COLUMBINE. Aquilegia.

Natural Order Multisiliquæ or Corniculatæ.

Ranunculacea, Juss. A Genus of the Polyandria Pentagynia Class.

Bring hether the Pincke and Purple Cullambine.

And intwine

SPENSER.

The White, the Blewe, the Flesh-like Columbine.
W. BROWNE.

THIS gracefully rustic flower, which forms a principal ornament to most of our village gardens, is a native of our sylvan scenes, being principally found in the open spaces of our forests or large woods.

It has been made the emblem of folly, but whether on account of the party-colour which it frequently takes in the garden, or in allusion to the shape of the nectary, which turns over like the caps of the old jesters, and those which the painters give to Folly, we are left to surmise.

This is Folly, Childhood's guide,

This is Childhood at her side.

Mr. W. Browne says

HAWKESWORTH.

The Columbine, in tawny ten taken,
Is then ascribed to such as are forsaken.

The English name of Columbine is derived from Columba, the Latin name of the pigeon, as the nectaries of this flower are thought to resemble the head and neck of these birds. The generic name comes from Aquila, an eagle, from the fancied resemblance which the same parts of the flowers have to the claws of this king of birds. Some etymologists are of opinion that the name of Aquilegia is given to this plant, because the leaves, when not fully expanded, collect and gather a great deal of rain-water.

Gerard tells us that it was formerly called Herba Leonis by some persons, from a supposition that it was the favourite plant of the lion.

The French call it Ancolie, the Italians Aquilegia the Dutch Agley and Akeleyen, the Germans Akeley and Agley.

The common Columbine, Vulgaris, has long held a situation in our gardens, since it is mentioned by Dr. Turner in that part of his work which bears date 1564: he observes, that he had not seen it growing wild in England, but that he had found it in that state in Germany, and of different colours. Gerard tells us that it was cultivated both in the double and single state in his time.

It is a curious character in the natural history of this plant that it should take three distinct

modes of doubling its flowers. It is sometimes seen doubled by the multiplication of the petals, to the exclusion of the nectaries; at others, by the increase of the nectaries, to the exclusion of the petals; and frequently by the multiplication of the nectaries, while the proper petals remain. It also sports exceedingly in its dyes, as the seeds from one plant frequently produce great varieties of colour, from a white to a rich claret, or from white to blue, even to purple, and in the same rotation from white to rose-colour, frequently blotched with two or three hues, and sometimes with the nectaries of various colours, which adds to the airiness of its appearance. On the whole, it seems to have been formed by Flora in her most fantastic humour; and displays a graceful though rustic negligence, not exceeded by any flower on the parterre.

The Columbine sends up stems three feet in height, therefore care should be taken not to plant it before dwarf flowers. It may be planted in the shrubbery with good effect to succeed the blossoms of such shrubs as flower early. The Columbine continues in flower from the end of May to the end of July. Curious varieties may be increased by parting the roots, but the best manner of propagating these plants in general is by seed, which should be sown in August or September, and in

the following May the young plants may be placed out in a bed at about nine inches apart, where they will obtain strength by the autumn sufficient for transplanting into the spots where they are intended to flower in the following summer. It is, however, more desirable that they should be suffered to blossom in the nursery-bed, as by this means the best varieties may be selected and clumps formed of different colours, agreeable to the taste of the planter, or as may best harmonize with the neighbouring flowers.

The virtues of this plant for many malignant disorders have been highly extolled by old medical writers-every part of the plant from theroot to the seed was thought efficacious for some particular complaint; but as Linnæus tells us that he has known children lose their lives by an overdose of it, we shall forbear giving medical extracts, that might mislead the ignorant: and as to the Faculty of the present day, they need not our hints as to the authors who have written on the properties of this plant; and were we to tell them that it was considered a cure for the plague, it might induce them to reply, "No wonder it is become the emblem of folly !"

2

VOL. II.

MONK'S-HOOD OR WOLF'S-BANE.
Aconitum.

Natural Order Multisiliquæ. Ranunculacea, Juss. A Genus of the Polyandria Trigynia Class.

L'Aconit, au suc malfaisant,

Comme s'il s'armait pour la guerre,

Eléve un casque menaçant.

WE could never find sufficient beauties in these plants to justify their common cultivation in our pleasure grounds, and we shall be glad to see them entirely expelled from the gardens of the cottagers, where they are generally found in greatest abundance. In our history of the Aconitum we shall have to relate such terrible effects of its virulent nature as must make us rejoice that it is not an indigenous plant of our soil.

The lines of Virgil may be happily used on this occasion:

Our land is from the rage of tigers freed,
Nor nourishes the lion's angry seed,

Nor pois'nous Aconite is here produced,

Or grows unknown, or is, when known, refused.

DRYDEN.

The ancients, who were unacquainted with