82 LETTER II. 



on learning the distinctions of them, to compare 

 til em with each other, and with the descriptions of 

 Botanists, before you attempt to attend to the wild 

 species ; in that way you will familiarise yourself 

 a little with the manner in which the characters are 

 drawn up ; a very necessary qualification for every 

 one who would study umbelliferous plants like a 

 Botanist. 



The greater part of the species has white or whitish 

 flowers : a good many, as the fennel for example, 

 have yellow flowers, and a very few blue ones. To 

 the latter class belong most of the species of Eryngo, 

 and the beautiful Didiscus cceruleus (^Bot. Register, 

 fig. 1225.), which, although a native of New Holland, 

 forms so charming a hardy ornament of the flower 

 garden in the summer. 



It is not a common circumstance for a tribe so 

 verv similar in the structure of the species as um- 

 belliferous plants, to contain both poisonous and 

 wholesome kinds ; but here we have the Deadly 

 Hemlock and Dropwort, associated with Parsley, 

 Carrots and Fennel; and what seems still more re- 

 markable, a species. Celery, which is unwholesome 

 in its wild state, become harmless when cultivated. 

 Common Celery is a native of the meadows of many 

 parts of England, where it forms a rank weedy 

 stronsr-smelling- herb, which is unfit for human food ; 

 how diff*erent it is in gardens every body knows. It 

 is thought that its ceasing to be noxious when culti- 

 vated is owing to the greater part of its stems and 

 leaves being- blanched. No doubt vou must be 



