HYDRANGEA OTAKSA. 



By Robert Buist, Philadelphia, Pa. 



I HAVE, the past five years, grown and distributed a hardy doubler 

 flowering shrubby Hydrangea under this name, which has of late re- 

 ceived much pubHc attention. When in Europe the past year, I found 

 that there was considerable doubt as to the identity of this plant. I 

 also discovered that my plant was Hydrangea stellata Jl. pL, and being 

 desirous of giving your readers the correct authority of the plants, I 

 addressed a note on the subject to Mr. Thomas Hogg, than whom there 

 are none more honorable, or who have a better knowledge of Japanese 

 plants. Our country will ever be indebted to him for the vast collec- 

 tions he has introduced from that country. If you consider his letter 

 an object to your readers, please give it a place. 



"Brooklyn, October i8, 1871. 



" Dear Sir : Owing to my absence from home, I did not receive 

 your favor of the 6th inst., until Monday evening. In regard to your 

 inquiry as to the name and character of Hydrangea Otaksa^ I have to 

 inform you that you will find it figured and described in Van Siebold 

 and Zuccarini's Flora Japonica. A copy of this work is at the Astor 



