to the florist, their value for ornamental purposes cannot be compared with that of some of the improved old standard varieties of the flower-garden. The science, skill, and perseverance, of amateur gardeners and florists, have transformed many comparatively inferior species of flowering plants from a state of simplicity and inelegance, to that of gorgeous magnificence. We can hardly believe our senses, as we call to mind the great improvements that have been made in many of the races of ornamental plants, with which we have for years been familiar. Let us look at the Verbena, hardly known twenty years ago, now sporting into every conceivable color and shade, excepting yellow, always in bloom, and never tiring. Or the Portulaca, with its shining scarlet, purple, yellow, orange, white, and variegated blossoms, ever bright and beautiful, making itself perhaps too common, but certainly very gay and lively, and forming an indispensable appendage to the flower-garden. But these single varieties are now eclipsed by the recently introduced double sorts, as large and as double as a Rose, with all the brilliant colors of the single. That awkward flower, the single Zinnia, has been transformed into a full double flower, as large and as perfect in shape, as the Dahlia, with greater brilliancy of color. Who would recognize the Aster, the old-fashioned China Aster, since, by the florists hands, it has been transformed into the variety called "Pæony-flowered," a class unsurpassed in brilliancy of color, perfection of shape, and in size equal to the Dahlia; or, into the other beautiful varieties of Pompon shape, Imbricated, Bouquet, and many other styles of beauty, unknown only within a few years? Then the Dahlia, the Gilly-flower, Petunia, Balsam, Chrysanthemum, Phlox, Hollyhock, and other old denizens of the flower-garden,-how have they been transformed, their beauties made more beautiful, and their varieties multiplied! What an unlimited field for future improvements opens before us! We shall never arrive at perfection, but great improvements are yet to be made in many of the new as well as in the old flowers. We do not hold that the excitement and pleasure incident to the improvement and cultivation of a flower-garden, will wholly remove the ills and troubles of life; but it is an occupation that has a tendency to remove many disquitudes of the mind, and gives employment for many odd moments, that would otherwise be spent in brooding over some real or imaginary evil. We think Cowper came near the truth when he said: "The spleen is seldom felt where Flora reigns; Sweet smile and bloom, less transient than her own." ABRONIA. [Name from the Greek, signifying delicate.] Abrónia umbelláta. A beautiful annual, with long trailing stems, bearing clusters of elegant flowers in dense umbels; color, delicate lilac, with white centre, highly and deliciously fragrant. The seeds are enclosed in a husky covering, and look very unpromising, but they vegetate freely. They may be sown as early in the spring as the ground is ready to receive seed of any kind. It appears to be quite hardy, and easily cultivated, and has the advantage of sowing itself, as there will be found in the spring an abundance of young plants on the ground where the plants of the last year were grown. The leaves are light green, of a long oval shape; the stem rather succulent or fleshy, two or three feet in length, lying prostrate on the ground. It is very pretty when trained to neat sticks, or when left to its natural mode of growth. Being ever in bloom, enduring light frosts, beautiful and sweet, it will, we think, become a great favorite. ACHILLEA.-YARROW. [Named after Achilles, a disciple of Chiron, and the first physician who used it for healing wounds.] Achillea millefólium.-A native, and like the other species a hardy perennial, common along road sides; I have found a quite pretty rose-colored variety of this. A handsome variety with red flowers, sometimes called A. rubra; is in bloom all the season and worthy of a place in the garden. A. Ptármica.-Sneeze-wort, a name given it because the dried powder of the leaves, snuffed up the nostrils, provokes sneezing. This is a desirable border-flower, particularly in its double variety, as it continues in bloom most of the season, throwing up a succession of its double white flowers in corymbs, on stems about one foot high. The foliage is dark, shining green. It is very hardy, and easy to cultivate in almost any common soil. A. aúrea, or golden-flowered, has rich golden-yellow flowers, but not so hardy as the others named. All the species produce their flowers in corymbs. ACONITUM.-MONKSHOOD. [So called from growing about Aconi, a town of Bithynia.] The species are robust, free-flowering plants, of some beauty and consequence. The stems rise from 2 to 6 feet in height, upright, strong, furnished with many digitate or palmate leaves, and terminated by panicles or loose spikes of blue, purple-blue, and white or yellow flowers. There are many species, all handsome perennials. All of them are violent poisons when taken into the system, but harmless to handle. The root is more active than the other parts of the plant, and has sometimes been eaten by mistake, with fatal effects, and death has occurred from eating the young shoots in salad. The plants are used in medicine. Aconitum Napellus.-Wolfsbane, or Monkshood.—Is a well-known inhabitant of the garden, flowering in July and August. It is increased by parting the roots, which are of a tuberous character, every piece of which will grow. This should be done soon after they have finished flowering; the stalks should be cut down at the same time. They like shade and moisture. A. variegátum.-Is a beautiful species, throwing up spikes with branches, continuing in bloom a long time. Flowers, light-blue, edged with white; 3 feet high. A. Japónicum, from Japan, has dark-blue flowers, in spikes 3 or 4 feet high; a handsome plant. A. Sieboldi, has large blue flowers, which are produced on spikes two feet high, and one of the latest flowering. A. rostrátum, is a very tall growing species, 4 or 5 feet high, with dark-purple flowers on lax panicles. A. uncinátum, a North American species, except in foliage resembles A. Japonicum. There are many other species, all hardy and handsome. ACROCLINIUM. Acroclínium róseum, and its varieties atro-roseum and album, are very pretty half-hardy annuals; with light rose, dark rose, or pure white flowers. These are "im mortelles," which flower in August and September, and quite an acquisition in the composition of winter wreaths or bouquets. ADLUMIA.-CLIMBING FUMITORY. [A name given by Rafinesque in honor of Major Adlum.] Adlúmia cirrhósa.-Climbing Fumitory, Wood Fringe, Alleghany Vine.-In the older books this plant is called Corydalis fungosa; it is an elegant, indigenous, biennial, climbing vine, growing frequently, in rich ground, from fifteen to thirty feet, in one season; with pink and white flowers, which are produced in abundance during the three summer months; handsome foliage. Propagated from seed, which should be sown in April. The first year, the plant makes but little progress; but the second year, it is of more vigorous growth. The young plants will do best to be transplanted where they are to remain in July and August, but will bear moving in the spring, if done with much care. ADONIS. [This owes its classical name to Adonis, the favorite of Venus; some say its existence also, maintaining that it sprung from his blood when dying. Others again, trace its pedigree to the tears which Venus shed upon her lover's body.] Adónis autumnális.-The flowers are globular, dark blood-red, not very large; it is known by the name of Pheasant's eye, from the resemblance it has to that bird's eye. The foliage is many parted and delicate; the flower and foliage together are beautiful but not showy; a hardy annual which flowers in August and September. |