Parad. p.
407._

Few shrubs are better known in this country than the Lilac few more
universally cultivated; there is scarcely a cottage it does not enliven,
or a shrubbery it does not beautify.

It has long had a place in our gardens; both GERARD and PARKINSON
describe two sorts, the blue and the white; to these another sort is
added by more modern writers, superior in beauty to the original, as
producing larger bunches of flowers, of a brighter hue, having more of
the purple tint and hence called by some the purple Lilac, MILLER
considers the three as different species.

The flowers of the Lilac possess a considerable degree of fragrance, but
not of the most agreeable kind; our readers perhaps, will not be
displeased to hear the opinion of old GERARD on this point, delivered in
his own words:--"They have a pleasant sweete smell, but in my judgement
they are too sweete, troubling and molesting the head in very strange
manner: I once gathered the flowers, and laid them in my chamber window,
which smelled more strongly after they had lien together a few howers,
with such a ponticke and unacquainted savor, that they awaked me from
sleepe, so that I could not take any rest until I had cast them out of
my chamber."[1]

Though a native of Persia, it bears our severest winters without injury,
has a pleasing appearance when in bud, flowers in May, and is readily
propagated by suckers; but finer plants, in the opinion of MILLER, are
raised from seeds.

It will grow in almost any soil or situation, even in London, but, to
flower well, it must have a pure air.

[Footnote 1: The name, indeed, of one of our colours is taken from its
blossoms.

This Quotation from Gerard referring to its Smell belongs to the
Philadelphus coronarius or Mock-orange which both by him and
Parkinson is called Syringa, & which led to the Mistake.]

[184]

IXIA CROCATA. SAFFRON-COLOUR'D IXIA.

_Class and Order._

TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

_Generic Character._

_Cor._ 6-partita, campanulata, regularis. _Stigmata_ 3.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

IXIA _crocata_ foliis ensiformibus, floribus secundis corolia
basi hyalino-fenestratis. _Thunb. Diss. de Ixia._ _Linn. Syst. Veg.
ed. 14. Murr. p. 85._

IXIA _crocata_ foliis ensiformibus, floribus alternis, tubo
longitudine bractearum, corollae laminis ovatis integerrimis basi
hyalinis. _Ait. Hort. Kew. p. 60. V. 1._

I