1862. 



AND H0R2ICULTUBIST. 



21 



been so called because used by ladies to adorn 

 their hair, or because the slender peduncles have 

 a capillary look. My own conjecture is that the 

 name is a corruption of Air-Bell, confused 

 through similarity of sound with the true Hare- 

 bell, which is probably a Muscari. Looking up 

 at them from the base of a cliff, as I have often 

 done in my walks about Easton, the tiny bells of 

 Campanula rotundi folia appear as if suspended 

 in the air on invisible threads, and might well 

 suggest the name. Why not adopt it and so 

 write it? 



m-m-» 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Work for Natural History Clubs. — In 

 young clubs it should not be a point to get new 

 fcicts, so much as to familiarize the members 

 with common ones. This is best done by each 

 member making original observations and re- 

 peating them, instead of studying from books. 

 We were much interested in the way this is done 

 in the Agricultural College at Lansing, Mich., as 

 reported in the College Speculum. 



" An illustrated paper was presented on ' A 

 Comparison of the Flowers of Apple Trees with 

 those of Pear Trees,' by F. F. Rogers. In gene- 

 ral the apple flowers are larger than those 

 of the pear. The sepals of apple flowers are 

 shorter and broader than those of the pear. 

 In both the sepals are more or lees woolly. 

 The sepals of pears are at least half as long 

 as the petals, and are usually quite long and 

 taper-pointed. Their stamens are not very un- 

 like. The most marked difference is seen in the 

 styles. In the case of the apple the styles are 

 united from one-fourth to one-half of their length, 

 forming a stalk or stipe ; while in the pear the 

 styles are distinct to the base. The calyx tube 

 of the pear is somewhat globular, while that of 

 the apple is urn-shaped." 



Here is information, communicated by a col- 

 lege student. The facts no doubt numbers have 

 seen, but which very few, probably, really knew. 



Calochortus.— The common name in Califor- 

 nia is Mariposa Lily. In Colorado, Dr. Newberry 

 says, the two species Calochortus Nutt^llii, and C. 

 Gunnisonii are known as ''Black-eyed Susan." 

 The Indians of Utah call it " Sego.'' 



Hyqeinic Value of Jussieua grandiplora. — 

 Dr. Cartwright of Natchez, attributes the exemp- 

 tion of some districts of Louisiana frora malarial 

 fevers to the abundance of this pretty, creeping 

 aquatic plant. We feel bound, as news-gather- 

 ers, to record this piece, because it will no doubt 

 have wide currency, but have^o confess that we 



see no other ground for the doctor's opinion than 

 because it so happens that this plant grows there. 

 Probably hundreds of other plants are abundant 

 there as this ; and even then the abundance is 

 no proof of value. 



Torch Lilies.— The great objection to com- 

 mon names is that they become so very com- 

 mon that each plant gets a score, and no one 

 knows what the other person is talking of. It is 

 not altogether because names are hard that 

 English ones are chosen, but because the Latin 

 ones seem too learned for common people. What 

 is easier than Tritoma? yet our people made it 

 " hot poker flower." Not to accept a name from 

 Americans the English christened it over again* 

 They name it "Torch lily," according to Mr. 

 Robinson's Gardening Illustrated. But in Mr. 

 Robinson's new book it is again named " Flame 

 flower." We see by these illustrations that how- 

 ever easy it may seem, and desirable to accom- 

 plish, it is impracticable to make any reforms in 

 this manner. We hope our good friend, the 

 Garden, will pause in its efforts in this way. 



Malarial Fever.— We are often misled by 

 names. Malarial fever has nothing to do with 

 malaria as we used to understand it— gases frora 

 decayed matter along rivers and in marshes. A 

 letter from Las Cruces, in New Mexico, now be- 

 fore us, speaks of the alarming extent of mala- 

 rial fever this year, in a country usually as dry as 

 dust. 



Flowering of Bermuda Grass.— Dr. G. W. 

 Smith, Canton, Miss., says : 



" I think you are mistaken in regard to the 

 common belief as to the flowering of the Cynodan 

 dactylon in the South. It is not that the grass 

 produces no flower spikes, but that it does not 

 perfect seed; and when it is not kept down by graz- 

 ing, it produces, on good land, flowers in profuse 

 abundance, but diligent and repeated search has 

 failed ever to find a seed." 



Introduction of the Camellia. — In a recent 

 article we showed the strong probability that the 

 weeping willow was introduced to Europe from 

 China by the Dutch, when they enjoyed the ex- 

 clusive privilege of trade with China in the earli- 

 er times. It is known that the camellia came in 

 that way. It was first carried by them to their 

 settlements in the Phillipines, and brought from 

 there to Spain by a priest named Camelli, after 

 whom it was named by Linnjeus. 



An Almond Growing from a Peach. — The 

 Rural Press notes the case of an almond pushing 



