THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



269 



stantial, they would indubitably soon 

 discover the cheat and discontinue 

 their attentions. This is very evident 

 in the cultivated rose, which, with all 

 its inimitable and delicious fragrance, 

 from its mellifluous barrenness is never 

 visited by the honey-sipping bees and 

 moths; whilst, on the contrary, we 

 have many flowers, such as the holly 

 and ivy, which, with no obvious per- 

 fume to our senses, yet produce abun- 

 dance of nectar, which is soon dis- 

 covered by insects, who speedily avail 

 themselves of its stores. 



Most flowers emit their fragrance 

 most freely towards evening. This is 

 unquestionably to attract night-flying 

 moths, &c, and the prevalent white 

 colour of their balmy flowers as being 

 most easily distinguished in the dusky 

 twilight subserve the same end. The 

 strong aroma which is so evident in 

 damp humid weather is owing to 

 the greater density of the atmosphere 

 retaining and conveying more of the 

 perfumed emissions than when they 

 are dissipated in the drier air of bright 

 sunshine. As well as those volatile 

 and ethereal essences, which are shown 

 to be evidently attractive in their 

 nature, there is also another form of 

 aromatic odour which is obviously of 

 a repellent and defensive character. 

 Of such are the essential oils of the 

 mint family, which are elaborated and 

 stored away in little glands on the 

 leaves, these are very conspicuous in 



the fragrant sweet brier, which is 

 thickly studded with these odoriferous 

 receptacles. 



" Our sweet, autumnal, western, scented 

 wind 



Robs of its odours none so sweet a flower, 

 In all the blooming waste it left behind, 

 As that the sweetbriar yields it." 



They also abound in the sweet 

 gale or candleberry myrtle {Myrica 

 gale), and in the sweet bay willow 

 (Salix pentandra). To these must 

 be added the aromatic resinous 

 excretions of the pines and juniper, 

 the anti-septic properties of which 

 doubtless help to make the dwellers in 

 pine forests so healthy and vigorous. 

 The aromatic chamomille, southern- 

 wood, tansy and various other plants 

 would belong to this class. No doubt 

 these secretions are useful to the 

 plant in warding off the attacks of 

 browsing animals, in the same way as 

 the acrid, pungent, peppery juices of 

 many plants, such as the leaves of 

 buttercups, &c. In the same group 

 may be included those plants which 

 emit an offensive effluvium when 

 broken and bruised, and which is 

 shared by every portion of the plant 

 alike. As the penetrating odour of 

 onions and garlic. For example the 

 well known ramps {Allium ursinum), 

 the flavour of which is said to be 

 discernible in the butter of cows 

 pastured in places where it abounds. 

 Almost equally nauseous are the hedge 



