10 FAMILIAR G'AKDEX FLOTTEEfS. 



and may eouclude at last that the spots uu the leaves shadow 

 forth the reseriiblauce. But the dou^'s tooth is uuderi;-i-ouiid, 

 and we must dig- up tlie plant tn make a proper study of its 

 name — a pmeeeding akin to the euttiug ojjen of the bellows 

 ti> discover the reservmr that contains the wind. The 

 liullis of the plant are wliite, and in form not mucli unhke 

 dogs^ teeth. They justify the iltii.t (v/z/m, and the C(dour of 

 the flowers — a warm rosy-purj)le or lilac — in like maimer 

 justilies the familiar name of '' violet/^ although in truth 

 we have but rarely seen a violet of such a colour. But a 

 rose b\' any other name would smell as SAVeet, and by any 

 other name a don-'s-tooth violet would look as pretty, 

 more especially if judiciously placeil upon the garden 

 rockery, to display its tesselated leafage and cyclamen-like 

 tlo\\ers. 



The dog's-tooth violet is the only European species of 

 its family ; the others are natives of North America, and 

 are (piite hardy and very acceptable in the English garden. 

 They are not adapted f(jr what ma\- be termed " purposes," 

 for in truth they are too choice to lie ap])reciated tiv the 

 " casual eye," but they are gems of the iirst water for the 

 eclectic amateui'. They belong to the great family of lilies, 

 with which they agree in their six-parted flowers and the 

 arrangement of stamens and pistils, although in less im- 

 ]i(jrtant particulars they are far removed from the genus 

 Lilium. 



,V11 the erythroniuuis wdl thrix'c ni a dceji sand\' soil 

 or in peal, and a moist soil suits them fieltcr than a. dry one. 

 They appear to Hower equally well in sun or shade, but 

 shelter from cold winds is desiralile, and this the rockery 

 should sufficiently afford them. Border plants they are not, 

 although perfectl}" alile to hold their own in the border so 



