1871.] AMERICAN WILD-FLOWERS. 565 



hold's Podophyllum Bitters," one of the patent medicines of the country. I 

 have never met with this plant on cultivated or well-cleared land. It is true 

 that now and then a few imperfect specimens may be discovered hiding behind 

 a fence-post, but the first stiff breeze that blows bends their heavy heads to the 

 dust, and a few years of this sort of treatment puts an end to their being. In 

 those parts of the forest where shade and shelter go hand in hand the greatest 

 results are obtained. There is a beautifvil glen forming part of the Glasgow Bo- 

 tanic Garden, and nearly every part of that glen is well adapted to the wants of 

 the Podophyllum ; and if these notes happen to catch the eye of ]\Ir Bullen, per- 

 haps he may be induced to try and naturalise our subject on the banks of the 

 Kelvin. It is easy to propagate this by division of the underground stem, or, as 

 some would call it, the "root." 



Lobelia sypliilitlca, — The margins of many a little rivulet — or, as they call it 

 here, "branch " — are brightened during August and a part of September by tbe 

 very pretty blue blossoms of the present plant. This Lobelia is moderately well- 

 known in the old country, and prized by all true lovers of hardy flowers. It 

 ranges from 2 to 3 feet high, and the stem ends in a raceme. I have not sufficient 

 facts to justify me in venturing to lay down a rule just yet, but I think it pro- 

 bable that the majority of early-flowering American plants should have their seeds 

 sown soon in autumn ; whereas, in the case of late-flowering plants, probably the 

 seed had better be kept till spring before being put into the ground. This, of 

 course, is only a suggestion, but it may cause some one well up in the matter to 

 arrange what he knows, and give it to the public. I never saw Lobelia syphilitica 

 doing any good in a dense forest, although I have observed moderate-sized speci- 

 mens in tracts of woodland w^here the trees were " few and far between." This 

 plant delights in a rich moist loam, though, when I say that I have known it 

 thrive well in the poor, parched, sandy soil of Kew, it will be seen that it is not 

 by any means hard to please. Seed is easily obtained, but should only be used 

 when great numbers are required, as nothing is easier than to increase this 

 plant by parting, and the operation in question had much better be performed in 

 the spring. 



Camassia \_SciUa\ esculenta. — The common American names of this plant are, 

 Quamash, Wild Hyacinth, Squill. It is a most beautiful plant, especially when seen 

 in large masses. It is quite as gay as the Hyacinthus nonscriptus, or Bluebell of 

 English plantations ; and every one knows what a gem that is, though so plentiful 

 as to make it not properly appreciated. Moreover, this plant is larger in all its 

 parts than the Bluebell, and naturally shows a disposition to adapt itself to quite 

 a variety of conditions, I have seen great grand masses of it, rising stoutly above 

 all the other vegetation of a rich open pasture, and gathered admirable specimens 

 growing beneath big old Black Walnut-trees. 



This year at least the Quamash has not budded very freely about here, 

 but I would not like to say that it is always and everywhere so backward about 

 reproducing itself. Though a common American plant, I am pretty certain that 

 it is not abundant in the gardens of the old country. It certainly deserves to be 

 introduced plentifully, and would form a valuable addition to any collection of 

 hardy bulbs. Blossoms open early in May. 



I promise myself a trip some day to the very imperfectly explored mountains 

 of Kentucky, and amongst the rich, rare, and may be undescribed wild-flowers of 

 those parts I hope to see a good deal likely to interest the readers of the ' Gar- 

 dener.' Not far from Lexington is the Kentucky river, along the wild margins 

 of which Cypripediums and other treasures are said to grow. 



Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. John Duncan. 



