116 
THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
It is a curious fact relating to this plant, that the caterpillars of the cabbage butterflies, though in general 
they feed only on cruciferous plants, will devour it with the greatest avidity. 
2.—TROPJEOLUM MAJUS, Lin. 
Engravings _Bot. Mag. t. 23, and ova fig. 1, in Plate 21. 
Varieties _These are numerous; and most of them are very 
beautiful, though, till lately, but little attention has been paid to 
raising them. The following are the most important and beautiful:— 
T. m. 2 florc pleno, G. Don, has double flowers. 
T. m. atrosanguineum, Swt. Brit. Flow. Gard. t. 204, Bot. 
Mag. t. 3375, Paxt. Mag. of Bot., vol. i. p. 176, has the whole 
flower of a dark, rich, reddish orange ; it does not grow so luxuriantly 
as the common kind ; but is much more beautiful. This variety may 
be propagated either by seeds (which, however, do not always come 
true), or cuttings, taken off at a joint. 
T. m. 3 venustum, Hort., Paxt. Mag. of Bot., vol. ii, p. 104. A 
Description, &c. —This species varies very much in 
many marked varieties. It may, however, always be < 
in the latter species, and its varieties, always have the 
is never the case with T. majus. 
THE GREAT NASTURTIUM. 
very beautiful, compact-growing dwarf variety, with the leaves on very 
long footstalks, and bearing abundance of flowers. This variety was 
imported,from Ghent, in 1835, by Mr. Knight, of the Exotic Nursery, 
Chelsea. The flowers are of a bright yellow, with one deep crimson 
stripe up the centre of each lobe. 
T. m. 4 hybridum, Syu., T. hybridum, Lin. A kind with pale 
yellow flowers, without any mixture of orange or scarlet, and wedge- 
shaped leaves ; raised in a garden at Stockholm. 
Specific Character. —Leaves peltate, nerved, orbicular, somewhat 
5-lobed. Nerves not mucronate at the apex. Petals obtuse.— 
(G. Don.) 
the colour of its flowers ; and, as before observed, it has 
:asily distinguished from T. minus by the leaves, which 
nerves of the leaves ending in a mucro, or point, which 
A curious discovery was made respecting this plant by one of the daughters of Linmeus, who died lately at 
the advanced age of 90. This lady, in the year 1702, “observed the Tropaiolum majus , or Garden Nasturtium, 
emit sparks or flashes in the mornings before sunrise, during the months of June or July, and also during the 
twilight in the evening, but not after total darkness came on.” Similar flashes have been produced by other 
flowers ; and it has been observed, that they are always most brilliant before a thunder-storm.—See Paxt. Mag. 
of Bot., vol. ii. p. 195. 
The properties, habits, and culture of this species, are exactly the same as those of T. minus; but when it 
is wished to grow the flowers to the greatest perfection, the seeds should be sown in a light, rich, warm soil. 
It may here be observed that, though the species of this genus grow so readily from seeds, they have very small 
roots, and are easily killed by transplanting. They may all be propagated by cuttings, which, if kept in a 
greenhouse, will live through the winter, and flower beautifully in spring. 
3.—TROP2EOLUM PEREGRINUM, Jacq. THE CANARY-BIRD FLOWER. 
Synonyme. —T. aduncum, Smith. j Specific Character. —Leaves palmate. The two upper petals 
Engravings. —Bot. Mag. t. 1351, And. Bot. Rep. t. 597, Bot. j larger, and much cut; the three lower ones fringed. Spur hooked.— 
Reg. t. 718, Swt. Brit. Flow. Gard. 2nd ser. t. 134, and our fig. 5, (G. Don.) 
in Plate 21. 
Description, &c. —This very beautiful plant is a hardy annual, like the other species of the genus ; though, 
like them, it may be propagated by cuttings, and kept for several years in a greenhouse. The true perennial 
species, Professor Don observes, have all tuberous roots. T. peregrin urn is a native of Peru, from which country 
it is said to have been imported, in 1775, by Mr. Benjamin Bewick. It is called Malla by the Indians, and 
Paxaritos Amarillos, that is, yellow birds, by the Spaniards ; and it has been cultivated from time immemorial 
as an ornamental climber in the gardens of Lima, and other cities of Peru. In England it only requires to be 
sown, in April, in a rich light soil near a wooden paling, or trellis-work, over which “ it may be thrown ; and, 
when thus treated, it will form a splendid ornament to a flower-garden.” 
