ANCIENT MIGNONETTE
Lord Bacon, in his essay on “Gardens,” says that because the breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air “whence it goes and comes, like the warbling of music than in the hand, therefore nothing is more fit for the delight than to know something of the flowers that do best perfume the air.” Among the simplest and sweetest of flowers is the fragrant mignonette. It is a native of Egypt, and was introduced into France about the middle
of the 18th century, where it at once became very popular under the name of mignonette, or “Little Darling.” It was not long before it became almost as popular in England. One writer describing London in 1790, writes that even in the lanes and alleys were seen small boxes and pots in which the fragrant plant was growing. In France at the present time, the plant is cultivated in large quantities for use in the manufacture of perfumes. Some botanists note the fact that the blossoms always follow the course of the sun, turning at sunrise to the east, and in the evening facing the west.
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Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 810, 2 November 1929, Page 32
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188ANCIENT MIGNONETTE Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 810, 2 November 1929, Page 32
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