NIGELLA.

RANUNCULACEA.

POLYANDRIA PENTAGYNIA.

Called also Fennel-flower.-Nigella is a corruption of Nigrella, a name given to this plant from the blackness of its seeds. It is also familiarly called Gith; Bishop's-wort; Devil-in-a-bush; St. Katherine's-flower; Love-in-a-mist.-French, la nielle Romaine [Roman nigella]; nielle des jardins [garden nigella]; cumin noir [black cumin]; faux cumin [false cumin]; toute épice [all-spice].—Italian, nigella Romana; nigella odorata; melantio; melantro; both from the Greek, and denoting the blackness of its seeds, like the Latin, nigella.

THE kinds of Nigella most esteemed and cultivated in English gardens are the double varieties of the Common, and the Spanish species. They are annual plants: the seeds may be sown in March, three or four in a middlesized pot. It may stand abroad, and the earth should be kept tolerably moist. It will begin to flower in June or July, and continue till September. The colour varies, but is generally blue or white.

OLEANDER.

NERIUM.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

APOCINEÆ.

Called also Rose-bay.-French, laurier-rose; le laurose commun; le laurose d'Europe.—Italian, rosa-lauro; oleandro; nerio; mazza di S. Giuseppe [St. Joseph's staff]; ammazza l'asino [ass bane].

THE Oleanders are nearly allied to the Rhododendrons, but are less hardy: the Common Oleander, indeed, bears the name of Rhododendron also, though not belonging to that genus. It grows by the side of streams, and by the

sea-shore, in the Levant, the South of Europe, and in the island of Crete, where it grows very large. In this country its height seldom exceeds eight or ten feet. The colour of the flowers, which, like the Rhododendrons commonly so called, come out in large magnificent bunches at the ends of the branches, varies from purple to a dusky white, a brilliant scarlet, or a deep rich crimson. There are also double-flowered varieties.

This is a beautiful evergreen shrub, requiring the same treatment as the Myrtle; that is, shelter from September to April, a liberal watering every evening in hot weather, and a more sparing draught twice or thrice a week in the winter.

The White-flowered variety is rather more tender, and is usually kept within doors till June.

Most of the Oleanders are East Indians, and require a stove in this country. Some of these are beautiful beyond expression, particularly the Sweet-scented species. The Common Oleander, in addition to the names already mentioned, is also called Rhodo-Daphne. The Hindoos, as we are told by Sir W. Jones, bestow on this handsome shrub a name somewhat less elegant, and most singularly resembling one of its Italian appellations. "They call it," says he, "Horse-killer, from a notion that horses, inadvertently eating of it, are killed by it: most of the species, especially their roots, have strong medicinal, probably narcotic, powers."

OLEINER.

OLIVE-TREE.

OLEA.

DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.

French, l'olivier.-Italian, ulivo; olivo; when wild, olivastrello salvatico.

OLIVES are evergreen trees or shrubs, and some of the species are common in drawing-rooms, balconies, &c. In this country they require winter shelter, from September till May, in common seasons. The earth should not be suffered to remain dry, but water should be given in small quantities. The blossoms are white, and very small.

The unripe fruit of the Olive, pickled, of the Provence and Lucca kinds in particular, is to many persons extremely grateful, and is often eaten after dinner with wine: it is supposed to promote digestion, and excite appetite. The oil expressed from the fruit is one of the purest of all the vegetable oils: it is the kind commonly used for culinary purposes; and with the exception of the oil of almonds is the most frequently directed for medicinal preparations.

The Olive is common to all the quarters of the earth; it is celebrated in scriptural history, the dove, which Noah sent out from the ark, returning with an Olivebranch in his bill.

According to poetical history, the Olive was presented to the world by Minerva. We are told that a contest arose between that goddess and Neptune for the right of giving a name to the city of Athens; and that Jupiter decreed that the right should belong to whichever of them should confer the most beneficial gift upon mankind.

"The sea-god stood, and with his trident strake

The cleaving rock, from whence a fountain brake;

T

Whereon, he grounds his claim. With spear and shield
Herself she arms: her head a murrion steild:

Her breast her Egis guards. Her lance the ground
Appears to strike; and from that pregnant wound
The hoary Olive, charged with fruit, ascends.
The Gods admire: with victory she ends *."

SANDYS'S OVID, Book Sixth.

The more general belief is, that the stroke of Neptune's trident produced a horse. Whichever it may have been, there seems, notwithstanding the great utility of the Olive, to be some ground of suspicion that Minerva owed her victory chiefly to the gallantry of the gods assembled.

The virtues of the Olive, however, are partly emblematical: it is considered as the symbol of peace; and if, in the character of the Goddess of Wisdom, she so far overcame her warlike propensities as to dispose mankind to peace, she cannot be sufficiently honoured for so estimable a benefit.

Spenser tells the story differently, and in a manner more according with the general belief: he describes Minerva as representing the contest in embroidery:

"She made the story of the old debate,

Which she with Neptune did for Athens try;
Twelve gods do sit around in royal state,
And Jove in midst, with awful majesty,
To judge the strife between them stirred late:
Each of the gods by his like visnomy
Eathe to be known, but Jove above them all,
By his great looks and power imperial.

Before them stands the god of seas in place
Claiming that sea-coast city as his right,

And strikes the rocks with his three-forked mace;
Whenceforth issues a warlike steed in sight,

The sign by which he challengeth the place.

That all the gods, which saw his wondrous might,

** CC Pliny says the olive-tree, produced on that occasion by Minerva, was to be seen in his time at Athens."

SEE NOTES OF MARTYN'S VIRGIL.

Did surely deem the victory his due:
But seldom seen, forejudgment proveth true.

Then to herself she gives her Ægide shield
And steel-head spear, and morion on her head,
Such as she oft is seen in warlike field:

Then sets she forth how with her weapon dread

She smote the ground, the which straightforth did yield
A fruitful olive-tree, with berries spread,

That all the gods admired; then all the story

She compassed with a wreath of olives hoary."

MUIOPOTMOS.

It was formerly a custom, especially in Athens, for ambassadors to bear an Olive-branch, as an expression of their pacific intentions:

"Yet might they see the Cretans under sail

From high-built walls; when with a leading gale
The Attic ship attained their friendly shore:
Th' Æacides him knew (though many a day
Unseen), embrace, and to the court convey.
The goodly prince, who yet the impression held
Of those perfections which in youth excelled,
Enters the palace, bearing in his hand

A branch of Attic olive."

SANDYS'S OVID, Book Seventh.

Peace is always represented with either a branch or a crown of Olive. Mr. Hunt, in his Mask, expressively twines Myrtle with the Olive of Peace. Milton also puts a Myrtle sprig in her hand:

"But he her fears to cease,

Sent down the meek-eyed Peace;

She, crowned with olive green, came softly sliding

Down through the turning sphere,

His ready harbinger,

With turtle-wing the amorous clouds dividing,

And waving wide her myrtle wand,

She strikes an universal peace through sea and land.”

Virgil makes frequent mention of the Olive, and of the situation in which it best thrives: