46 LA MURTOLA. 



garden, published in 1889, enumerated about 36U0 different 



plants. Since then their number has been much augmented 



b}' the addition of new species of scientific interest or 



technical importance. All Botanical Institutions duly receive 



the catalogue with permission to draw upon the treasures 



ol the garden for scientific purposes, .bir Thomas PTanbury 



is careful to entrust the management of his garden to 



competent hands. Hitherto this duty has fallen to the 



lot ()f industrious and scientiticalh' trained o-ardcners. 



to 



Mortola is almost imique among private gardens and 

 should arouse the emulation of other \\-ealthv landowners. 

 The garden ol T^a A'Jortola is at its best in spring. 

 The Acacias particularlv contribute to its splendour at 

 that season.' ]More than sixt\' species of them are 

 grown there, including the Mimosa-like kinds \\-hose 

 fineh' pinnate leaflets are set in motion hv e^'er^• breath 

 of wind, and those stiff, thonn' species which fully 

 jiistit\ their fiotanical names of ''armed" (armata). ''bristlv" 

 ancl "terrible" (horrida). Man^ of the Acacias are so 

 smotliercd in ^'ello\^' flowers that their green foliage is 

 hardh' visible, and most of them emit a pleasant aroma 

 ^^■hcn in bloom. Xames like '■pleasant", "agreeable" 

 (suaveolens) indicate certain species which are more 

 pertumed tlian the rest. But tlie most fragrant of all 

 these is undoiibtedh tlie tropical American cicada 

 Fariicsiaiia (Fig. p. ,S), which bears its violet-scented 

 flower-heads in winter. These little tlower-heads, under 

 the name of "Fleurs de Cassie ", are largch' used in 

 (jrasse and Cannes in the manufacture of scent. This 

 plant, which lias long been known in the south of I{)uropc, 



