8 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



the government price; the chief market at that time was 

 China. Indeed, we now see glaring advertisements about 

 "how to get rich raising ginseng." With us it is given a 

 secondary place in the pharmacopoea, but the Chinese 

 value it highly. But of what earthly use is the devil's club 

 that does not adapt itself to an^^ condition of environ- 

 ment ? At best, it is a costly and dangerous ornament. 

 Nasel, Washington. 



PECULIAR PLANT NAMES. 



There are many familiar plants bearing a numljcr of 

 names with which the reader may be unacquainted, be- 

 cause in many instances the names are local. Some of 

 these names are most curious, sufficiently so to make one 

 wonder how they were originated, as there is not always 

 anything in the growth or appearance of the plant or 

 flower to suggest a cause for so naming it. For example, 

 in the bone-flower, apes-on-horseback, how mauA- would 

 recognize the common double daisy— Be///s perennis? 

 Then the pretty and easil}^ grown Snxifraga sarmentosa, 

 so useful for a hanging basket, is known also as creeping- 

 sailor, Kenilworth ivy,mother-o'-thousands and the wan- 

 dering Jew. 



In Linaria vulgaris some will recognize the toad flax, 

 eggs-and-bacon, and buttered haycocks. Another well- 

 known plant having a number of curious names is Phal- 

 arjs arundinacea variegata. It is to be found in almost 

 every garden ; in fact, one can hardly pass a cottage in 

 the country without finding a border of this pretty grass 

 in front, it grows so profusely. It will force easily and 

 will be found most useful for cutting when other foliage is 

 scarce. Almost ever3^one will recognize it under one of the 

 following names, viz. : ribbon grass, sword grass, bride's 

 laces, French grass, painted grass, lady's laces, lady's gar- 

 ters, silver grass, lady grass or gardener's garters. 



Love-in-a-Mist, lady-in-a-bower, love-in-a-puzzle, or 

 devil-in -a -bush are no dou1)t suggested by the form of the 

 flower of Nigella damascena. One would think his satanic 



