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LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
Nature has coloured with purple lined with ivory; 
and to which she has given an odour that attracts 
and intoxicates, but is so dangerous as'to stupify 
those who inhale it even in the open air. The 
Thorn-apple of Peru is the most splendid variety 
of this species, each flower being often two feet 
in length ; and sometimes there are one hundred 
and fifty open at once on the tree. 
It is a dangerous plant to be allowed to grow 
where there are children, as the beauty of its 
flowers and fruit is liable to tempt them to their 
destruction; since it possesses so poisonous a 
quality as to produce paralysis and even madness 
in those who have inadvertently eaten of it. As 
a medicine, its leaves have been recently recom¬ 
mended for cough and asthma, dried and mixed 
with ordinary or herb tobacco for smoking. 
