1885.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



253 



minia. A fine piece of Epidendrum Odoratissimum, 

 with seven spikes, that perfumed the whole house ; 

 V'anda suavis, Vanda tricolor formosa, and Vanda 

 teres — two good pieces. 



Some fine specimen plants, particularly Palms 

 in tubs, are standing outside the grounds for the 

 summer. This is a good way. One can see 

 them so much better than when crowded together 

 in the house. And how they seem to enjoy a 

 shower! 



NAMES, WISE AND OTHERWISE. 

 BY MRS. FANNY E. BRIGGS. 



I feel sympathy for the correspondent who is 

 seeking light on that list of outlandish names given 

 on page 155, May number. I think, that the 

 "Sheep's Horns" is Martynia proboscidia, also 

 called "Devil's Hooks." "Aaron's beard" is, I think, 

 a white drooping spiraa, but cannot give specific 

 name. The "Sun-dial plant" inquired for some 

 time ago, is no doubt the garden Lupine which is 

 often called by that name, also " Old man's face " 

 and "Monkey face," from the grotesque face on 

 the seeds. My school-mates used to vex my soul 

 by calling Spring Beauties, (Claytonia) " Puppy's 

 foot flowers " from the form of the root. A lady 

 once wrote to exchange plants, offering among 

 other things, " Proud Lucifer, white and blue ;" 

 which proved to be common Iris, her name of 

 course a corruption of Flower de luce. My first 

 introduction to Gladioluses was as "Gladnesses," 

 and I knew an old lady in Iowa who called them 

 "Olluses," and the beautiful Calystegia, "Cast 

 Ages," and I think enjoyed them even with these 

 barbarous names. 



The pretty rose, " York and Lancaster," des- 

 cribed in a late Gardeners' Monthly is abundant 

 here, and known as the "Calico Rose." I am 

 much obliged to Mrs. Thomson for giving us its 

 pretty and romantic name. 



in olden times been used for making long bows, 

 the archer esteeming them next to those of the 

 yew for that purpose. Clinton Place, New York. 



THE WITCH HAZEL. 

 . BY W. R. GERARD. 



In a quotation from Mr. L. H. Bailey's book (on 

 page 220) it is intimated that the name wych-hazel 

 (or witch-hazel or elm) for Ulmus montana is 

 due to the wood having in olden times been used 

 in the construction of wyches or chests. That is 

 Dr. Prior's explanation of it. The Old English 

 wyche, wiche, is from A. S. VVice, from wicen, pp. 

 of wican "to bend" (whence also wicker). The 

 name alludes either to the branches of the tree 

 being pendulous, or, more probably, to their having 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



To Intelligent Correspondents. — All com- 

 munications relating to advertisements, subscrip- 

 tions, or other business, must be addressed to the 

 publisher, S14 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. 



All referring to the reading matter of the 

 magazine must be mailed to the editor, Ger- 

 mantown, Pa. 



No express packages for the editor received un- 

 less prepaid ; and marked " Paid through to Ger- 

 mantown. Pa." 



Purchaser's Risk. — A question of great interest 

 to agricultural and horticultural pursuits was re- 

 cently decided by the Supreme Court of Penn- 

 sylvania, Justice Gordon giving the opinion of the 

 court. A Pennsylvanian bought from a firm in 

 Dubuque 140 tierces of pork. The purchaser 

 received, opened, and thought it good ; but a week 

 or so afterwards found the whole unfit for sale. 

 There could be no doubt but the seeds of decay 

 were in the pork before it was sold by the Dubuque 

 firm. The court of Common Pleas, No. 3, of Phila- 

 delphia decided that a man ordering pork expected 

 to get good pork ; as this was not actually good 

 pork, the seller must return the money paid. The 

 Supreme Court sets aside this decision. There 

 was no warranty, it says, for good pork. The only 

 question involved is, was it salable ? That it was 

 salable is proved by the fact that the buyer 

 accepted it, and discovered nothing the matter 

 with it for some time. The buyer had as good a 

 chance to see whether tjhere was anything the 

 matter with it as the seller. Unless there was a 

 distinct warranty given that it was perfectly sound, 

 it is the purchaser's risk. That he expected sound 

 meat, had nothing to do with the question. The 

 decision of the lower court was reversed and the 

 buyer lost his case. 



Honors to M. Rodigas. — European govern- 

 ments delight to honor horticultural editors. The 

 Spanish government has made our Belgian Col- 

 league a Knight of the Royal Order of Isabella 

 the Catholic. 



Jay Gould's Conservatories at Irvington 



. on the Hudson, N. Y. — A correspondent of the 



Country Gentleman notes that there is a large 



orchid house, and fifteen houses in the whole 



