NOTE and COMMENT 



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BiDENS TrichospERMa. — The tickseed sunflower {Bi- 

 dcns tricJwspcrina) belongs to that despised race known col- 

 lectively as beggar-lice, beggar-ticks, pitchforks, cuckles and 

 stick-tights, but by reason of its floriferousness, it rather lifts 

 itself out of its class. In parts of Illinois, notably near the 

 head of Lake Michigan, it fairly takes the landscape in late 

 August and becomes the most abundant and most conspicuous 

 of flowers. It grows in dense masses over wide areas and at 

 the height of its season, no desert golden with rabbit-brush, no 

 meadow taken by buttercups or rudbeckias, and no field of 

 goldenrods can compare with it. It is the apotheosis of yel- 

 low ! The range of this species is given as swamps near the 

 coast from Ma,ssachusetts to^ Virginia with a second area 

 from New York to Illinois and Kentucky in which it is found. 

 No reason has been given for this curious distribution and 

 some small difference in the fruits indicate that the western 

 plant may possibly be regarded as a variety. 



The Manz ANITA. — The beautiful shrub found ni the 

 mountains of California and Arizona and known as the man- 

 zanita is worthy of more extensive cultivation. The name 

 means "little apple" as the small fruits that follow the bloom 

 resemble the apple in color and taste. The shrubs may be 

 recognized by their brownish-red trunks and branches. The 

 flowers are a delicate waxy pink with red stems and are very 

 fragrant. The wood, though small and twisted makes a won- 

 derful stove-wood. It throws out an intense heat and leaves 

 no soot. — Mrs. 0. A. Biidd. 



