XXX 



FLORA ODOR ATA 



wore on their heads crowns made of Myrrh and sweet-smelling 

 plants. 



From Xenophon's description of their gardens we learn 

 that the walks were edged with Eoses, Violets, and other 

 fragrant plants, and the ladies loved to be in an atmosphere 

 redolent with fragrant odours. The soft air luxuriously 

 charged with the odours of endless quantities of other choice 

 flowers, and the long bowers of sweet Lime-trees gave to the 

 whole surroundings the contentment of Paradise ; but some- 

 thing was wanting, and that was the sympathetic love of the 

 fair Eve, which most men yearn for, but few find : the most 

 fortunate in time, the most unfortunate too late. The Poppy, 

 Jasmine, Tulip, Anemone, Lily of the Valley, Eanunculus, 

 Jonquil, Narcissus, Violet and Cineraria, give an air of ele- 

 gance wherever their presence is found. 



A celebrated Persian poet has left us the following 

 beautiful lines in this connection : — 



' Like the bloom of the Rose, when fresh plucked and 

 full blown 

 Sweetly soft is thy nature and air. 

 Like the beautiful Cypress in Paradise grown, 

 On my memory thy locks have a grateful perfume, 

 Far more grateful than Jasmine's sweet scents.' 



A A'isitor in recent years says : — ' On my first entering the 

 bower of the fairy land I was struck with the appearance of 

 two Rose trees, full fourteen feet high, laden with thousands 

 of flowers in each degree of expansion, and of a bloom and 

 delicacy of scent that imbued the whole atmosphere with 

 exquisite perfumes.' 



In the days when Asia was less disturbed, time seems to 

 have been found to follow the culture of scented plants in the 

 smaller states, for the Emperor Baber, an Indian ruler who 

 conquered Afghanistan, speaks of 'The Garden of Fidelity 



