Wanted.— Short notea of interest to the general bot- 

 anist are always in demand for this department. Our 

 readers are invited to make this the place of publication 

 for their botanical items. 



The Ground Cherry as Food.— The ground cherry 

 {Pbysalis pubescens) is in considerable demand in some of 

 the larger cities for use in making preserves. Twenty 

 cents a cjuart is the usual price paid. Among the dealers 

 the fruit goes by the name of husk tomato, dwarf cape 

 gooseberry, strawberry tomato and paper shell tomato. 



Unusual Pot Herbs. — In an old number of Garden 

 and Forest we note that Hydrophyllum virginicum is 

 often used for "greens" and is known as Boston cabbage. 

 Other plants recommended for pot herlDS are the trilliumSr 

 comfrey {Symphytum) and the yellow adder's-tongue 

 {Erythronium). It may be added that the common 

 Solomon's seals {Smilacina and Polygonatum) are often 

 gathered just as they are coming up in spring and used as 

 we use asparagus. 



Protection of the Highway Landscape.— It is fine 

 to know that some States— Massachusetts, Connecticut, 

 and Rhode Island, also, I think— have given to trees along" 

 highways and in situations where they are part of the 

 highway landscape, the protection of a wise law. Under 

 this law each town appoints a tree-warder serving with- 

 out pay (and therefore with love) who may seal to the 

 town by his label such trees as are truly the common jjos- 

 ftession, regardless of whose land they happen to be on. If 

 the owner desires to cut down a tree thus designated, he 

 must first obtain permission, after stating satisfactory 

 reasons, of the annual town-meeting, and this is not so 

 easy as to make cutting frequent.—/. Horace McFarland 

 in Getting Acquainted with the Trees. [Here is a point 

 for those who really desire to protect our native plants.] 



