AGROSTKMMA, (Viscaria,) Nat. Ord. Caryophyllacea:. 



The annual Agrostemmas, or, more correctly, Viscartas, are very pretty, free blooming and 

 hardy annuals, making desirable beds and useful for cutting. The flowers are something like a 

 single Pink, and are borne on long, slender stems. The plants are 

 of a rather straggling habit, and produce abundance 

 of flowers with but very little foliage, so that a single 

 plant, or a few plants set widely apart, do not present 

 a very pretty appearance ; but when planted thickly 

 in a bed, form a mass of color quite satisfactory, resem- 

 bling a good bed of the bright colored Phlox Drum- 

 mondii. This flower was introduced into England 

 from Sicily more than a hundred years since, and is 



quite popular and common in English gardens, and is considered effective in 

 producing a mass of bright color. We have had very good results in sowing this 

 seed in the bed where it was intended to bloom, thinning out the plants but very little, 

 if any. We have been much pleased with it as a plant for edgings for beds of Gladiolus or 

 other tall plants. Grows about twelve inches in height, and should be set about six inches apart. 



ALONSOA, Nat. Ord. Serophulariacece. 



The Alonsoas are natives of Chili and Peru, and when first introduced into Europe were 

 treated as green-house plants, but of late years have been generally cultivated as tender or half- 

 hardy annuals. Young plants removed to the house or green-house 

 in the autumn will continue to flower during the winter. The 

 flowers are small, but of remarkably brilliant colors, in which respect \ 

 they are excelled by very few of our richly 

 colored flowers. We have succeeded best 

 t>y sowing seed under glass and trans 

 planting, in this latitude about the first of 

 June, and as the plant is inclined to be hard- ^ 

 wooded, any young plants taken up and 

 potted will assume a shrub-like form and 

 continue to grow and flower for a long 

 time. This flower has been cultivated for 

 about fifty years, and the improvement 

 since its introduction has not been marked. 



ALYSSUM, Nat. Ord. Crudferee. 



The Sweet Alyssum is one of those modest plants that everybody likes and every one must 

 have. Its pretty little white flowers are so purely white, and so useful in making up all kinds of 

 small bouquets, and its fragrance, while sufficiently pronounced, so very 

 delicate, reminding one of the peculiar aroma of the hay-field, that no 

 florist feels satisfied unless he has a little bed of Alyssum that he can 

 resort to at all times when delicate flowers are needed. The Alyssum 

 grows freely from seed, either under glass or in the open ground, though 

 it does not germinate freely in the open ground in dry, hot weather. 

 For a low, white edging or border, the Alyssum is excellent, as its habit 

 is good, and height only about six inches. The little black flea that 

 destroys Cabbage and Turnip in the seed-leaf is 

 exceedingly fond of Alyssum, and will destroy 

 whole beds. Dusting with fine ashes is of 

 advantage, and if a little fine snuff is mixed with 

 the ashes the effect is better. The Alyssum was 

 first found wild on the shores of the Mediterra- 

 nean, and is now found growing on the rocky 

 cliffs of some parts ot the English coast, but is supposed to have become naturalized ; that is, the 

 seeds were accidentally carried from gardens to the fields and woods by birds or some other means. 



