108 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
The wild ageratum, Hupatorium ageratoides, you will find growing in moist, 
shady places with the asters. You will recognize it from its resemblance to the 
blue ageratum of the gardens. It is sometimes highly recommended for a com- 
panion to the scarlet salvia. If you can succeed in growing the cardinal flower, 
Lobelia cardinalis, the ageratum will go well withit. The blue Lobelia syph- 
ilitica is also desirable. 
The blue gentian of our meadows, Gentiana puberula, is the crowning glory 
of our autumn fields. I know of nothing more beautiful than a cluster of these 
wonderfully blue flowers, which hide in the long grass of the prairie, often close 
to the roadside, and, when the sun shines brightly, open the petals to the fullest 
extent, closing tightly at night and on cloudy days. The flowers are very sensi- 
tive to light, often opening at night, if placed directly under the rays of a large 
lamp. 
These flowers are due in the first weeks of October. You will find some by 
the 8th of that month, and with them I close this part of my list. 
FERNS. 
Our commonest fern is also one of the best for cultivation, the bladder fern, 
Cystopteris fragilis. We have also the maidenhair fern, Adiantum pedatum; 
the Christmas fern, Aspidium acrostichoides ; the walking fern, Camptosorus 
rhizophyllus, and the moonwort, Botrychium virginianum, which is classed 
with ferns, although not one strictly speaking. There are some other ferns 
growing in the limestone ledges—the little cloak fern and the rock brake, which 
will need careful treatment in imitating their natural surroundings in order to 
do well. 
Of vines, I hesitate which to put first. The Virginia creeper, Ampelopsis 
quinquefolia, seems to lead, with the climbing rose, Rosa setigera, a close sec- 
ond. Bitter-sweet, Celastrus scandens ; the clematis, two species, C’. virgini- 
ana and C. pitcheri; the wild cucumber, Lchinosystis lobata; and the 
moonseed vine, Menispermum canadense, will give you quite a collection of 
native vines which have no objectionable features. I am tempted to add the 
passion-flower, native to the southern part of the state and the Indian territory 
and southward. The vine spreads from the root, but does not form seed in this 
climate. I must add the wild grape and the hop. 
Of shrubs, you may select from button bush, Cephalanthus occidentalis ; 
Amorpha fruticosa (the botany gives no common name—tall lead-wort will 
perhaps answer); sweet sumac, Rhus aromatica, which has attractive red ber- 
ries; the sheepberry, nanny-berry, Viburnum prunifolium, which is sometimes 
called the black haw. The glossy, pear-like leaves make this one of our finest 
shrubs for decoration, even when not in bloom or fruit. Some of the cornels, 
dogwoods, might be used; and the Staphylea trifolia, or bladdernut, ought 
not to be left out. 
For the water garden, you will want the water-lily, Nelumbo lutea, closely re- 
lated to the lotus; the snow-head, Sagittaria variabilis ; the water plantain, 
Alisma plantago ; the bladderwort, Utricularia vulgaris ; the water crow- 
foot, Ranunculus multifidus, with its golden flowers like a buttercup; the 
Jussicea, with its shining leaves and yellow flowers; the water-willow, Dian- 
thera americana, witb its two-lipped white flowers, marked with purple; the 
little wild lantana or fog-fruit, Lippia lanceolata, and some plants of the cat- 
tail, Typha latifolia. 
For the rockery, the stone crop, Sedum pulchellum, will be good, and the 
Houstiana angustifolia. This last has flowers of pinkish white, which remind 
one of the bouvardias. 
