THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 99 



be found clinging to the nearly leafless boughs, the woody cap- 

 sules do not mature till another year. They are natural ma- 

 chine guns, or may be, pistols, expelling their hard, shiny seeds 

 as a fusillade of small shot. They go off with a loud report 

 and are propelled to a distance of twenty or thirty feet, greatly 

 surprising the collector, who, not knowing their war-like habit, 

 takes them home. 



Besides its medical use, wherein we may question it the 

 solvent has not the greater efficacy, it has, from early years, 

 been employed as a divining-rod to indicate hidden treasure and 

 springs of water. The latter is found, we suspect, oftener than 

 the former. Unless fate is especially malicious, the writer 

 should now be a modern Monte-Cristo, for he has systemati- 

 cally (though without saving faith!), applied the usual tests to 

 the twigs. The little grain of mustard-seed, some-how, finds 

 poor accommodation in his cerebrum, but no doubt "the princi- 

 pie holds good." 



Occasionally we notice a few plants of the autumn crocus 

 {Colchicum autumnale) in gardens. It is unlike the spring 

 crocuses of the lily family. It bears the English name of 

 "Meadow-saffron," and has long been used for its potent medi- 

 cinal properties in gouty and rheumatic difficulties. Lindley 

 says. "It has no claim to be considered infallible," a saving 

 clause. The writer is still looking for the medicine that will 

 fill that bill for rheumatism ! 



Very handsome late bloomers are the Japanese anemones, 

 growing two or three feet high, and bearing pink or white 

 blossoms two to three inches in diameter. 



Of course cosmos should not be forgotten, nor certain hardy 

 chrysanthemums. iBoth belong to that vigorous, aggressive 

 race, the Compositae. Two species of Cosmos are seen in cul- 

 tivation and both are grown in Mexico. In favorable seasons 

 they grow to an astonishing height, and bloom very late, their 

 white or rose-colored heads suggesting even when quite near. 



