THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 49 



And so it has been with manj- other plants and I find 

 1 have a new world to conquer. 



It is possible in manj^ cases to identif3^ a plant by its 

 capsule and in some families — in all families for anything I 

 know — the seeds look enough alike to tell where the plant 

 belongs. 



Again there are some of the most clever and wonderful 

 arrangements, noticibly one of our \vild flowers of the 

 Hydroph3'llacece. It is a slender herb a foot or two high 

 in favorable situations, much branched and Y^ry delicate. 

 The flowers are white, something like heliotrope, and the 

 leaves are finalh'cut more like a skeleton leaved geranium 

 than chrysanthemum, as the name, ElUssia chrvsanthemi- 

 folia, implies. Though pretty I never considered it any- 

 thing very wonderful till I thought to collect the seeds. 



The capsules are globose and have four cells, one 

 round, black, rough seed in each cell and all looking verj'^ 

 perfect and complete. You might shell out a quantity and 

 not suspect there was anything further to find, but there 

 are two more seeds. 



In two sides this capsule is a little thickened and when 

 picked open with a needle we find a seed in each, not like 

 the others, but larger, almost flat, paler in color and shin- 

 ing smooth. 



No-w why this sly hiding away of two extra seeds ? 

 Why not four, I would like to know^ ? Has any other 

 known plant this peculiarity ? 



Instead of the anticipated drudgery the new pursuit 

 has been fairly fascinating; I am continual^ finding 

 something new to admire and wonder at, and as for the 

 benefit to a botanist, it is an education. And if you want 

 to find out how many things you don't know, just try col- 

 lecting seeds. 



Perfectly cleaned and properly put up in small vials 

 with a slip inside containing name and number, they are 

 lovel3% a "collection" to be proud of. I have only begun, 

 not having more than ninty-five kinds, but enough to see, 

 in a measure, the great value of the knowledge I am gain- 



