1877. J 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



249 



Gray, in a recent number, reports one as having 

 been recently found near Boston. Prof. Porter 

 sends to the Bulletin a note on finding a double 

 Rue anemone. 



Varying Results of Climate. — The New York 

 Tribune discontinued its exchange Avith the 

 Gardener's Monthly last Spring, and we were glad 

 to understand by this that it stood in no need of 

 any further horticultural information. By an 

 extract which we have recently seen in another 

 paper, Ave are pleased to note that it is still wise 

 enough to retain the services of Mr. Josiah 

 Hoopes, whose intelligent notes we were always 

 glad to read. In the extract referred to we see 

 that Mr. Hoopes has been giving his experience 

 with the Winter and Evergreens. The Lawson 

 Cypress suffered more than the Lihocedrus, though 

 both were partially protected by evergreen 

 boughs. It is singular that here — some twenty 

 miles from Mr. Hoopes — the experience was just 

 the opposite. No Lawson Cypress was injured, 

 though numbers of Libocedrus were. In other 

 years, however, the experience was the reverse. 

 One singular observation was, that many Libo- 

 cedrus were injured, while others, though within 

 a few feet, were unhurt. Wind and cold have 

 much to do with the tenderness of evergreens, 

 but it is evident, as we understand by the extract, 

 Mr. Hoopes suggests in his original paper, that 

 there are some innate constitutional powers of 

 resisting cold, that are not yet made quite clear 

 to us. 



Insect Feetilization.— It is a well-known fact 



that insects fertilize flowers, and, therefore, flor 

 ists do all they can to keep Pelargoniums and 

 other choice productions free from their depre- 

 dations, for V)y assisting fertilisation they cause 

 the petals to drop sooner than they otherwise 

 would do. Of this we had numerous examples 

 during the late dry season, when seed-bearing 

 was the rule with almost all the occupants of the 

 flower garden rather than the exception. Among 

 plants requiring artificial fertilization, Mr. 

 Meehan incjudes Orchids, and certainly that 

 queen of Orchids, Phaljenopsis amabilis will 

 remain in good condition from a month to six 

 weeks if not fertilized artificially; but if operated 

 upon by its own pollen, or that of another vari- 

 ety, the flowers fade within a day or two, and 

 the seed-pod elongates rapidly. Therefore, ex- 

 cept in cases in which improved varieties are 

 wanted, and hybridization is intentionally 

 resorted to, it is desirable that fertilization 

 should not take place at least, where the primary 

 object is the preservation of the flowers. As 

 regards Pelargoniums, we know that kinds that 

 are sterile retain their flowers longer than such 

 as are fertile. Pink Christine, for example, 

 seeds so freely that, if not counteracted by means 

 of frequent hand picking, it becomes entirely 

 exhausted, while other varieties, under exactly 

 similar circumstances, scarcely produce a seed- 

 pod. From my own observation, I should feel 

 inclined to agree in all respects with Mr. Mee- 

 han's views, as I believe the question of nutrition 

 as affecting fertilization, to which he refers, de- 

 serves more general attention than it receives. — 

 James Groom, Henham Hall, Wang/ord, in Garden. 



Pf^ 



ITERATURE, ^^RAVELS & pERSONAL ^OTES. 



COMMUNICA 7 JONS. 



CYCAS REVOLUTA NOT THE SAGO PALM. 



BY ROBERT J. SIDDALL, GERMANTOWN, PIIILA. 



Many of the catalogues mention this plant as 

 the Sago Palm, and Louden speaking of the Cycas, 

 says it produces the granulated powder called 



Sago, "from Sagu, the name of a sort of bread 

 made from the pith of the trunk." and that the 

 pith, after undergoing certain preparations "con- 

 stitutes Sago." It would appear from this that 

 the catalogues may be correct, but under the head 

 of Sagus, which he calls the Sago Palm, Louden 

 says, " from this palm is produced the Sago of 

 the shops." And again he says, "the trunk of 



