13S FAMILIAR GAIiDEX FLOWERS. 



mostj or that in the middle whereon the seed doth hang 

 or cleaue^ is thin and cleere shining, like a piece of white 

 satteu newly cut from the peeee." A better description 

 one could not desire ; but we are inclined to add that 

 when a number of honesties are in Hower in a country 

 garden they afford us immense pleasure, because of the 

 various, and often delicious, shades of purple their fine 

 flowers display. The moon-like seeds, divested of the dark 

 outer skin, are so often seen as ornaments of the chimney- 

 shelfj that the propriety of the term "satin flower" will 

 not be challenged. Dr. Prior, in his " Popular Names 

 of Plants," derives the name honesty "from the trans- 

 parency of its dissepiments ; " but he gives no hint of the 

 time when the name first came into use. 



A hunt amongst our big books discloses the name for 

 the first time in works by the Rev. William Hanbury, f 771, 

 and by Philip Miller, of the same date ; the earlier editions 

 of IMiller appear not to recognise the plant under any name. 

 If the result of this casual search is of any definite value, 

 it jiroves that the " ancient " name of honesty has been 

 Ijorne by this plant only a little over a hundred years, 

 which is nothing for a name, although happily the quality 

 of honesty is of really ancient date. 



A very little horticultural skill suffices for the suc- 

 lessful cultivation of this ])lant. Being fearful of the 

 simplicity of the subject, «-e have turned to Hanbury, 

 who thus directs : — " This jilant is propagated by sowing 

 the seeds, soon after they are ripe, in any soil or situation, 

 for nothing of that sort comes amiss to them. After 

 the}' have once flowered and shed their seeds, thev will 

 propagate themselves, coming up in ]ilenty all over the 

 garden. Nay, in neglected gardens, they will rise among 



