460 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



for planting among shrubbery. The plants should be staked when in blossom, and the 

 bulbs taken late in the fall. 



Blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium Bermudiana, an accommodating little plant that 

 adapts itself readily to almost any condition, is scarce. A few have been found on the 

 Pinnacle hills. The tall meadow-rue, Thalictram j)olyganuvi, with its long white 

 flower-spikes, and handsome foliage, looks well in masses. It grows wild in damp,, 

 shady woods, but thrives exposed to the sun. Rue-anemone, Thalictrum anemonoidea, 

 a rare and choice plant growing on the north side of ravines, with azaleas, has thrice 

 compound leaves and umbiliferoun white flowers. The tuberous root bears removal. 

 Early meadow-rue, Thalictrum dioicum, though not having a showy flower, has grace- 

 ful foliage. 



The four plants called Soloman's seal, Polyyonatum, biflorum, false Soloman's seal, 

 Smilicina racemosa, Sviilicina biforia, and <b'. Stellata, the mandrake. Podophyllum 

 peltatum., highly esteemed in England, bearing great green leaves and waxy white 

 flowers, wild sarsaparilla, Aralia nudicaulis, spikenard, Aralia racemosa, white bane- 

 berry, Actcra alba, and the bellwort, Uvularia perfoliata are early blooming plants 

 that are abundant in dry woods and desirable to plant in shady places. 



Senecio aureus, the golden ragwort, a bright yellow flower, of the compositfe family, 

 blooming late in May, is found in moist places. The anemones, Anemone Penyisylvani- 

 cum, and A. nemorosa, are pretty flowers with pure white blossoms. The former 

 grows along the shaded banks of creeks and rivers, and the latter on the margins of 

 woods, not plentifully in Monroe county, — a few only being found in the town of Ham- 

 lin, but they are abundant near Buffalo. 



The turtle-head, Chelnoe glabra, frequenting moist woods and having a peculiar 

 white flower with a turtle-like head, is an interesting plant, disliked by many for it& 

 snaky appearance, Black-snakeroot, Cimicifuga raceviosa, bearing long white 

 racemes of feathery flowers, is conspicuous at a distance and is good for a massing in 

 shady woods. 



Collinsonia Canadensis, is a pleasing plant, growing in masses on the border of oak,, 

 chestnut and sassafras groves, has small yellow inconspicuous flowers. 



The columbine, Aquilegia Canadensis, is a showy plant for the rock garden, and 

 the Rocky Mountain columbine, Aquilegia coerulea, is very beautiful, having blue and 

 white flowers. 



Thoreau writes of the lupine, in " Summer" under the date of June 5: "The lupine 

 is now in its glory, — it paints a whole hill-side with its blue. The earth is blue with 

 it." Growing on dry, sandy soil, it is sensitive of disturbance, and the roots, being 

 long and straggling, require the removal of large balls of earth. 



Swamp Rose-mallow, Hibiscus Moscheutos, not found in Monroe county, grows in 

 the marshes at Cayuga lake, and marshy lands near the eastern sea coast. The large 

 flowers, varying from a pure white to a deep rose color with a lighter center, are not 

 beautiful, but as Meehan says: " the plants aid in giving beauty to the natural scenery." 

 It is easily raised from seeds in the moist soil of a garden. A gentleman interested in 

 our parks has presented a large number of the seeds to the Park Commissioners, and 

 the young plants from the seeds are thriving. 



The flaming orange-colored butterfly-weed, Asclepius tuherosa, is a grand plant for 

 massing on dry, sandy soil in the sun. All the milkweeds are pretty when examined 

 closely. The four-leafed milkweed, A. quadrifolia, found early in May, in the dry 

 woods, is the prettiest of them all. The others are the common milkweed. A. cornuti, 

 poke-milkweed, A. phytolaccoides, and the swamp milkweed, A. incarnati. 



White Buake-voot, Etipato7'ium ageratoides, abundant in shady ravines and- damp 

 woods, is a charming plant for the garden or the house, and requires, rich, moist soil 

 and shade. 



Early in July the hedge-nettle, Stachy palustris, having a pretty purple flower-spike 

 appears along the edges of running streams or ponds. The banks of the old Genesee 

 Valley canal are lined with it, and the effect, when the flowers are in bloom, is very 

 fine. The plants are easily raised from seed. 



A pleasing effect is produced by massing several hundreds of asters. Aster Nova'., 

 An0li(c, and its variety, rosa, A. puniceus, both the white-stemmed and red-stemmed 

 varieties,^. Icevis, A. multifolius, A. cordifolia, A. eriocides and Solidago lanceolata, S. 

 Canadensis, S. nemoralis, S caesia, S. latifolia, S. Aguta, Eupatorium purpreum, E. 

 ageratoides and two hundred or three hundred plants of Helianthvs divaricata, and 

 Helianthus decapetalus, in a deep hollow against a background of willows and osage- 

 orange. 



The cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, the brightest in color of all the wild flowers,, 

 is attractive with its deep scarlet flowers, which may be seen at a long distance. It ia 

 easily cultivated, and it is particularly fine when massed against evergreen shrubs.^ 



