SWEET-SMELLING PLANTS 



59 



is a delightful species, and so is 7. calathinum, the sea Daffodil, a 

 pretty greenhouse variety with pure white fragrant flowers. 



Itea virginica. — One of the prettiest of American deciduous shrubs, 

 but little known. It grows from four feet high, and produces 

 numerous racemes of pure white flowers during J une, which have 

 a delicious fragrance, not unlike the ordinary Pond Lily. The 

 foliage and stem turn to a beautiful red during the autumn. 



Ixia. — A species of South African bulbous plants, that yield an abund- 

 ance of richly-coloured flowers in the most exquisite contrasts, that 

 are invaluable for cutting and vase decoration. Unfortunately 

 they possess little scented attractions ; the double flowering scarlet 

 variety, however, is sweetly fragrant. 



Ixora laxifolia. — A variety of an extensive class of tropical evergreen 

 flowering shrubs from Java, with rosy pink flowers borne in clusters 

 and pleasingly scented. I. odor at a, from Madagascar, bears creamy 

 rose flowers similarly attractive. 



Jaborosa integrifolia. — A South American perennial plant bearing 

 long and handsome tubular flowers. 



' Sweet Jessamine, with which the queen of flowers, 

 To charm her god adorns his favourite bowers. 

 Perfumed as incense of the morn, and chaste 

 As the pure zone which circles Diana's waist.' — Churchill. 



Jasminum officinale. — The elegant and fragrant sweet Jessamine or 

 Jasmine, the emblem of amiability, is always acceptable wherever 

 we meet it. Originally a native of India, its beauties have gone 

 forth to every clime, and we now find it gracing both the garden 

 of the rich and poor, in the bosom of the village lass, and the 

 Oriental vase of the saloon. Its modesty pleases, its fragrance 

 charms, and it is indeed a favourite with all. The pretty face of 

 the Jasmine flower is only surpassed in elegance by the fair whose 

 countenance is brightened with purity and love. 



In Italy it is woven into bridal wreaths and used on all festive 

 occasions. There is a proverbial saying there, that she who is 

 worthy of being decorated with J essamine is rich enough for any 

 husband. Its first introduction into that sunny land is thus 

 told. A certain Duke of Tuscany, the first possessor of a plant, 

 wished to preserve it as a novelty, and forbade his gardener 

 to give away a single sprig of it, but the gardener being a more 

 faithful lover than servant, was more willing to please a young 

 mistress than an old master, presented the young girl with a branch 

 of Jessamine on her birthday. She planted it in the ground, it 

 took root, grew, and blossomed, and multiplied so much under the 



