84 



AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF 



Nothoscordum fragrans. — A biillDous plant from Central America, 

 with white sweet -smelling flowers. 



Nyctanthes arbor-tristis. — A shrulnjy Indian tree, common all over 

 the cotmhy. and poptilarly known as the Indian Jasmine. It bears 

 a profusion of star-like Vvdiite flowers, which open at night, scenting 

 the atmosphere during that time, for a wide distance around with a 

 delightful honey-like fragrance, the petals fall at siimise, and are 

 collected as a perftnne. 



Nycterinia. — A tribe of anntials and perennial plants from South 

 Africa, bearing spikes of flowers that are faintly scented at night. 



Nymphaea. — A genus of beautiful flowering aquatic plants, popularly 

 kno-^r^Ti as Water Lilies, Pond Lilies, or Water Xymphs. They are 

 found in lakes and rivers all over the world, and are an elegant 

 famil}^ deserving of extended cultivation. 



The common British species are X. aJoa and A"', lutta. both 

 charming varieties, unfortunately possessing but little scent. Of 

 the American kinds there are A"^. odorata, both white and rose, 

 differing from our own white Water Lily in being sweet-scented. 

 N. elegans, white and ptu-ple. X. tid^i'csci. white, with an odour 

 resemblmg ripe Apples, whilst from China we find X. py'jm-'X'. a 

 little miniature gem, with pure v^-hite I'lossorns : then there are the 

 African varieties, X. ZcuizH'CL/'tn-^i^ — the Royal Purple ^Vater Lily 

 — and X. coiruJea. Other sorts flower in the night, notably A''. 

 Devoniensi-s. the Red Water Lily, and although they emit an agree- 

 able odotir it is not nearly so powerftil as many of the day- 

 blooming kinds, X. Dauheniana has parti-colotu-ed flowers that 

 are also deliciously fragrant. 



' Exquisite floweret of the vernal hour, 



"^Tiose tender sweetness steals npon our gaze 

 When the wild glory of the glittering shower 

 Has faded in the sun's luxuriant rays.' 



Ocymum basilicum. — An annual plant supposed to have been brought 

 to Europe from the East : it has been rendered poetical by the genius 

 which has handled it, and both Boccaccio and Keats have made the 

 name sound pleasantly in the ears of many people who know little of 

 botany. 



AYe cultivate it as an herb, and the strong aromatic scent in its 

 leaves, very much like cloves, renders it useful for culinary purposes. 



It was an opinion amongst the ancients that if tht leave- oi this 

 plant were bruised and -put under the ground, they would breed 

 insects ; later day writers, however, have extolled its many virtues 

 in a more pleasing direction, for Gerard says, ' The smell of this 

 plant is good for the heart and the head : it driveth away melau- 



