82 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



vary. Siuldenly, however, one plant sported and an apprecia- 

 tive cultivator s])ie(l it and th^ garden ])lant was the result. 

 Doul)le flowers in this sense are found in nearly all the culti- 

 vated composites. The tendency to "doul)le"' seems to he very 

 strong in the wild sunflowers. After a year or so of cultiva- 

 tion one begins to find many half double and double specimens. 

 In the editor's garden a number of these forms have occurred 

 the past season and we look forward to another summer with 

 some curiositv as to what may be expected from them. 



Birds and Berries. — If asked to name the shrub upon 

 whose berries the greatest number of birds feed, one w^ould 

 scarcely think of mentioning the elder (Sainbiiciis) and yet. ac- 

 cording to the last year book of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture, no less than sixty-seven different species of birds are 

 known to eat the fruits of this plant. Raspberries come next 

 with GO species of bird visitors and then come mulberries, dog- 

 woods, sumachs, wild cherries and blueberries. That such 

 fruits should form the principal diet of frugiverous birds is not 

 surprising but we who have tasted many of the other fruits 

 listed on the birds' bill of fare can be sure that the opinions of 

 man and bird as to what is palatable do not coincide for we 

 find among other fruits eaten china berries (Mclia), buckthorn 

 {Rhamus), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos), Christmas berry 

 {Hetcromclcs), pepper tree (Schinus), snow berry (Syiii- 

 pliovicarpos) , sour gum {Nyssa), holly (lies), spicebush 

 (Bciirjoiii), juniper { Juuipcnis) , Virginia creeper [Aiiipcli)/^- 

 sis) and pokeberries {Phytolacca). This information is 

 brought out in an article on plants useful to attract the birds. 

 There are lists of the most desirable plants for this purpose for 

 different parts of the country. Those who have extensive 

 grounds and wish to attract the birrls should be able, by proper 

 selection of shrubs and trees to be surrounded by birds with- 

 out lessening in any way the appearance of the decorative 

 planting. 



