the summer wind. 



