46 MAY 



the Moon-Flower, or Cereus Grandifloras ; which 

 blooms only after sunset in May. The flowers are 

 very large, about 8 or 10 inches in diameter, with 

 innumerable long narrow petals of pure white, 

 round a cup-like calyx ; it is faintly scented. It is 

 never open till dark, and then only lasts one night ; 

 by morning it hangs like a rag, so it is not much 

 use ; and one has to remember to take a lantern, 

 and go and specially look for it at night, or one 

 never sees it at all. 



It is really a magnificent sight though, when 

 seen by moonlight ; the flowers in profusion all up 

 the old tree-trunk, on which it clings without earth 

 or moisture. It seems weird too, to think only 

 night can produce such loveliness ; and we feel a 

 sense of loss, when in the morning sometimes we 

 suddenly observe the limp, discoloured, brown bags 

 that the flowers have now turned into, and we 

 exclaim, "Ah, what a pity! we never remembered 

 to go and look at the moon-flower last night ! " 



The Stephanotis and the Gardenia are out in 

 May too ; both pure white ; and who does not 

 know their fragrance? The Gardenia has grown 

 to about 10 feet in height from a very tiny cutting, 



