DA'PHNE . 



79 



da'phne\ 



small ones, and the colours, what- 

 ever they may be, should be always 

 clear and distinct, without any 

 blotches, clouding, or muddiness. 

 There are several distinct classes, if 

 they may so be called, of the flowers ; 

 as, for example, the Globe Dahlias, 

 the dwarfs, tbe quilled, &c. As 

 the plants are very luxuriant in 

 their stems and leaves, they require 

 some kind of confinement ; and tbey 

 are generally either tied to cast-iron 

 stakes painted green, or drawn through 

 what are called Dahlia-rings, which 

 are generally made of cast-iron ; but 

 as these are rather dear, they may be 

 imitated by fixing three slender stakes 

 of wood, in a triangular form, and 

 forming rings of split willows, which 

 may be purchased of the basket- 

 makers, and tying them to the stakes 

 at regular distances ; or the stakes 

 may be pierced with holes, and leaden 

 wire, or slender lathes, passed through 

 them. The dwarf Dahlias may be 

 pegged down so as to cover a bed in a 

 systematic flower-garden ; and thus 

 treated, they have a most beautiful 

 effect. 



Daisy. — See Bellis. 



Da lea. — LeguminoscB, — Green- 

 house shrubs, with pinnate leaves, 

 and small pea-flowers, greatly resem- 

 bling those of the wild vetches, but 

 less beautiful. The genus would not 

 have been mentioned here, but oil 

 account of its having been the occa- 

 sion of the name of the Dahlia hav- 

 ing been changed by Willdenow to 

 Georgina. (See Dahlia.) 



Damp Stove. — A name frequently 

 applied by gardeners to the Bark 

 stove ; but more properly belonging 

 to the Orchideous house, the atmo- 

 sphere of which is kept constantly sur- 

 charged with moisture. (See Oacm- 

 deous House.) 



Da'phne\„ — Thymelacece. — A 

 genus of beautiful low shrubs, nearly 

 equally remarkable for their elegant 



and often fragrant flowers, and their 

 bright red, poisonous berries. The 

 best known species of the genus is the 

 common Mezereon (D. Mezereum), 

 which is so general a favourite that it 

 has pet names in almost every lan- 

 guage. The French call it bois 

 gentil, and bois joli ; the Italians, 

 the fair plant ; the Germans, silky 

 bark ; and even the grave Spaniards 

 term it the lady-laurel. In our own 

 language, Cowper, one of our sweetest 

 poets in all that relates to sylvan 

 scenery, thus beautifully describes it, 

 alluding to the circumstance of its 

 flowers appearing before its leaves : — 



" Though leafless, well attired and. 



thick heset, 

 With blushing wreaths investing 



every spray." 



There are two varieties, one with 

 white, and the other with dark -red 

 flowers. All the kinds are quite 

 hardy, and will grow in any common 

 garden-soil ; but they prefer a rich 

 loam, and a shady situation. In the 

 nurseries it is generally propagated by 

 seeds ; which are often two years 

 before they come up, unless sown as 

 soon as they are ripe. When young 

 plants are purchased, they should al- 

 ways be transplanted in October, as 

 the sap begins to be in motion about 

 Christmas ; and the plants are almost 

 sure to die (or at least, to become 

 sickly) if taken up, after the sap has 

 begun to move. The poison is acrid, 

 and the best remedy, if a child should 

 unfortunately eat the berries, is swal- 

 lowing oil, melted butter, or milk. 

 The Mezereon is a native of the 

 North of Europe, and it is sometimes 

 found wild in England. The common 

 and twin -flowered Spurge Laurels (Z). 

 Laureola and D. pontica) are ever- 

 green bushy shrubs, with dark-green 

 glossy leaves, and greenish flowers, 

 which they produce about Christmas. 

 The first is a native of Britain, and 



