WINTER MEETING. 151 



Melanihium Virginicum (Bunch-flower) is a truly grand and valuable plant. 

 The description of Amianthiuin will answer for it, except the leaves are twice as 

 long and broad, and more keeled; and the flower stalk is from 3 to 5 feet high, 

 with pyramidal head from 5 to 10 inches in diameter, and from 8 to 16 inches long. 

 Blooms in June and July. 



Camassia Fraseri (Wild Hyacinth), is beginning to be catalogued by florists. 

 Its name sufficiently describes it, and I only add that it responds grandly to cultiva- 

 tion. Pale-blue in color. The flower spikes, in cultivation, often grow 3 feet high ; 

 people who have been familiar with it in a state of nature, generally fail to recog- 

 nize it in my border. 



Silphiutn ( Rosin-weed or Compass-plant), is a finer foliage plant for the lawn, 

 < it is too large for the border) than Caladium esculeutum. It has large ovate 

 leaves, which sometimes, under cultivation, measure 5 feet in circumference, and 

 a stately flower-stalk 10 to 14 feet high ; the individual flowers are yellow, about 

 2 inches in diameter, and resemble a small, single sunflower. Another variety of 

 Silphium, the S. laciniatum, has its large leaves deeply cut, and is a fine companion 

 for the first mentioned. 



Lithospermum is sometimes dug to procure a red dye from its roots, grows 

 from 6 to 14 inches high, blooms freely, and its season lasts over a month. The 

 color of the flower gives it additional value. It is a rich, orange-yellow, which is a 

 Tare color. Blooms in April and May. 



Senicio Aurea ( Golden Ragwort ) is quite a common plant, and it is strange 

 no florist has yet " boomed " it. It resembles in growth and leaf, the pyrethrum, 

 but the flowers, which grow in umbels like tansy or feverfew are a rich, golden 

 yellow, and it increases and spreads rapidly. Grows from 12 to 20 inches high. 



Agave Virginica ( False Aloe ) rivals the famous Agave Americana ( or century 

 plant ) as a foliage plant. The leaves grow in cultivation 12 to 24 inches long, and 

 1 to 3 wide ; thick, fleshy, and deeply serrate, and it blooms annually. Flower- 

 stalk from 4 to 7 feet high ; flowers are of but little beauty, yellowish-green in color 

 and slightly fragrant. It loves dry, rocky soil, but does well almost anywhere. 



All the abjve, except Camessia, will be found, so far as I know, practically 

 new to cultivation, and, I think, highly satisfactory. 



A COMPOSITE GARDEN. 



BY MRS. GEO. E DUGAN, SEDALIA, MO. 



A composite photograph is composed of the strongest and best features of 

 numerous persons, and a composite garden blends in one harmonious landscape, 

 flowers, fruits and vegetables. 



A composite garden may present to view far diflerent things: for instance, 

 I have seen gardens with a wretched blending of brush-piles, old tin cans, discarded 

 foot-wear and weeds, with here and there a poor pitiful row of potatoes, half 

 smothered and starved from lack of proper soil constituents, and an onion bed in a 

 like neglected state. 



Yet a garden may be a thing of beauty, and as a help to table luxury hear 

 Balzac's discoures concerning it. In his story called "The Tradgedy of the Peasan- 

 try," he says : 



"The dinner, like the breakfast and the supper, was always composed of 

 the nicest materials, and cooked with that science which distinguishes a good 

 housewife from all other cooks. Madam Rigou made their own butter twice a 

 week; cream was a component part of all their sauces. The vegetables came 



