12 Indigenous Plants of North America. 



protection of the leaves as the nights grow colder; they were 

 formed for that purpose, and act as a covering to modify the air, 

 keep off the cold at night, the scorching rays of the sun during the 

 day, and to protect the fruit from heavy rains and other injuries. 



These are a very few hasty remarks, which 1 have thrown together : 

 if you deem them worthy an insertion in your forthcoming maga- 

 zine, you are at Hherty to make use of them. In a future number, 

 I shall continue them further. Yours, Pemberton. 



Boston, Dec. 16, 1834. 



Art. III. On the Preservation and Cultivation of the indigenous 

 Plants of North America. By J. E. Teschemacher, Esq. 



Many of the plants which decorate the woods and fields of this 

 region, are with justice considered the pride and ornament of the 

 pleasure-garden in Europe, and only require to be known, in order 

 to rise to the same estimation here. It is to be remarked, also, that 

 plants of difficult cultivation, like the more timid wild animals, seem 

 to recede as civilization and agriculture advance ; so that many, which 

 no doubt grew plentifully in this neighborhood, are now only to be 

 found in sequestered spots, and at considerable distances. 



A short notice of a k\x of the most showy, may not be uninterest- 

 ing to many of your readers; and may, perhaps, introduce into no- 

 tice plants, the pursuit and discovery of which, in their native soil 

 and situations, have afforded, to the writer of this, unalloyed pleasure. 



At the head of the list I would place 



Lobelia cardinalis, the Cardinal flower, the brilliant scarlet spikes 

 of which ornament the sides of brooks and watery places, in July and 

 August. Although these are its native habitats, yet cultivation has 

 shown that constant moisture is not absolutely necessary, and that it 

 will flourish in almost any part of the garden, if not too arid. It is 

 easily propagated by division of the root, either after flowering or 

 very early in the spring. In Europe, where the taste prevails of 

 planting flowers in masses, the splendid color of this plant causes it 

 to be thus abundantly employed. 



Gerardia — three varieties of yellow, and three of rose color. I 

 have placed this plant second on the list, with a view of drawing the 

 attention of experimental horticulturists to its habits, which are sin- 

 gular and render it very difficult of cultivation. Its great beauty and 

 elegance would, however, amply repay any trouble that might be 

 taken to make it common in our gardens. It grows in woods in the 

 vicinity of Brighton and Dorchester; and all three varieties of the 

 yellow, which are very distinct in foliage, are abundantly found in 

 the woods about Hingham. On lacerating very slightly any part of 

 the plant, either stem, leaf or flower, it immediately turns black and 



