ful in many disorders. One kind of Narcissus is narcotic, and some persons feel great discomfort from having these strongly perfumed flowers in their room.

In one country where in April a Festival of Flowers is yearly held, the lovely Polyanthus Narcissus with its clustering blossoms is largely mingled in the garlands. The Chinese use them in celebrating the New Year, as in that hot climate the flowering is much earlier than in Europe. The Ancients had a fable that a lovely youth named Narcissus was so taken up with the admiration of his own charms as he saw himself reflected in the water, that he was turned into the flower which bears his name. From this story, which is but a fable, the Narcissus teaches us something of the danger to which we expose ourselves when we indulge in self-love, one very serious form of pride and vanity. For should we not leave to others the pleasing task of discovering our charms?

They followed vanity and became vain."

"A man's pride shall bring him low, but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit."

NARCISSUS-Narcissus poeticus.-DAFFODIL-Narcissus pseudo-narcissus.

[Face p. 104.

Pelargoniums.

I said the Lily was the queenly flower,
And these bright blossoms sure her courtiers be,
For they are robéd all so royally;

E'en like the glittering guests of royal bower,
And like them, too, their chiefest rank and power
Lie in their gracious bearing, and we see
They both do value the embroidery
Of their gay tinted garb. In their first hour
Of modest fame see how to both downbend

In fashion's homage all the wondering crowd
Of sycophant adorers! Should chance send
A newer star, how soon into a cloud
Shrink the late idols! whom no more we find,
Nor have they either left ye any sweets behind.

From "The Romance of Nature."

Geranium and Pelargonium.

INGENUITY.

HE Geranium tribe is very extensive, con

THE

sisting of herbaceous plants and shrubs with an aromatic or resinous flavour and astringent qualities, abounding in the Cape of Good Hope and in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. So resinous are some species of the Geraniums, that the stems will burn like torches, yielding an agreeable and refreshing perfume. The name Geranium comes from the Greek word geranos, a crane, because the long beak which terminates the carpels resembles the beak of a crane. To the genus Pelargonium or Stork's Bill belong the innumerable varieties of handsome flowering plants which, under the name of Geraniums, are so ornamental as greenhouse or window flowers. The popular name of these plants comes from the Greek word erodino, a heron, from the form of the carpels resembling the head and beak of that bird. The Geraniums are indeed dear old favourites of the flower garden, some of which are really the most beauti