150 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[May, 



ed color, with the sunlight glancing oA their 

 porcelain-like petals, and making the dew drops 

 sparkle over them, and the scene is almost too 

 dazzling for the eye to rest upon. 



Passing from the sunny hill-side to one shel- 

 tered by pines, here we find a new contrast of 

 color. Nestling in the glossy-brown pine need- 

 les, are clusters of wild pinks, shaded from the 

 brightest rose color to the pale flesh-colored 

 variety. Their leaves are covered with a gum- 

 my substance, which makes it unpleasant to 

 handle them, but the flowers are very pretty 

 and briirht. 



SHORTIA CALACiFOLIA. 



BY WM. FALCONER, CAMBRIDGE BOTANIC GARDEN, 



MASS. 



The history of this extremely rare native, is 

 now quite generally known, but for the sake of 

 those who may not have heard of it I may say 

 it is a neat and pretty little plant with Pyrola or 

 Galax-like leaves and pure white campanulate 

 blossoms. In 1778 it was discovered by the 

 elder Michaux in the mountains of North Caro- 

 lina ; he secured imperfect specimens for his 

 herbarium. No more was seen or heard of the 

 plant till 1839, when Dr. Asa Gray upon ex- 

 amining the Michaux herbarium found the 

 specimens upon the strength of which, in 1842 

 he designated and described it as a new genus, 

 giving it the above name. Beyond that speci- 

 men, not another vestige of the plant dead or 

 alive, was known to exist till 1878, when it was 

 rediscovered by Mr. Hyams, who presented us 

 with a fine living plant. 



Our plant received in 1878, was potted and 

 wintered in a cool greenhouse where it blossom- 

 ed prettily in February, 1879, and caused quite 

 a sensation in botanical and scientific circles. 

 Hundreds of visitors came specially to see it. 

 In April we planted it in a shady rockery out of 

 doors, leaving it there unmolested till Novem- 

 ber, when we lifted and repotted it, and again 

 wintered it in the greenhouse. As it had nearly 

 completed growth before being planted out of 

 doors, it did not grow much during the summer, 

 but it plumped up considerably and appeared 

 quite cosy and at home. In September I ob- 

 served it had formed seven solid somewhat oval 

 crowns, closely embedded, as it were, in the neck 

 of the plant. These were flower buds, but to 

 the casual observer would likely appear like 

 growth-crowns. They did not emerge from 

 their beds till early in February when they 

 arose slowly, perfected and expanded. The 



flowers opened on stalks an inch long, but these 

 stalks lengthened with age to three and four 

 inches ; and when the plant was in full blossom 

 it looked a little way off", like a primrose. The 

 blossoms which are solitary, in mid-day per- 

 fection measure \l inches across, and last in 

 good condition some two weeks or more. It 

 has not ripened seed with us because the pistils 

 mature before the stamens, and we would re- 

 quire to have two or more plants in blossom, 

 having a few days difference in their stage of 

 advancement in order to secure fertilization. 

 Our plant has five leaves measuring from 3 

 to 4^ inches long, that is (taking one 44 inches), 

 leaf-stalk 2i inches., blade 2 inches by 1| inches 

 wide ; besides these there is a dense rosette of 

 much smaller leaves. The color of the old 

 leaves is a glossy bronze green, but of the young 

 ones a bright polished green. 



Last year I referred to the Shortia as " a 

 sweet little plant, not showy by any means, but 

 a welcome garden alpine," but this year on ac- 

 count of its increased vigor and floral superiority 

 over last year, I pronounce it a charming little 

 beauty. Of course I cannot say it is a hardy 

 plant, because I have not proved it to be so, 

 nevertheless I feel assured it is as hardy as 

 Galax aphylla, its companion at home, and 

 which is hardy here. 



EDITORIAL NOTES 



The Missouri Botanic Garden.— Recently 

 we had to note that as a whole, the number of 

 species cultivated in Cambridge, entitled it to 

 the distinction of being the best botanic garden ; 

 that is to say, the best as regards the number of 

 species grown. If we are to regard the beauty 

 of the grounds in connection with botanical cul- 

 ture, then the Missouri gardens are much the 

 best. We refer to this matter again, as we no- 

 tice the subject is occupying much attention in 

 Europe. Mr. Shaw's Missouri Botanic Garden, 

 is wholly the work of one man, still living, and 

 could hardly expect to be in competition with 

 an old one, and one which is such a centre of 

 botanical correspondence as that one at Cam- 

 bridge is. Still it is a magnificent piece of 

 work for even one man to boast of, and Mr. 

 Shaw may well be proud of its eminence. Even 

 in its botanical treasures it will compare with 

 Cambridge. Its collections of Oaks and Cactuses 

 are much superior to the Cambridge collec- 



