THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 67 



holds true and that the plants are more than a freak of 

 the yellow species. In no case have I seen a plant bearing 

 both kinds of blossoms, or any that appeared to be a 

 cross between the two. 



This fall I unfortunately lost my seed but have no 

 doubt that enough dropped to give me plenty of plants 

 next year. Moreover, during the summer I discovered a 

 ne^w habitat of the flowers and my brother found still an- 

 other. I am very anxious to learn anything further con^ 

 cerning the plants and \v^hether they will be considered as 

 a variety or a species. — C. H., Wellshoro, Pa. 



[The fact that this form is capable of reproducing 

 itself from seed adds interest to the subject. We suggest 

 that our correspondent compare the plants bearing the 

 cream-colored flowers with the yellow-flowered form, next 

 year, to discover whether there is any difference between 

 them besides color. Colorof itself is not suflicient to char* 

 acterize a new species though it is often enough to distin- 

 guish forms and this one might be named variety Alba.— 

 Ed.] 



WASTE PLACES. 



BY DR. WILLIAM WHITMAN BAILEY. 

 "\ rOTHINGis more unsightly to the casual observer than 

 ^ ^ the dump-heaps about our cities. Where grassy 

 lanes once led through leafy copses, sweet with the odor 

 of wild grape, there are now cinder tracks covered with 

 abominations. Tin cans, rusty stove-pipes, corset-wnres, 

 broken crockery, paper collars, dead cats, all find here an 

 ultimate resting-jDlace. The traveller over this desert 

 thinks of Mecca and Tinsi. He expects to see a troop of 

 pilgrims. He beholds, in fact, very busy and picturesque 

 Italians rummaging for whatever they may find. 



It is just such a spot that nature loves to redeem. 

 Here her vegetable missionaries take up their work. Even 

 in early spring a moss that especially loves alkaline soil, 

 springs up ever}'' where in the ashes. This makes the way 

 straight for other higher forms of life. One such dust-heap 



