NARCISSUS japonicus rutilo flore. _Corn. Canad. Kaempf. Amaen. p.
872._
[Illustration: N^o. 294]
The Guernsey Lily, as it is most commonly called, is originally a native
of Japan; where it is described to grow by Kaempfer and Thunberg, who
visited that island, the latter says on the hills about Nagasaki, from
thence roots are said to have been introduced to the garden of Johannes
Morinus at Paris, in which it flowered, October 1634: its introduction
to this country, which was subsequent to that date, as Dr. Douglass
relates in his _Monographia_ on this plant, "happened by a very singular
melancholy accident, of which Dr. Morison, who no doubt had it from some
persons then residing in Guernsey, gives us the following account: A
Dutch or English ship, it is uncertain which, coming from Japan, with
some of the roots of this flower on board, was cast away on the island
of Guernsey; the roots were thrown upon a sandy shore, and so by the
force of the winds and waves, were soon buried in sand; there they
remained for some years, and afterwards, to the great surprise and
admiration of the inhabitants, the flowers appeared in all their pomp
and beauty." Some of these soon made their appearance in this country:
Mr. Aiton relates, that the plant was cultivated here in 1659, by
General Lambert, at Wimbledon.
Fatal as Guernsey proved to the unfortunate mariners, it afforded the
roots of our plant a soil and situation apparently congenial to their
own; in that island they have flourished ever since, there they are
propagated in the open borders of the flower-garden with the least
possible trouble, flowering most readily, but we believe never producing
any ripe seeds; from thence most of the roots which flower with the
curious here, are yearly imported in the Autumn.
In Guernsey, the cold of the Winter is far less intense than with us;
many of those plants which we keep in our greenhouses, stand with them
in the open ground; the superior mildness of the climate enables them to
cultivate this plant with more success than we can do, even perhaps with
all the expence and trouble to which we might subject ourselves; to
such, however, whose situations may be favourable, and who may be fond
of making experiments, we recommend the perusal of Fairchild's
Directions, a practical Gardener of great ingenuity, and who appears to
have had much experience in the culture of this plant[A].
It is usual to plant the imported bulbs in pots of sand, or light loam,
as soon as they arrive, and place them in the parlour window, or
greenhouse; they blossom in September and October; the flowers, which
continue about a month in perfection, are inodorous, but make up for
that deficiency by the superior splendour of their colours: Dr. Douglass
thus describes them, each flower when in its prime looks like a fine
gold tissue wrought on a rose-coloured ground, but when it begins to
fade and decay, it looks more like a silver tissue, or what they call a
pink colour: when we look upon the flower in full sun-shine, each leaf
appears to be studded with thousands of little diamonds, sparkling and
glittering with a most surprising and agreeable lustre; but if we view
the same by candle-light, these numerous specks or spangles look more
like fine gold dust.
Both Kaempfer and Thunberg agree, that the Japanese regard the root as
poisonous.
[Footnote A: "They love a light earth, made with dung and sand, and a
little lime rubbish with it does very well, it keeps the roots sound;
for if the earth be too stiff or wet, you may keep them for many years
before they blow. If they are in pots, they should be put in the house
in Winter, to keep them from the severe frosts, which are apt to rot the
roots. The time of moving them is when they have no leaves on the root,
that is from June to August: those that come with six leaves this year,
seldom fail blowing the next year: they need not be put in fresh earth
above once in two or three years: by this method of management I have
had the same roots blow again in four years time. The many miscarriages
that happen to the Guernsey Lily, are by letting the leaves be killed by
the fierceness of the frost in Winter, or by cutting them off, as some
people do, when they are green, which will so much weaken the plants,
that they may keep them twenty years and not have them blow; by the
above management, where there is a stock, there will be continually some
blowing.
"Miller recommends for these roots the following compost: Take a
third-part of fresh virgin earth from a pasture-ground which is light,
then put near an equal part of sea-sand, to which you should add rotten
dung and sifted lime rubbish, of each an equal quantity."
The great business in the culture of this flower, next to a proper
soil and situation, seems to consist in giving the plant as much air as
possible, and in preserving the foliage in the Winter from the injury of
frost.]
[295]
Agrostemma C[oe]li Rosa. Smooth-Leav'd Cockle, or Rose Campion.
_Class and Order._
Decandria Pentagynia.
_Generic Character._
_Cal._ 1-phyllus, coriaceus. _Petala_ 5 unguiculata: limbo obtuso
indiviso. _Caps._ 1 locularis.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
AGROSTEMMA _Coeli rosa_ glabra, foliis lineari-lanceolatis, petalis
emarginatis coronatis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. p. 435._ _Ait.
Kew. v. 2. p. 116._
LYCHNIS segetum, Nigellastrum minus glabrum dicta, flore eleganter
rubello. _Moris. Hist. 2. p. 543. s. 5. t. 22. f. 32._
LYCHNIS pseudomelanthiis similis africana glabra angustifolia.
_Herm. Leyd. 391. t. 393._
[Illustration: N^o. 295]
Mr. Aiton informs us in his _Hortus Kewensis_, that the charming annual
here figured, the liveliness of whose colours no paint can express, was
cultivated by Miller in 1739; seeing it is a plant of such beauty, and
honoured with so distinguished an appellation, it is singular that it
should not by this time have made its way more generally into our
gardens.
The Cockle of our corn-fields is an ornamental plant, the present
species resembles it; but while the plant itself is much smaller, its
flowers are proportionably larger, and their colours more vivid.
It is an annual of ready growth, a native of Sicily and the Levant,
flowering in July and August, and ripening its seeds in September and
October.
It appears to most advantage when several plants of it grow together;
the best mode, therefore, is to sow about a dozen seeds early in April
on the several spots of the flower-border where you intend they shall
remain; no other care is necessary than to keep the plants free from
weeds and vermin.
The _Agr. Coeli rosa_ of _Miller's Gard. Dict. ed. 6 4to._ is the
_coronaria_.
[296]
Sempervivum Tortuosum. Gouty Houseleek.
_Class and Order._
Dodecandria Dodecagynia.
_Generic Character._
_Cal._ 12-partitus. _Petala_ 12. _Capsulae_ 12 polyspermae.
_Specific Character._
SEMPERVIVUM _tortuosum_ foliis obovatis subtus gibbis villosis,
nectariis bilobis. _Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 148._
[Illustration: N^o. 296]
We know of no figure of this plant, the first and only account of which
is to be found in the _Hort. Kew._ of Mr. Aiton; there it is
specifically described, and from thence we discover that it was
introduced from the Canary Islands, where it is a native, by Mr. Masson,
in 1779.
It is a shrubby plant of low growth, producing numerous fleshy leaves
growing thickly together, which being evergreen, and making a pretty
appearance the year through, render the plant worthy a place in all
general collections at least, of greenhouse plants; and though it cannot
vie with many of the more shewy high-priced novelties, it is an abiding
plant, not subject to casualties, while many of those are here to day
and gone to morrow.
It throws up its flowering stems, supporting numerous, starry,
stonecrop-like flowers, in July and August, and is most readily
propagated by cuttings.
It is one of those species of Houseleek which connect the genera _Sedum_
& _Sempervivum_.
[297]
Dianthus Superbus. Superb Pink.
_Class and Order._
Decandria Digynia.
_Generic Character._
_Cal._ cylindricus, 1-phyllus: basi squamis 4. _Petala_ 5
unguiculata. _Caps._ cylindrica, 1-locularis.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
DIANTHUS _superbus_ floribus paniculatis: squamis calycinis
brevibus acuminatis, corollis multifido-capillaribus, caule erecto.
_Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 418._
CARYOPHYLLUS simplex alter, flore laciniato odoratissimo. _Bauh.
Pin. 210._
CARYOPHYLLUS plumarius Austriacus sive superba Austriaca. The
feathered Pinke of Austria. _Park. Parad. p. 316. 4._
[Illustration: N^o. 297]
Many of the plants of this genus diffuse an agreeable odour, which
renders them most desirable objects for the flower-garden: this quality
the present species possesses in a superior degree to most others; a few
of its flowers communicate to a nosegay a delicate and most delicious
smell, or placed in a vial of water they will even scent a small
apartment[B]: it is to be regretted, however, that the blossoms, unless
placed in water, from their extreme delicacy, flag soon after they are
gathered.
It may be doubted whether the _Dianthus superbus_ of _Miller's Dict. ed.
6. 4to._ be our plant; if it be, the description is not drawn up with
that accuracy which distinguishes his descriptions in general; the mode
of culture, however, which he recommends is strictly applicable to it,
as the plant rarely continues in vigour more than two years, and as it
is in its greatest beauty the first year of its flowering, he recommends
that young plants should be annually raised for succession from seeds,
which are plentifully produced; the seeds of this plant ought therefore
to be kept in the shops with annuals and biennials.
The _Dianthus superbus_ is a native of Germany, Switzerland, France, and
Denmark: Clusius found it growing in the moist meadows about Vienna, and
on the borders of woods adjoining to such, with some of its flowers
white, others purplish; Parkinson describes them of these two colours,
but says the most ordinary with us are pure white, which is contrary to
what we now find them: they are rarely produced before August, from
which period they will continue frequently to blossom till October.
The Spring is the best time for sowing its seeds; the plants require no
very nice or particular treatment.
[Footnote B: This fragrance has been noticed by all the old authors who
have treated of the plant: Clusius describes the flowers as _suavissimi
odoris et e longinquo nares ferientis_, of which words Parkinson's are
almost a literal translation "of a most fragrant sent, comforting the
spirits and senses afarre off."]
[298]
Origanum Dictamnus. Dittany Of Crete.
_Class and Order._
Didynamia Gymnospermia.
_Generic Character._
_Strobilus_ tetragonus, spicatus, calyces colligens.
_Specific Character and Synonyms._
ORIGANUM _Dictamnus_ foliis inferioribus tomentosis, spicis
nutantibus. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14._ _Murr. p. 541._ _Ait.
Kew. v. 2 p. 311._ Dittany of Candia.