That I should see the melancholy hour And of my love destroy both fruit and flower?" WIFFEN'S GARCILASSO, p. 191. PRIVET. LIGUSTRUM. OLEINEE. DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. In England it was formerly called Prim-print; Prime-print; or Prim.-French, troene; fresillon; puîne blanc [white young-one]Italian, ligustro; rovistico; ruistico; olivella: in Venice, conestrela: in the Brescian, cambrosen; cambrosel. THE Privet shrub deserves a place among the most elegant the leaves are handsome, and the old ones remain on till driven off by new: it bears an abundance of white pyramidal blossoms, which blow in July, and are succeeded by bunches of black berries. It is hardy, and will' give little trouble. It must be watered occasionally in dry weather, and must be removed into a roomier lodging, when it has, like the giant in the Castle of Otranto, outgrown its old one. This elegant tree has been rendered classical by the pen of Virgil: **Alba ligustra cadunt, vaccinia nigra leguntur." "White privets fall neglected, the purple hyacinths are gathered." -DAVIDSON'S TRANSLATION. There has been great question among the learned concerning this passage: some persons suppose Virgil's meaning to have been, that the white blossoms of the Privet, notwith. standing their beauty, were allowed to fall from the tree, whereas the berries, though black, were gathered, because they were useful. These berries were used to make ink; and this sense certainly appears better to accord with the context. It has indeed little or no meaning, as translated by Davidson. Virgil is warning a youth not to put too much value on beauty, and, as Miller observes, would be more likely to draw his comparison from the flowers and fruit of the same plant than to mention two different ones. In mentioning the hyacinth, too, his comparison has no weight, since that flower is generally esteemed as excelling the Privet flower in beauty. The Privet blossom has been frequently celebrated for its whiteness: "Amarilli, del candido ligustro Più candida e più bella, Ma dell' aspido sordo E più sorda, e più fera, e più fugace." GUARINI, PASTOR FIDO, Act 1, Scene 2. "Amaryllis, yet more fair, More white than whitest privets are; But than the cruel aspic still More cruel, wild, and terrible." "The privet, too, Whose white flowers rival the first drifts of snow On Grampia's piny hills." GRAINGER. The blossom of the Privet, when exposed to the noonday sun, withers almost as soon as it blows: in the shade it not only lasts longer, but is much larger. The leaves, too, like those of the Laburnum, are much larger and finer when so placed. Upon Pliny's authority, it has been affirmed that the Privet is the Cyprus of the East. Gerarde confers that distinction on the Mock-Privet, or Phillyrea. He asserts that the Mock-Privet is the Cyprus of old authors, and the Henna of the Turks and Arabians, used to dye the hair and nails. "The henna powder," says Titsingh," used to dye the nails, &c. of an orange colour, in Japan, is neither more nor less than the leaves of the cyprus pulverised." This tree, or rather shrub, now bears the name of Lawsonia inermis. PROTEA. PROTEACEE. TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. From Proteus; so named from the great variableness in the fructification. THE Proteas are elegant shrubs, chiefly natives of the Cape, and requiring protection from our winters. The placing them within doors at that season will generally be sufficient; but care must be taken to water them very sparingly at that time, and to preserve them from damps. Many of the species are in estimation; among the handsomest are the Grandiflora, the Speciosa, the Cynaroides, the Linearis, the Nana, &c.; the flowers of the latter very much resemble a rose. RANUNCULUS. RANUNCULACEA. POLYANDRIA POLYGYNIA. Ranunculus is the diminutive of Rana, a Frog, some of the species growing in the water. It is also familiarly called Gold-cup. SINCE the introduction of the Persian Ranunculus, the other kinds have been generally neglected; and it has been so much improved by culture, as to vie with the Carnation itself in beautiful varieties. These are of every colour, and combination of colour, that Flora paints with. As this plant strikes very deep roots, it must be allowed room; though not so much as it will take when in the open ground, where it will often run to the depth of three or four feet. On this account it is better to plant several in one vessel : they may be four or five inches apart, and two deep. The best time to plant them is in October; but, for a succession, they may be continued at intervals even till February. Those first planted will flower in May. When planted in pots, they should be housed in the winter; the roots should be removed every year, cleaned, and dried, and put in a dry place till wanted: they should be removed immediately after the leaves have decayed. A proper soil should be obtained for them, which should be renewed every year. They must be often, but sparingly watered in dry weather. Many species of the Ranunculus are also familiarly called Crowfoot. The Aconite-leaved is often cultivated in gardens, by the name of White Bachelors'-buttons, or Fair Maids of France*; and the Upright Meadow-crowfoot, with double flowers, by the name of Yellow Bachelors'-buttons. The double-flowered variety of the white ones are very delicate and pretty: they blow in May; the yellow in June and July. They may be increased by parting the roots in autumn. Shakspeare's "Cuckoo-buds of yellow hue" are supposed to be the Butter-cup, or King-cup-called by the French, renoncule; grenouillette; bassinet; pied de coq [cock's foot]; pied de corbin [crowfoot]; bouton d'or [gold button]: in the village dialect, piapau; flor de buro [butter-flower]: * The writer a short time since walking in a nursery garden, a few miles from town, was presented with a large bunch of these flowers by an old woman, who informed her that they were called Fair Maids of France, “because the Hemmergunts used to be so fond on 'em when they was over here.” by the Italians, ranuncolo; boton d'oro; pie corvinowhich belongs to this genus: as also does Wordsworth's Celandine, which has been noticed by that name. The King-cup is frequently introduced in Clare's poems; he delights in celebrating wild flowers. It is a curious fact, that notwithstanding the polished beauty of garden flowers, poetry generally prefers to celebrate the wild. The following is a pretty rustic picture: "Before the door, with paths untraced, The green-sward many a beauty graced ; And gain their wish as soon as thought; Whose medley flowers, red, white, and blue, As well can please their parents too; And, as their care and skill contrive, In flower-pots many a day survive." VILLAGE MINSTREL, &c. vol. i. page 76. He has, in the same volume, another pretty description of flower-gathering, which may find a place here: "Some went searching by the wood, * Marsh Marygolds. + Clare's cuckoo-buds are neither the lady's-smock nor the king |