SWEET-SMELLING PLANTS 



63 



Lantana. — A species of flowering greenhouse plants, mostly natives 

 of Central America, and very serviceable for decorative purposes ; 

 unfortunately many of them possess such a disagreeable odour that 

 they can never become popular ; the white variety, L. alha, how- 

 ever, emits a sweet spicy fragrance, somewhat like sage, rendering 

 it worthy of extended culture. 



Lastrea montana (Lemon - scented Buckler Fern). — This charming 

 species is one of the few of our British Ferns that possess a 

 fragrance. Although now somewhat scarce, it was very widely 

 dispersed over the country, its chief habitat seems to be the 

 hill-sides in the Lake Districts, w^here it is eagerly sought 

 after by ardent amateur collectors. L. JEmiila {The Hay -scented 

 Fern) is a graceful evergreen variety, also with a wide dis- 

 tribution throughout Britain ; the fronds are powerfully scented 

 like new hay, by which pleasing feature it may be readily dis- 

 tinguished. 



Lathyrus odoratus (Sweet- Pea). — This delightful annual, originally 

 from the island of Sicily, is now largely grown in all gardens 

 where ornamental cut flowers are in demand, and the efi'ect they 

 create Avhen artistically arranged in vases or glasses for the adorn- 

 ment of the table is positively charming. They have been greatly 

 improved during recent years, and some very beautiful colours are 

 now obtainable, which possess also the additional advantage of 

 being strongly perfumed. The Sweet Pea is the emblem of delicate 

 pleasures, and is now so universally admired and so easily culti- 

 vated that it is met with in almost every garden, where it equally 

 dispenses its fragrant odours without regarding the rank of its 

 possessor. The perfume of this elegant flower, although delightful 

 in the open, sometimes becomes oppressive when confined in close 

 apartments, its fragrance is similar to that of Orange blossoms 

 with a dainty touch of the rose ; the blossoms are remarkable for 

 their elegant negligence in shape, and delicacy and richness of 

 colouring. Nature seems to have dressed theni as a model for the 

 harmonising of colours, and they are justly termed Papilionaceous, 

 for do they not indeed closely resemble butterflies turned into 

 flowers ; in short, it seems scarcely possible not to feel this, they 

 seem only lingering to sip their own honey. 



Keats must have had his fancies in this direction when he penned 

 the following lines : — 



' Here are Sweet Peas on tip-toe for a fliglit, 

 With wings of gentle flush, o'er delicate white, 

 And taper fingers catching at all things 

 To bind them all about with tiny rings.' 



