. Our garden flowers; a popular study of their native lands, their life histories, and their structural affiliations. Flowers. NASTURTIUM Ovary.—Three lobes surrounding the base of a single style; in fruit becoming three thick and fleshy closed carpels, each containing a single seed. Three hundred years ago, when the free-booting ships of Eng- land were sailing the uncharted seas, one danger and one alone brought fear to the heart of a Drake or a Raleigh—the dread of scurvy among his crew. Consequently plants possessing antiscorbutic proper- ties were eagerly sought in every new- found land. A
. Our garden flowers; a popular study of their native lands, their life histories, and their structural affiliations. Flowers. NASTURTIUM Ovary.—Three lobes surrounding the base of a single style; in fruit becoming three thick and fleshy closed carpels, each containing a single seed. Three hundred years ago, when the free-booting ships of Eng- land were sailing the uncharted seas, one danger and one alone brought fear to the heart of a Drake or a Raleigh—the dread of scurvy among his crew. Consequently plants possessing antiscorbutic proper- ties were eagerly sought in every new- found land. Among such plants was the Small Nasturtium, Tropmolum minus, introduced into English gar- dens from Peru by way of Spain and France before 1596, and cultivated for a hundred years because of the high value placed upon its seeds, which were pickled when full-grovrai but yet green. Owing to the pungent and aromatic juices of the plant it obtained the com- mon name of Indian Cress. The leaves and flowers were used in making salads, and the plant was a denizen of the kitchen garden. About a hundred years after the arrival of the first Nas- turtium came the second, Tropmolum majus, whether to join its smaller brother in domestic service the books do not tell, but the event proves that even if it came to drudge it has remained to reign. For the garden race of Nasturtiums is at base Tro- pmolum majus, modified by cultivation and selection, and possibly hybridized with one or more allied species. The plant is unique in habit, in foliage, and in flower. The circular leaves, each borne upon its stem like a shield on the arm of a soldier, stand- ing close together or slightly overlapping, really make a leafy roof which keeps cool and shaded and dewy a space six inches above the surface either of soil or wall. Out of this shaded re- treat the flowers emerge on slender stems, looking forth with a 263. Half of a Nasturtium Flower,. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectflowers, bookyear1910
