1877.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



341 



the superiority of English peaches to his Ameri- 

 can traveling companion, and was a little taken 

 aback when he could not find one in Covent 

 Garden market fit for her to eat — from an Amer- 

 ican point of taste. If anj' of these came to the 

 tables of well-to-do people, when American 

 friends were entertained, the verdict would cer- 

 tainly favor American peaches. These were (in 

 July) evidently glass-house fruit. But when the 

 peaches are from health}' trees, trained on south 

 walls, in the open air, and allowed to mature 



only what the trees can well take care of, Eng- 

 lish peaches are delicious. 



On the other hand, Europeans judging of Am- 

 erican peaches by the average of our market 

 fruits, much from unhealthy and overladen 

 trees, are at a disadvantage. 



The e.xact state of the case is that there is very 

 little difference between the best specimens of 

 English peach growing and the best of Ameri- 

 can — that little difference we believe to be in 

 fiivor of American fruit. — Ed. G. M.] 



ITERATURE, ^IraVELS & PERSONAL ^MOTES. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



SIX MONTHS IN THE FOOT-HILLS. 



BY .MRS. FAXNIE E. BRIGGS. 



For a few months it has been my privilege to 

 Btudy the flora of a little nook up among the 

 California hills, but even this little space afforded 

 some choice treasures. 



The flowers of the Manzanita were the first. 

 This beautiful shrub was blooming in December, 

 and in May its flowers might be found in some 

 localities. It is an Ericaceae, with strong resem- 

 blances to other members of the famil}^ has 

 light green, leathery leaves, and clusters of flow- 

 ers with the shape of the flower of the common 

 Wintergreen, the hue of the Arbutus, and the 

 odor of fresh honey. 



There were other handsome shrubs, including 

 an Azalea with large white flowers just tinged 

 with pink ; but the shrub that I should think 

 would be the greatest acquisition to the flower- 

 garden is a species of Rhamnaceae, of close, com- 

 pact habit, small dark green leaves, and clusters 

 of fine bright blue flowers. [Ceanothus thyrsi- 

 florus.— Ed.] 



There were a great many miniature plants 

 that were very interesting. There is a little 

 plant of the Pink family that whitens acres with 

 its minute stars, and sweetens the air with the 

 odor of Violets. The whole plant, including the 

 root, measures less than three inches. Scarcely 

 larger are three other little plants, nearly related 

 to the Mimulus, consisting of a little woody root, 

 a cluster of leaves, and a flower which constituted 



nearly half the length of the plant, and were 

 crimson, pink, and yellow. I thought I dis- 

 covered one of nature's secrets. Many of these 

 little plants were provided with a cluster of thick, 

 juicy leaves, set closely about the flower, which 

 retained their freshness when the stem and root 

 seemed entirely dry, and I think furnished nutri- 

 ment to the flowers. [This Mimulus is Eunanus 

 Douglasii.— Ed. G. M.] 



In that dry climate it would be natural to look 

 for many bulbous-rooted flowers, and I found 

 them in great abundance. The Climbing Hya- 

 cinth is one of the prettiest. Vick gives the bo- 

 tanical name as " Brodia^a Californica." It re- 

 sembles the common Hyacinth somewhat, but is 

 smaller, and has but three perfect stamens alter- 

 nating with three imperfect ones. Assuming 

 that this is the generic distinction, there are 

 several members of the family who are near 

 neighbors. These vary in color — white, pink, 

 and several shades of blue ; in shape from almost 

 tubular to broadly campanulate ; in size, from 

 little over half an inch to nearly two inches ; and 

 in height, from the little early blue Hyacinth, 

 four or five inches high, to the climber, as many 

 feet; but all having the three imperfect stamens, 

 long, narrow, fleshy leaves, and involucrate um- 

 bels of flowers. 



These false stamens in all are larger than the 

 true, and nearly conceal them, but difler much 

 in size and shape, being broad, and curved so as 

 to be almost tubular in some ; long, narrow, and 

 straight in others; and in others still, long, but 

 broad and spreading. 



