4 r >5 



the best evergreens. The book is well printed on good paper, 

 and the illustrations (mostly from photographs taken at Kew) 

 are admirably reproduced- The varieties of common Holly are 

 illustrated by outline drawings of single leaves which originally 

 appeared in the " Gardeners' Chronicle/' 



Rhus Toxicodendron —An article by Sir Ray Lankester in the 

 " Daily Telegraph " of August 8th last has once more drawn public 

 attention to the singular toxic properties of this hardy shrub. 

 Notes and papers on the same subject have from time to time 

 appeared in the botanical and horticultural press, but it evidently 

 required the publicity which the columns of a great daily news- 

 paper alone can give to awaken a general interest in it. Whilst a 

 widespread attention has thereby been drawn to a matter on which 

 it is very desirable the general public should be informed, the 

 process has been accompanied by the dissemination of certain 

 inaccuracies— which, indeed, appears to be inevitable whenever a 

 subject of this kind is dealt with in the popular press— and much 

 unnecessary alarm has been caused. 



Rhus Toxicodendron (which is now taken to include also the 

 R. radicans of Linnaeus) is widely spread over the eastern 

 portions of North America, and is found in certain parts on the 

 western side. It occurs also in Japan. Sometimes it takes the 

 form of a loose, wide-spreading shrub ; sometimes it is a climber. 

 Not only is it variable in mode of growth, but also it exhibits a great 

 diversity in the size and shape of its leaves. Although these are said 

 to be occasionally quinquefoliate, they are almost always trifoliate. 

 The three leaflets of a particular leaf are sometimes similar in size 

 and shape, but usually the middle one is larger than the other 

 two, and it has, invariably, a longer stalk. The margins are either 

 entire or coarsely toothed, the coarse toothing beiug apparently 

 more characteristic of young plants. In the autumn tints of its 

 foliage this shrub is one of the most handsome we possess, dying 

 off as it does into various rich shades of red. Some years ago the 

 climbing form was distributed from a nuv ry as Anipeloptis 

 Hoggii^ a name W hi c h has, of course, no justification, but which 

 was no doubt suggested by its similarity in leaf and colouring to 

 Ampelopsis Veitchii. This is an instance in which the propensity 

 of some plant dealers to give new names to old plants without 

 troubling to have their identity established has been attended by 

 a certain danger to the public, in addition to the inconvenience 

 and confusion this practice always entails. 



In the " Daily Telegraph " article a wrong description of Ampe- 

 lo/ms Veitchii was given. It was there stated that this plant has 

 a " five-pointed leaf!" This, of course, it never has. But many 

 who read the article at once went to examine heir Atnpeloj, s 

 VeitchU, and, finding no « five-pointed » leaves there but p en 

 f trifoliolate ones which fitted the description .of Rhw [^m*£ 

 dmdron, they were immediately struck with the fear th^they 

 were entertaining unawares the dreadful poison-ivy. As a mater 

 of i*ARhua Toxicodendron is a rather uncommon i Patent of 

 large gardens. Over 140 letters and specimens were received in 



