THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 35 



of Deer Park, Alabama, sent us a form of the common 

 obedient plant {Physostegia Virginica) with leaves and stems 

 twice the size of the common form and correspondingly vigor- 

 ous. We have, also, a form of the cone-flower (Rudbeckia 

 hirta.) with truly gigantic flower-heads. The plants are so 

 distinct that they may be picked out of a bed of mixed seed- 

 lings. The red-flowered form of Rudbeckia was first brought 

 to notice by us, having been grown from plants with only the 

 faintest trace of red in the rays. Another remarkable speci- 

 men is a red-leaved peach much deeper in hue than any other 

 red-leaved tree in cultivation. We have a form of locust 

 (Robinia) with a single leaflet jointed to the peticle after the 

 manner of the orange, a mandrake {Podophylliuns) which 

 bears several fruits on a single stem, various albinos of wild 

 plants, and other forms as curious. Some of these are of 

 value only for their oddity, but the fact that such forms exist 

 warrants the belief that other variations from the normal 

 may be found that will be of commercial importance. It is 

 hoped that every botanist will be on the watch for such things 

 during the approaching spring and summer. A large number 

 of the desirable varieties in cultivation were not, as comonly 

 supposed, bred up by the grower, but came directly from the 

 wild. The double flowering crab, the golden-glow, the sal- 

 mon-colored dogwood, and some of the hydrangeas are among 

 this number, while several blackberries,- grapes, and other 

 fruits have had the same origin. If plants are found at a 

 time when they cannot safely be moved, the spot should be 

 marked and seeds or plants collected after. 



* * * 

 This paragraph is for subscribers, only. To them we 

 wish to say that the statement that our supply of back numbers 

 is running low is no advertising bluff. We have less than 

 thirty sets left at this writing. It is to our interests to have 

 as many subscribers as possible own complete sets and to 

 induce others to fill their sets while they can, we offer anv 



