48 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



girandoles of flowers, that shed their perfume 

 so delightfully over our May-day walks. 



The praise which Eudosia bestowed on the 

 swan, we may safely borrow for the white lilac, 

 as it is equally an 



" Emblem of modest grace, 

 Of unaffected dignity and ease, 

 Of pure and elegant simplicity." 



Many persons complain of the lilac for 

 shedding its flowers so early, without taking 

 into consideration at what an acceptable 

 period the blossoms appear, and that it lends 

 its beauties, with those of the laburnum, to fill 

 up the space between the flowering of the 

 almond and the arrival of the rose, which 

 leaves us nothing to regret. 



The most beautiful variety of the common 

 purple lilac is that known by the title of the 

 Scotch lilac, from its having been first men- 

 tioned in the catalogue of the Edinburgh 

 garden. The flowers of this kind are of a 

 much richer colour than those of the blue 

 lilac, the buds and under side of the petals 

 being of a hue between purple and carmine, 

 that gives a kind of ripeness to the appearance 

 of the clusters, which are produced in larger 

 groups, and with larger flowers also, than any 

 other lilac. This kind likewise gives out its 

 blossoms about fourteen days later than the 



