242 Notes and Gleanings. 



The Compass Plant. — Our more common name is Resin Weed. In your 

 July number you say, '• This plant possesses the peculiarity of holding its leaves 

 in such a position that the edges point north and south, so that it is used by the 

 settlers on the prairies, when lost in dark nights, to get their bearings." 



Not only the edge of leaves, but the whole leaf, and all the leaves on the stalk 

 usually point north and south, and the flower on the top of the stalk points or 

 faces south. This is a general rule, though not invariable. The " settlers on 

 the western prairies " never look for a " Compass Plant " '' when lost in dark 

 nights ; " but it has sometimes been looked to in the day time as a guide. We, the 

 early settlers of these broad prairies, used occasionally to get lost in a cloudy 

 day ; yes, lost in. the day time, as really so as a boat at sea without a compass, 

 and we preferred a pocket compass to a Resin Weed. 



Resin Weed — its name indicates its character. Its stalks, which are four 

 to eight feet high, contain quite a quantity of resin, so much that when the cat- 

 tle or horses ate off the tender top, a gum would form on the top of the broken 

 stalk — a small lump of good chewing gum, much hke spruce gum, and I have 

 often gathered and chewed it, reminding me of my boyhood days in the moun- 

 tains of New England. We also used to gather a bundle of drj- Resin Weed, 

 and hght it, and stick it in the bow of the canoe, for a torch light, to fish 

 by at night. It was excellent sport to see the fine fish of Rock River and Ce- 

 dar River gather beneath our light, where we could spear them, and bring in a 

 hundred weight in an hour. Stiel Foster. 



MUSCATIKE, lOW.^ 



The Duraxdeau Pear. — By turning, to page 488 of Downing's Book of 

 Fruits, you will find that the '• Durandeau " Pear is " mentioned " by a full de- 

 scription of the variet}-. The name "Durandeau," being a synonyme of "De 

 Tongres," and more euphonious, has been generally adopted here. It is not 

 much cultivated in this vicinty, although a very superior variet}-, and is held in 

 great esteem by those who succeed in growing it ; but the young wood is apt to 

 winter-kill in our severe winters, which makes it objectionable to many cultiva- 

 tors. And besides, there are other very superior varieties, ripening at the same 

 time, which are grown here in large quantities and in great perfection, such as 

 the Comice, d'Anjou, Superfine, Sheldon, etc. There is a fair crop of pears in 

 prospect, but that of apples will be small in this \-icinity. 



Speaking of apples, I am reminded to say that the canker worm has made sad 

 work with some of our finest orchards this season. And when I see people, as 

 I have lately, vainly endeavoring to apply some remedy to exterminate the pests, 

 I wish it could be e7nphatitally impressed on their minds that the remedies 

 7n2ist be applied itt the autumn, or their labor is in vain. C. 



WoBCESTER, Mass. 



[We recollected, as soon as reminded of it, that Durandeau is a s}-nonyme of 

 De Tongres, but we can't carry ever}-thing in our head all the time, and Duran- 

 deau happens to be accidentally omitted in the index to Downing's book. — Ed.] 



