JASMINE. 147 JASON. generally abortive. The common jasmine {.las- (not from the Cape) in 1754. A double variety milium officinale) is a native ot" the south of is a very popular greenhouse plant, and is eom- Asia, naturalized in the south of Europe as far nion in the Southern States as a hardy outdoor north as Tyrol and Switzerland. In more north- ern regions it is much cultivated in gardens, JASMINTM GRASD1FLORI7M. but does not easily endure very severe winters. It is a shrub from 6 to 10 feet high, with pinnate leaves, the terminal leaflet the largest, and very fxagrant white flowers. Its slender, deep-green branches give it the appearance of an evergreen. The flowers are used for preparing oil of jasmine, a delicate perfume. It blooms from June to October, and requires a light, moist soil to in- duce free flowering. Jasminum grand iflorum, Spanish or Catalonian jasmine, a native of the East Indies, has flowers still more fragrant, from which, and from those of Jasminnm iiainhac. oil of jasmine is also made. Jasniiniim humile, a very common greenhouse variety, is hardy in the open air as far north as Maryland. The vari- eties of jasmine are propagated by seeds and layers, but the usual method is starting cuttings of the nearly ripened wood under glass. CAPE JiSjnSE. Cape Jasmine is a name popularly applied to plants belonging to the genus Gardenia, not re- lated to the true ja.smines. They belong to the madder family (Jfuhiacece), and are tropical and subtropical shrubs The genus was named for Dr. Garden, of Charleston, S. C, who was a cor- respondent of Linn-Tus. The best-kno%vn spe- cies is Gardenia jasminoides. popularly known as Gardenia florida, brought to England from China ])lant. It bears a large, oblong, orange-yellow berry, which is said to be used in China as a dye. JASMINE, or JESSAMINE, Cakolixa, or Yellow. A North American climbing plant, Gelsemiiim semperi-irens. of the order Logani- acea». which grows in Virginia and southward upon trees and fences, and bears a prolusion of yellow, funnel-shaped flowers an inch in diam- A. PENDENT 6PHAY OF YELLOW JASMHt'E. eter, with a fragrance similar to that of the true jasmine, the odor on a damp evening or morning being almost overpowering. It has been recently used in medicine as a sedative, antispasmodic, and ner-ine. JA'SON. The leader of the Argonauts (q.v.). JASON (Gk. 'Uo-uiv). A tyrant of Phera? in Thessaly, the successor and the reputed son of Lycopliron. He came into prominence early in the fourth century B.C., and undertook to reduce all Thessaly imder his dominion. By B.C. 374 he had conquered the chief cities of Thessaly, and was recognized as Tagos. He then collected a large army with the object of making liimself master of all Cireece. but was assassinated in the midst of his preparations (B.C. 370). JASON. A Jewish high priest, son of Simon II.. and leader of the Hellenizing party. His real name was Jesus, according to Joseplius {Ant., xxii. v. 1). In B.C. 174 he was appointed high priest in place of his brother by Antiochus IV. For this oflSce he is said to have paid a large sum: but he also secured for the citizens of Jerusalem the rights and privileges of An- tiochians. and was allowed to build a gymnasium and an ephebeum below the acropolis, near Mount Zion. Greek games. Greek caps, and Greek customs were speedily adopted. Even the priests left the altar to take part in the games in the palestra, and artificially concealed their circmncision. Jason sent a large contribution
