Domestic Notices. 193 



season. We were first struck with its elegance from observing, in the 

 Botanic Garden at Cambridge, several little patches of it when in its full 

 flowering state ; they might be seen from any part of the garden, so 

 profuse were their snowy blossoms. It is much prized in England, 

 where it is cultivated with great care. It grows beautifully in several 

 locations in the vicinity, where it can be easily procured, as it can, we 

 presume, be had at any of the nurseries. The plants delight in a shady 

 moist place; and, for this reason, are valuable, as they will thrive under 

 the drip of trees, or on borders where the sini shines but a few hours 

 during the day. A partially decomposed leaf soil or peat is preferable, 

 in which they will grow vigorously, and spread with great rapidity. We 

 transferred only two small plants to our garden a year since, and there 

 are now in blossom more than thirty flowers. — Conds. 



Extract from a letter, dated Cincinnati, March 11, 1836. — " Our winter has 

 been severe and protracted ; yesterday a fall of snow six inches, and 

 to-day very cold. Should our climate continue as it has been for two 

 years, we may lose some of our southern species of plants, and perhaps 

 have some of the more northern naturalized. Erigenia bulb6sa and Sax- 

 afraga virginiensis often bloom this month (March); this season they 

 cannot be out till April." — Com. by J. L. R. 



From my Spnng Calendar. — The following is the difference between 

 the advance of the spring of 1831 and that of the present year, 1836, as 

 seen in the flowering of plants : — 

 1831. March 9, Galanthus nivalis. 1836. April 8, ^'Inus serrulita. 



"7, Crocus vernalis. " 12, C'orylus avellana. 



" 13, I'ctodes fcE'tlda. " " SkVix eriocephala. 



" 15, ./5'lnus serrulata. " " Crocus vernalis. 



Fiola ordorata. " 18, .^^cer rubrum, about 



" 27, Corylus avellana. to flower. 



" 31, Populus tremuloides, " '' He patica triloba, just 



^alix erioc6phala. expanded. 



1831. April 3. A^cer rubrum, fT'lnus americanus, Juniperus virgin- 

 i^na. April 12. Hepatica triloba. April 14. Houstonza cserulea, San- 

 guinaria canadensis, Saxafraga vernalis, Portentilla simplex, Gnaphalium 

 platagenoides, Cynoglossum omphalodes, Skills per^nnis, Pulmonaria of- 

 ficinalis. April 15. Hyacinths, opening. April 20. c4nem6ne nemoro- 

 sa, Leontodon .Taraxacum, Erythronium americanum, Carex vestita, 

 April 21. Fiola ovata, V. blanda, Coptis trifoliata, Caltha paliistris. 

 Apricot ill full flower. It will be observed that garden and native plants 

 are mentioned. In both instances the distance from Boston was the 

 same, about fifteen miles. — A constant Observer ofJVature. 



Utility of the Prickly Pear {Cactus opuntia). — We extract from an inter- 

 esting article on the vegetation of Mount Etna in Prof Hooker's Com- 

 panion to the Botanical Magazine, the following note upon one of our 

 indigenous plants : — " On the roughest lava thrives the Indian or Prickly 

 pear. Cactus opuntia, of which the large cooling fruits are sold at the 

 rate of one Sicilian gran, or less than 2d., for thirty. This plant is one of 

 the most useful presents of the new to the old world, as it grows on the 

 poorest and most rocky soil, where nothing else will vegetate, requiring 

 no attention, and eveii its succulent jointed stems are greedily devoured 

 by goats, while the fruits are highly acceptable to the poor ; and stran- 

 gers, who seldom like the flavor at first, soon learn to value their cooling 

 properties. There are numei'ons varieties — light and dark red and green; 

 the latter, called Moscarelli, possesses the finest flavor. The Cactus 

 opiintia is of much service to Mount Etna, by rendering the fields of lava 

 capable being worked, as the roots penetrate every crevice of the stone 

 and soon burst the largest blocks asunder by their gradual increase. It 



VOL. 11. NO. V. 25 



