General Notices. 317 



The Lijlac. — This old and favorite ornamental deciduous shrub, like the 

 rose, obtains a place wherever trees and flowers will grow. It is especially 

 popular wiih tlie poor, who have only a small patch of ground, and cannot 

 afford time to give much attention to what the}' grow for their pleasure- 

 Like the name of a great man, it finds its way into every nook and corner, 

 and is certainly the first to be selected by every humble cottager who has 

 taste enough and time enough to cultivate a few flowers. The Mlac is one 

 of the hardiest plants grown in England. It will withstand our severest 

 winters ; and nothing but a continuous cold north or east wind has the least 

 effect upon it. But even m such a wind, and during a severe frost, it is but 

 little injured, save when exposed to an incessant current ; then, of course, 

 like everylliing else, the lilac will give way. You may cut it down, but it 

 won't be cut up. The branches may be killed to the ground, but others will 

 rise on the return of fine weather. Then, again, the lilac is one of the very 

 first to bud and blossom in the spring ; and it is green long before others of 

 its compeers are well out of their winter's sleep. Like the buttercups in 

 the meadow, its very appearance speaks of summer ; and associated witli 

 the bright yellow laburnum, its flowers produce a charming effect by the 

 waysides. With all its recommendations, however, its hardy constitution, 

 its graceful habit, and its beautiful flowers, the lilac — it must be confessed — 

 has its faults, or rather fault, for it has but one — its tendency to push up 

 shoots at tlie root, which, under certain circumstances, make it a mere net 

 for all sorts of passing litter or rubbish. If an old shoe is to be thrown out 

 of sight, there is no place so fitting as the poor lilac-bush. At the fall of 

 the leaf, all the other trees and bushes seem as if they would make quite a 

 "butt" of our good-natured acquaintance, and keep on "shying" their 

 cast-off clothes into its lap — at least, so long as the game lasts. Indeed, I 

 have sometimes fancied that its name must have some connection with the 

 idea of a •' save-all," a net or trap ; for it would take me some time to de- 

 scribe all the miscellaneous and heterogeneous articles of which it is often 

 made the depository during winter. But I do not think such an account 

 would be interesting enough, especially as many of the items which I find 

 now and then have no possible resemblance to the foundlings of the Excise- 

 office. I must protest, however, against planting my old favorite beside the 

 railing of squares and other enclosures, where it is so likely to be made the 

 receptacle of old shoes, broken bottles, dead dogs or eats, and the lighter 

 articles wjiich are " wafted by the early breeze," in the form of tailors' 

 refuse, straw, and leaves. Why should the lilac be selected to form the 

 laughing-stock of every passer-by. — [Gard. Jour.) 



Cultivation of the Ranunculus. — Finding that the ranunculus, com- 

 paratively speaking, has little or nothing said or written to encourage ite 

 growth, or sing its justly-deserved praise, I trust that a few lines in your 

 magazine will prove useful to somebody. 



Which of all Flora's gems can compare with it ? True, some prefer the 

 JU)ur of oats, and some of barley, but most of finest wheat, to all creation's 

 Jlowers ; whilst others quite as lustily cry, of all the garden Jlowers, the 

 cavlijlower for me. Now, if I might choose in wide creation's round, with 



