Domestic Notices. 235 



Do you see that shining and deep green sempei-virent holly ; unchanged 

 and almost unchangeable it still remains as when its full developed fo- 

 liage clothed its stout branches last summer. It has already lent its aid 

 to enliven, by contrast, the barren majesty of winter, and still shines con- 

 spicuous in its unfaded glory. Next that group of white stemmed, 

 graceful birches, now tremulous to every breath of genial spring in their 

 lighter green and delicate foliage, and long pendent aments. The hardy 

 and slow growing oaks are unfolding their tender leaves, green, crimson, 

 yellow, and displaying their modest flowers, the future embryo acorn, for 

 a future growth. The firm, rigid and silky envelops of the walnuts, in 

 their numerous species, are expanded, and silently dropping from the 

 bases of yet unfolded leaflets, no longer needed as guardians from in- 

 jury and cold. The native prototypes of our delicious garden plums 

 and apricots and pears, are lending their snow petals to fill up the pic- 

 ture, and, as you approach the meadow or the tangled thicket of the ad- 

 joining swamp, there meets your eye the bell-formed and nectared cups 

 of the Vaccinia, or the lovely pearl necklaced corols of the early androme- 

 rfa, before which the En'cace^ of more torrid regions fade in relative beauty. 

 A few days has effected this mighty change, 



"Shade unpurceived still softening into shade ;" 



SO that even the most ardent admirer of autunm's varied and fading liv- 

 ery could now find each combination of coloring more delicately formed 

 and exquisitely blended, than the silent precursor of icy winter can dis- 

 play. This is life, vital energy, the vigor of vegetable economy, — and 

 that, the consummation and decay of y)erfected organization. Nor is the 

 latter unpleasiug, nor conveys it ideas of sadness and gloom. Na 

 ture is ever joyous and exliilarating. We want but the disposition to re- 

 gard her operation as all beautiful in their time, to render her influence 

 over our constant happiness eflfectual. — Yours, R. 



Fine Varieties of the Dahlia. — This plant is now so well known and so 

 universally admired that it is hardly necessai-y to say any thing upon 

 its cultivation. In making a selection out of the great number of va- 

 rieties now offered for sale, I send you a list of twelve for the beginner, 

 viz. : — 



Agrippina, mottled white. 



Countess of Liverpool, superb scarlet. 



Dennisii, Jine ruby. 



Douglas's Augusta, shaded purple. 



King of the Whites, delicate paper white. 



Lord Liver]iool,^ne dark puce. 



Richardson's AHcia, ivhite spotted. 



Springfield Rival, dark rosy crimson. 



Duchess of Bedford, brilliant scarlet. 



Jason, bright gold color. 



Perfection, superb rosy crimson. 



Queen of Dahlias, ivhite, tviih rosy lilac edge. 



Yours, S. Walker, Roxbury, April, 1836. 

 Perspiration of Plants. — A beautiful instance of the very sensible per- 

 spiration of those plants, the venation of whose leaves are straight, (en- 

 dogense), occurred to my observationthismorning, on the young leaves of 

 "Tigridia, pav6nia and T. conchiflora." A similar exudation of superfla 

 ous sap takes i)lace in the Graminese, which, unless noticed before sun- 

 rise, escapes detection, as it ra])idly passes oflT by the increased heat of 

 the atmosphere. A large crystal drop of inodorous and tasteless liquid 

 flowed from the summit of each leaf, and when removed, was replaced 

 by another. The atmosphere of the room was a little drier than that 

 without, and so cool as to render the exudation perceptible for several 

 hours.— -(Com. by J. L. R, May 25.) 



