Mcseml)r3'aiitlioimiins ; many of the latU-r aro reiiiarkahK- fi»r tlie ri'srinblance in 

 their foliai::o to tlio jaws of aiiiinals, wIumh'O tlioy aro apjiropriatoly iiameil ffliimiii, 

 tiirriiumi, caiiinuin, i^'c. Tiio capsules of others have the same hygroinotrie ]tro- 

 jierty as the entire plant of the famous Rose of Jericho, or the hygromctric Club- 

 Moss, opening in wet weather into segments, resembling the petals of a flower, 

 and closing in dry; a beautiful provision of nature, by which the seeds sow them- 

 selves at the only season suited, in those hot sandy deserts, to their germination ; 

 after being gathered, they long retain this property, and may be made to open or 

 shut, according as they are placed in a wet or dry atmosphere. 



The Orchid house contains the specimens most in favor with cultivators 

 at this time ; the prices paid for them are sometimes almost fabulous. There is 

 not a day in the year when some of them arc not in blossom. Many are here seen 

 attached to branches of wood, or placed in wire baskets, with moss and bai'k, or 

 planted in the husks of cocoa-nuts, and suspended from the rafters, living, as it 

 were, and flourishing on heat and moisture ; the Vanilla, Yanilla aromatica, is 

 one of these tropical Orcliidea\ Its long narrow pods aflord the fragrant vanilla 

 of commerce ; it is from the hot parts of South America, being exported from 

 Vera Cruz to the amount of 40,000 dollars annually. The King Plant of the 

 Cingalese, Ancvctochilus setaceus, as rare as it is beautiful, is here in perfection ; 

 we saw it, too, lately in the stove of B. A. Fahnestock, Esq., ri)iladelphia ; the 

 foliage closely resembles brown-greenish velvet, with the most exquisite network 

 of gold. Other allied plants are green, reticulated, and spotted with white. 



In the Tropical Aquarium is exhibited a group of different plants especially 

 characterized by the varied coloring or marking of the foliage, often called " painted 

 plants;" among them, the Caricature Plant, Grai)tophyllum hortense, many of the 

 spots of whose leaves bear a very accurate resemblance to the human face, more 

 or less divine. — The fragrant lemon-grass will be remarked, and Sir "William tells 

 you it was a favorite tea with old Queen Charlotte ; and he observes that the 

 present queen takes an especial interest in these gardens, lie lately sent her a 

 basket of Osage oranges as a curiosity ; " but," said the queen to him, with a pat 

 of her fan, " how could you send such fruit for my table ? Why, the lady-in- 

 waiting cut one, and handed it to me ; but really it was uneatable !" They do 

 not ripen in England, and were an especial novelty there. 



In the " Hardy Aquarium," among the greatest curiosities, is the celebrated 

 Tussock-Grass of the Falkland Islands, Dactylus ca^spitosa ; it is considered one 

 of the most valuable coarse agricultural grasses, and, having braved the droughts 

 and cold, and heat of England for several years, will be naturalized. It is slow 

 in growth, and slower to form its great tussocks ; they and the mass of foliage 

 constitute thickets where wild cattle and more wild runaway sailors find shelter 

 and protection, and both obtain food. Two sailors subsisted some time on the 

 raw young shoots of this grass, which are, moreover, boiled like asparagus ; vicinity 

 to the sea, an equable climate, and cool atmosphere are deemed essential to it 

 perfect success. 



