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Sunflower. 
The sunflower is said to have been much reverenced in its 
native country of Peru on account of the resemblance borne 
by its broad disc and surrounding rays to the sun, which lumi¬ 
nary was worshipped by the Peruvians. In their Temple of 
the Sun, the priestesses when officiating were crowned with 
sunflowers of pure gold ; they also wore them in their bosoms, 
and carried them in their hands. The Spanish invaders were 
astonished at the profuse display of gold, and when they first 
beheld whole prairies of these flowers in blossom, fancied that 
they were composed of the same precious metal. 
St. Pierre says the turnsol turns continually towards the 
sun, and covers itself—like Peru, the country from which it 
comes—with dewy clouds, which cool and refresh its flowers 
during the most violent heat of the day. 
In Mexico and Peru the sunflower is said to attain a height 
of twenty feet and upwards, and to produce blossoms two feet 
in diameter. 
Old Gerarde states that in his garden at Holborn he pro- 
duced this plant, which he styles “the Flower of the Sunne, or 
the Marigolde of Peru that it grew to the height of fourteen 
feet, and bore flowers sixteen inches across. 
The size and brilliance of these flowers have gained for them 
the epithet of “ gaudy.” Maturin, placing them amid a mob 
of blossoms, says : 
“ The gaudy Orient sunflower from the crowd 
Uplifts its golden circle.” 
The sunflower may be too showy for a bouquet, but for back¬ 
grounds it is a most effective ornament, and indeed, frequently 
forms the most attractive decoration of a rustic cottage or a 
garden wall. Says poor Clare : 
“ And sunflowers planting for their gilded show. 
That scale the rvindow’s lattice ere they blow ; 
Then, sweet to habitants within the sheds, 
Peep through the diamond panes their golden heads.” 
Robert Browning thus alludes to the story of Rudel, the 
ancient French poet, who adopted this splendid blossom as 
his emblem : 
“ I know a mount, the gracious sun perceives 
First when he visits, last, too, when he leaves 
