30 SOLANUM TORKEVI. TORREY S SOLANUM. 



by Professor Snow, and is probably rare in that State. Indeed 

 from the fact that while so many collectors have been over both 

 the States named in different directions it does not appear in 

 their lists, it is probable that it is not a common species. If 

 this be so it is remarkable, as the plant increases from creeping 

 under-ground stems ; or at least every portion of its roots, when 

 broken, will push out and make a plant, in this respect much 

 resembling the " Horse-Nettle " before referred to, and which is 

 so great a pest that in Delaware the writer has known cultivated 

 ground abandoned on account of its existence. It is well to 

 take particular notice of this power of growth possessed by the 

 roots, as from its beauty it will probably be sought for by culti- 

 vators, and may become very troublesome unless this character 

 be well known. To those who understand it litde trouble need 

 arise from its culture, for its neighbor, the " Horse-Nettle," is 

 easily kept within bounds by a litde watchfulness. A case came 

 under the writer's notice where the " Horse-Nettle " had estab- 

 lished itself profusely before it was observed, but on its discov- 

 ery a boy was set to dig the roots out carefully. Broken por- 

 tions left in the earth orrew, and these were acrain taken out. 

 This was repeated three times during the season, and it was 

 believed that all were destroyed ; but on closely watching, a few 

 plants were found the next year, and were also taken out, and 

 no more appeared any time afterwards. This was on a large 

 scale, and of course entailed great labor, but a very little care 

 would be sufficient to keep a single plant within bounds under 

 garden culture. Its beauty well deserves any little attendon 

 that may be required in cultivating it. 



Torrey's Solanum, while it has not much history of its own to 

 boast of, belongs to a very celebrated genus. In numbers th.ey 

 are enormous. Don, in his " Dictionary of Gardening," pub- 

 lished in 1838, numbers 406 of them, without including the 

 Tomato-like species and others which were regarded as Solamims 

 by Linnaeus. Decandolle in his " Prodromus " gives nine hundred 

 and twenty species! So that a critical study of this genus is 



