1879. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



posed that in the case of grass roots, they j 

 had penetrated or actually grown into the potato, 

 and such was the opinion of not a fevs^ when the I 

 first specimen was discussed; but the finding of 

 the iron-link subsequently embedded in a tuber, j 

 demanded some other explanation. 



I can find no account of the growth of young 

 Potatoes within the mother tuber, such as Figs. 4 

 and 5, yet it can not be a rare occm'rence. Having 

 met with other cases of the kind, I fancy it may 

 be too common to give it public notice, or how 

 is it ? That the eye is the germ, and that it may 

 find a stimulus from within to start it internally 

 as well as to throw out a fiber or tube with bulb- 

 lets upon it externally? This internal starting 

 would be fed and augmented, causing the young 

 tubers to enlarge and burst the walls of the parent, 

 and result in the formation shown. 



It is well to notice these deviations from the 

 normal growth, since hints may be imparted to 

 some wide-awake genius, who may get at a truth 

 that might be of service. Should any of your 

 readers have comments to make, I shall be happy 

 to hear from them. 



Botany at Dayton, Ohio. — Through the 

 influence of some members of the Dayton Lite- 



I rary Union, there has been organized, in connec- 

 tion with that Union, a botanical section, and 



j quite a revival on the subject of botany has fol- 

 lowed in that community. 



Insectivorous Plants. — An interesting pa- 

 per on Mr. Henderson's article, has unfortuna- 

 tely been crowded to our next. 



Catalpa bignonoides speciosa. — This va- 

 riety was first described and named by Dr. John 

 A. "Warder, in the Western Horticultural Review, 

 for 1853. 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Climate of Iowa. — Iowa must have a terri- 

 ble climate. Prof. Budd says it will not do in that 

 State to work the Cherry on Mazzard or Mahaleb 

 stocks, which are too tender to survive with- 

 out being deeply covered. 



RlCHARDSONTA SCABIiA, A JiTEW WeED IN 

 THE South. — The Florida Dispatch has the fol- 

 lowing about the Richardsonia scabra : 



" 'Originally from the West Indies and Central 

 America. Introduced into South Alabama sev- 

 eral years ago, somehow, and now rapdily spread- 

 ing. It is not a Clover, nor any affinity therewith, 

 but belongs to the Coffee family; 



Prof. A. W. Chapman.' 



" The above is a description of a plant exten- 

 sively used for feed, and eagerly devoured by 

 stock in South Alabama and Georgia. It is equal- 

 ly so to Indian clover or beggar weed ; continues 

 green until killed by cold weather ; can be cut 

 and matured at any time ; does not drop its leaves 

 as readily as the Indian clover. This is some- 

 times called Spanish clover, probably from the 

 supposition that it was introduced by the Spanish 

 vessels trading with this country. It was first 

 introduced into Pensacola, in 18G0." 



Andromeda arborea. — A Louisville, Ky., 

 correspondent, says: "The "Chromo" in the 

 December number, is very handsome, although 

 the leaves in my own grounds where the And- 

 romeda arborea has been in cultivation nearly 

 eighteen years, do not retain the mottled color 

 long ; they change rapidly to their fiery crimson 

 tint and retain it until they drop off. It is a 

 very desirable little tree, but 1 think less easily 

 domesticated than some others." 



Prinos verticillata. — A Halifax, Kova 

 Scotia, correspondent writes : "Enclosed please 

 find a branch of a small Evergreen, found some 

 hundred mile South from here, and which puz- 

 zles our people here. I have placed it among 

 the Vacciniums, but have thought it may be 

 Andromeda, would you please note it and 

 answer as to the name, in the Gardener's 

 Monthly." 



[It is one of the Hollies, Prinos or Ilex verti- 

 cillata; a very pretty dwarf Evergreen, and 

 well worth cultivating. — Ed.G. M.] 



Do Tree Trunks Elongate?— M. B., De- 

 troit, Michigan, writes : "Recently, in a circle of 

 friends, the question came up as to whether tree 

 trunks elongate. My friend asserted that on a 

 Silver Maple tree near his house, he had occa- 

 sion to measure from a branch proceeding from 

 the trunk, to the ground, some years ago, and it 

 was exactly seven feet ; now that branch at its 

 junction with the trunk, is seven feet, four 

 inches. I contend that it is impossible, and that 

 there must certainly be something wrong with 

 the figures. We have agreed to submit the case 

 to vou." 



