18 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



Yellow Pond Lily. — In addition to the common names 

 for this plant, Nuphar advcna, given in a recent number, we 

 may add cow hly, three colored lily and globe lily, the latter 

 quite as appropriate a name as any of those by which it is more 

 commonly known. 



Changing Styles in Flowers. — It is apparent to all 

 lovers of the beautiful that the beauty of certain flowers cannot 

 be enhanced by doubling. All regular, errect flowers and such 

 others as do not depend partly upon form for their attractive- 

 ness, may be doubled without detracting from their appear- 

 ance ; in fact, a "single" water-lily, that is. one with but five 

 petals and five sepals, would be ungraceful enough, but the 

 thoughts of double orchids or sweet-peas or pansies are enough 

 to make one shudder. We learn from a recent number of 

 Horticulture that that monstrosity the double violet is fast 

 giving way before the single sorts, a fact upon which all 

 gardeners should congratulate themselves . 



Poison Ivy. — Each recurring spring brings forth a fresh 

 crop of people poisoned by poison ivy {Rhus toxicodendron) 

 and poison sumac {R. venenata). It may interest them 

 though it will not relieve their troubles, to know that the 

 poison is reputed by some to be due to an acid called toxico- 

 dendric acid and by others as due to an oil called toxicodendrol. 

 What ever the cause of the poison, the intolerable itching may 

 be allayed by a variety of alkalies. The old fashioned remedy 

 was a poultice made by spreading "soft" soap on a piece of 

 bread and applying it to the infected part. Xow that soft soap 

 has given way to the various bar soaps, the cheapest laundry 

 soap will do just as v.'ell. Washing soda or sodium hyposul- 

 phite is recommended and painting the poisoned part with 

 collodion has its' adherents, also. Rhus poisoning and the dis- 

 ease erysipelas have many characteristics in common. Cows 

 and sheep eat the plant witb.out harmful effects. It is said that 



