LA'THYRUS ODORA'TUS. 
SWEET PEA. 
Order. 
DRCANDRIA. 
Natural Order. 
LEGOMINOSJS. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Introduced 
Sicily. 
6 feet. 
June, Aug. 
Annual. 
in 1700. 
No. 369. 
The word Lathyrus is of very ancient origin, and 
used by the Greeks, as indicative of an exciting or 
stimulating quality. Odoratus, from the Latin, sweet. 
We have much pleasure in introducing to our 
friends so pretty a group of their favourite acquaint- 
ances, — varieties of the ever-admired Sweet Pea. 
This is one amongst other annual beauties, which 
never tires by its presence. It is not only always 
welcome, but always sought for; and its attractions 
can be seldom satisfactorily dispensed with. There 
may be persons whose friendship is ephemeral, and 
their admiration a breath ; but very few indeed who 
do not continue their love of whatever deserves it, 
though they ardently seek to extend their pleasures 
by increasing their knowledge of new objects. 
The purple variety is believed to be native of Si- 
cily; the pink and white, or painted Lady, of Cey- 
lon. The combination of their colours is variable, 
and some are called striped, but they have more the 
appearance of shadings in chalk, which rather di- 
minishes than increases their beauty. Their forma- 
tion, as well as that of other papilionaceous flow ers, 
should not be neglected. The family is called papi- 
93 
Class. 
DIADELPHIA. 
