ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



183 



§0lantral gejjartment. 



;koi{Gk vasey, 



TO OUR READERS. 



lu entering upon this department, it nuiy be 

 expected of the Editor that lie define liis posi- 

 tion. We feel the importance of a more general 

 diffusion of botanical information. Very many 

 persons have little or no pleasure in looking 

 into a scientific text book. The information is 

 there usually conveyed in the tersest technical 

 language. In these pages, though we may pre- 

 sent little matter that is absolutely new, we hope 

 to present something each month that shall be 

 intelligible and attractive to the popular reader. 

 We do not mean to discard the scientific; on 

 tlie contrary, we hope to have a place for the 

 researches and observations of the learned ; but 

 there is a numerous class of readers who will 

 be better interested by familiar language, an 

 easy style, and more detailed description. 



By these means, and by suitable illustrations, 

 we hope to extend among our fellows an ac- 

 (|uaintance with our native plants, especially 

 where this knowledge may have any bearing 

 upon general industry or utility. 



We know that the love of Flowers is almost 

 universal. We propose here to cultivate, not 

 only the taste for the beavitiful and ornamental, 

 but to direct attention to the less obvious, but 

 not less wonderful, develoi^ments of structure 

 and functions, observable in the humblest as 

 well as the most showy plants. We intend to 

 devote especial attention to our native forest 

 trees and shrubs, and to urge our people to 

 an acquaintance with them, and to a cultiva- 

 tion of them both for purposes of ornament 

 and utility. 



Here we hope, also, to have a place where our 

 botanical friends may freely record their ob- 

 servations on any peculiar, interesting, or rare 

 plants of their region. And for those who love 

 plants, and have not the time or the facilities 

 needed for looking out their names, we shall 

 have a column where their inquiries may be 

 answered. 



We wish for and solicit contributions, on sub- 

 jects pertaining to\his science, from all parts 

 of our extended country. 



Our first eftbrts in this work may not equal 

 our desire — for we labor under disadvantages — 

 but we trust to secure a growing interest /wand 

 for this our new enterprise. 



SPRIXG FLOWERS. 



With what interest do we watch the first ap- 

 pearance of vegetation in the spring. On warm, 

 sunny slopes in open woods, peeping out from 

 masses of fallen leaves, we find the Claytonia 

 and Hepatica expanding their delicate petals to 

 receive the first genial rays of the sun. 

 The Claytonias. 



[Fig. 113.1 



Claytonia Virginica. 



These form a genus of delicate, handsome 

 plants, belonging to the Portulacca family. Two 

 species are found more or less plentifully in all 

 the States east of the Mississippi ; they are Clai/- 

 tonia Virginica (Fig. 113) and Claytonia Caro- 

 liniana (Fig. 113), and are commonly known by 

 the name of Spring Beauties. 



If we dig away the soil from the plants we 

 shall find that they spring from small brown 



[Fig. lU.] 



tubers, buried 

 several inches 

 below the sur- 

 face. Each tu- 

 ber sends up 

 from three to 

 ten plants, 

 which consist 

 of weak, slen- 

 der stems, five 

 to ten inches 

 A long, with one 

 pair of leaves 

 placed oppo- 

 site each other, 



and terminated by a loo.se raceme of fiowers. 



The flowers are about half an inch in diameter. 



