34 AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF 



flower, in all its fragrance, blooms beneath the palm-trees in many 

 Eastern lands. The sweet Violets of Palestine blossom with the 

 Narcissus and the Hyacinth in the opening month of the year ; and 

 at that time, too, the women of Aleppo gather them to adorn their 

 dark tresses. 



The Violet was, up to a comparatively recent date, not merely 

 esteemed for its fragrance alone. Its medicinal virtues were highly 

 thought of, and it was looked upon by the ^ physicians ' of the 

 middle ages as one of their four ^ cordial ' flowers. The petals were 

 used as a sort of infusion, and the roots, which are strongly emetic, 

 are even now, it is said, employed to adulterate ipecacuanha. It 

 is now cultivated in large areas throughout the South of France 

 and Italy, and the blossoms form quite a staple commodity with 

 the flower-sellers in the streets of London during winter and spring. 



In tiie time of Charles ii. a ' conserve ' called Violet sugar, or 

 Violet paste, was largely consumed by 'persons of quality,' and 

 was all the more popular owing to the fact that it was supposed to 

 be a preventive of, if not a cure for, all sorts of pulmonary com- 

 plaints. In the present day Violettes glacees, or Violet flowers 

 covered with sugar, can be purchased at any Parisian confectioners, 

 and are, we believe, not altogether unknown to the young ladies of 

 our own country. In all Eastern countries the Violet is a 

 favourite flower, and a sherbet flavoured with its blossoms is a 

 common drink at the Persian and Arabian banquets. 



The scented varieties are variable in colour, the flowers being 

 generally blue, or, as Shakespeare has it : 

 ' Violets blue as Juno's eyes 

 And sweet as Cytlierea's breath.' 



Violets, like butterflies, enjoy the fresh country air, and are at 

 home amid the breezes of the rural districts. They dislike dust and 

 smoke, but like modestly to settle down in retired nooks, and give 

 forth their perfume on the sunny banks where men least congregate. 

 Yet they are tractable ; they may be brought very near the city, 

 and in every garden where the Rose flourishes the Violet will grow 

 and shed its fragrance. 



Amongst the most fragrant sorts may be named the following : — 

 Argentceflora, almost perpetually blooming the year round, and 

 possessing a wonderful fragrance ; the flowers are pure white. 

 Belle de Ghatenay, pure white, beautifully embroidered with 

 lavender ; there is also a double blue variety bearing this name. 

 Brandyana, flowers deep Gentian blue ; Gomte Brazza's White, a 

 white form of Neapolitan, flowers very double and deliciously 

 fragrant ; Devoniensis^ a very dark blue, and the most fragrant ; 



