222 Tlie Ivy. 



visitants of the spring, flowering in sunny spots, often before the 

 snow has left the ground, on hairy stalks will be seen this variety 

 of the Anemone ; for Hepaticas, as Lindley observes, whieh you 

 have so often seen thriving, when negleeted, in a cottage garden 

 when they perished under your own continual care, as if they 

 were created especially for the pleasure of the poor, are nothing but 

 Anemones, the changed body of Adonis, when he was killed by 

 a wild boar he had wounded in the chase. It is the emblem of 

 Confidence. This plant possesses mildly astringent virtues, 

 and has either been given in the form of tea, or half a teaspoon- 

 ful of the dried leaves at a time. We possess, however, so 

 many better remedies, that this has gone out of date entirely, and 

 is seldom used ; the quack preparations under this name con- 

 taining not a particle of it. 



The Ivy, 



The generic term is derived from hecreo, to stick, because it 

 attaches itself to trees and old walls. It is in the class Pentan- 

 dria, order Monogynia. The characters are : — petals five, ob- 

 long; berry five-seeded, surrounded by the calyx. Specific 

 character : — leaves ovate, undivided. Hederia Helix — Ivy, is 

 an ornamental evergreen climber, with a woody stem, common 

 in British woods on old walls and ruins. It flowers in erect 

 umbels. 



Cunningham. 



I love the Ivy mantled tower, 



Rocked by the storms of thousand years. 



Oh how could Fancy crown with thee, 



In ancient days, the god of wine, 

 And bid thee at the banquet be 



Companion of the vine 1 



Thy home, wild plant, is where each sound 



Of revelry hath long been o'er, 

 Where songs' full notes once pealed around, 



But now are heard no more. 



An English writer remarks, that we may indeed wonder that 



