Secretary's Budget. 411 



The Canadian or white Spruce Fir was cultivated in 1700 by 

 Bishop Compton, 



The Cypress tree" of Southern Europe was cultivated in the 

 garden of Sion House in 1551 ; the white Cedar, or arborvitse- 

 leaved Cypress, in 173G. 



The common hollyhock came from China at the end of the 

 sixteenth century. 



Maize or Indian corn had been grown about the middle of tliat 

 century. 



To Gerard we owe the common Syringa from the south of 

 Europe. 



The Sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica, from Brazil, is first 

 mentioned in 1733 by Dr. Houston, who also introduced more than 

 one species of Passion flower from the West Indies. 



The Laurel or common sweet Bay came in 1562 from Italy, the 

 Laurestine in 1596 from the south of Europe. 



The Ancuba japonica, now universal in our shrubberies, was 

 first introduced from Japan in 1783 by Mr. John Gr^fer. The 

 female plant, with its splendid berries, has only been introduced 

 during the last few years, the Aucuba being till then regarded as a 

 monoecious plant. We might extend this list largely, but enough 

 has been noted to show how recent have been many of the additions 

 to our gardens and forests, and how small the variety of species 

 known before the days of Gerard's " Herbal," or even of Evelyn's 

 "Sylva." A more complete list of the now^ common trees and 

 flowers, with the time and circumstances of their introduction to 

 England, would l)e an interesting compilation. — Leisure Hour. 



ABNORMAL STRAWBERRY. 



Prof. Grolf notes : " Roses are sometimes seen with the stem 

 growing beyond the flower. This spring some one sent me a straw- 

 berry in which the stem had continued to grow beyohd the fruit. 

 Has this been often observed ? " 



[It sometimes occurs. The fruiting stem of a strawberry is 

 simply a metamorphosed runner, which has become erect, and 

 hence, a short stem may appear from a flower head, just as it would 

 beyond the young plant on a runner. — Ed. G. ilf. ] 



