The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 01 / Or, Flower-Garden Displayed

This species is best known in the nurseries by the name of the Scarlet Martagon; but as it is not the Martagon of Linnæus, to avoid confusion it will be most proper to adhere to the name which Linnæus has given it.

It is a native not only of Persia, but of Hungary; Professor Jacquin, who has figured it in his most excellent Flora Austriaca, describes it as growing betwixt Carniola and Carinthia, and other parts of Hungary, but always on the tops of the largest mountains.

It varies in the number of its flowers, from one to six, and the colour in some is found of a blood red.

Authors differ in their ideas of its smell: Jacquin describing it as disagreeble, while Scopoli compares it to that of an orange.

It flowers in June and July; and is propagated by offsets, which it produces pretty freely, and which will grow in almost any soil or situation.

The best time for removing the roots is soon after the leaves are decayed, before they have begun to shoot.

[31]

There is an elegance in the Jasmine which added to its fragrance renders it an object of universal admiration.

"It grows naturally at Malabar, and in several parts of India, yet has been long inured to our climate, so as to thrive and flower extremely well, but never produces any fruit in England. It is easily propagated by laying down the branches, which will take root in one year, and may then be cut from the old plant, and planted where they are designed to remain: it may also be propagated by cuttings, which should be planted early in the autumn, and guarded against the effects of severe frosts.

"When these plants are removed, they should be planted either against some wall, pale, or other fence, where the flexible branches may be supported. These plants should be permitted to grow rude in the summer, otherwise there will be no flowers; but after the summer is past, the luxuriant shoots should be pruned off, and the others must be nailed to the support.

"There are two varieties of this with variegated leaves, one with white, the other with yellow stripes, but the latter is the most common: these are propagated by budding them on the plain Jasmine; they require to be planted in a warm situation, especially the white-striped, for they are much more tender than the plain, and in very severe winters their branches should be covered with mats or straw to prevent their being killed." Miller's Gard. Dict.

[32]

Though many Latin names of plants, as Geranium, Hepatica, Convolvulus, &c. are more familiar to the ear, and more generally used than their English ones, yet Mesembryanthemum though used by some, appears too long to be generally adopted, its English name of Fig-marigold is doubtless to be preferred.

The Fig-marigolds are a very numerous tribe, chiefly inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope; no less than thirty-three species are figured in that inestimable work the Hortus Elthamensis of Dillenius. As most of these plants grow readily from slips, or cuttings, and require only the shelter of a common greenhouse, and as they recommend themselves to our notice, either from the extreme singularity of their foliage, the beauty of their flowers, or the peculiarity of their expansion, so they are a favourite class of plants with many.

The present species is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and is particularly distinguished by having leaves somewhat resembling a hatchet, whence its name; it is as hardy as most, and flowers as freely, but its blossoms fully expand in the evening and night only.

It is very readily propagated by cuttings.

[33]

Most of the numerous species of this genus flower about Michaelmas, hence their vulgar name of Michaelmas-Daisy; a name exceptionable not only on account of its length, but from its being a compound word. Aster, though a Latin term, is now so generally received, that we shall make no apology for adopting it.

We are indebted to North-America for most of our Asters, but the present species, which is omitted by Miller, and is rather a scarce plant in this country, though not of modern introduction, being figured by Plukenet and described by Ray, is a native of Africa, and, like a few others, requires in the winter the shelter of a greenhouse.

It is particularly distinguished by having very narrow leaves with short bristles on them, and by its blossoms drooping before they open.

It is a perennial, flowers in September and October, and may be propagated by slips or cuttings.

The plant from whence our drawing was made, came from Messrs. Gordon and Thompson's Nursery, Mile-End.

[34]

Of this genus there are only two species, both natives of South-America, the elata, so called from its being a much taller plant than the demissa, is a very beautiful, and not uncommon stove or green-house plant; it is impossible, by any colours we have, to do justice to the brilliancy of its flowers.

Being an annual, it requires to be raised yearly from seed, which must be sown on a hot-bed in the spring, and the plants brought forward on another, otherwise they will not perfect their seeds in this country. Some of these may be transplanted into the borders of the flower-garden which are warmly situated, where, if the season prove favourable, they will flower and ripen their seeds; but, for security's sake, it will be prudent to keep a few plants in the stove or green-house.

As these plants have not been distinguished by any particular English name, Miller very properly uses its Latin one; a practice which should as much as possible be adhered to, where a genus is named in honour of a Botanist of eminence.

[35]

Grows spontaneously in the south of France, about Montpelier; also, in Spain, Italy, Sicily, and elsewhere in the south of Europe: is one of the most common annuals cultivated in our gardens. It begins flowering in July, and continues to blossom till the frost sets in.

No other care is necessary in the cultivation of this species than sowing the seeds in the spring, in little patches, on the borders where they are to remain, thinning them if they prove too numerous.

Miller calls this species bœtica, and improperly describes the centre of the flower as black, as also does Herman: in all the specimens we have seen, it has evidently been of a deep purple colour, or, as Linnæus expresses it, atropurpurascens.

[36]

"The common orange or red Lily is as well known in the English gardens as the white Lily, and has been as long cultivated here. This grows naturally in Austria and some parts of Italy. It multiplies very fast by offsets from the roots, and is now so common as almost to be rejected; however, in large gardens these should not be wanting, for they make a good appearance when in flower if they are properly disposed; of this sort there are the following varieties:

The orange Lily with double flowers,

The orange Lily with variegated leaves,

The smaller orange Lily.

These varieties have been obtained by culture, and are preserved in the gardens of florists. They all flower in June and July, and their stalks decay in September, when the roots may be transplanted and their offsets taken off, which should be done once in two or three years, otherwise their branches will be too large, and the flower-stalks weak. This doth not put out new roots till towards spring, so that the roots may be transplanted any time after the stalks decay till November. It will thrive in any soil or situation, but will be strongest in a soft gentle loam, not too moist." Mill. Dict.

Bears the smoke of London better than many plants.

Varies with and without bulbs on the stalks.

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