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common jimson, or Jamestown, weed, the seeds of which 
are poisonous, a native of tropical regions, but a common 
weed along our roadsides; the nightshade, a European 
plant, but commonly distributed as an introduction in 
many parts of this country, also with poisonous fruit; 
tobacco plants and solanums; it is to this family that the 
potato, tomato and egg-plant belong, plants of which will 
be found at the economic garden. A little beyond and 
to the left of the mints are the two beds allotted to the 
figwort family; of interest here are: the beard-tongues, of 
which there are several species; the speedwells (Veronica), 
among them the long-leaved speedwell and the gentian 
speedwell; the fox-gloves (Digitalis), from one of which, 
the purple fox-glove, the valuable medicine digitalin is 
derived; Lyon’s snake-head from the southern states; 
culver’s-root, from the southeastern United States; and 
several figworts. Just beyond this may be found the 
unicorn-plant family, represented by the unicorn-plant. 
A little beyond is the globularia family, with a single 
species of globularia. To the right is the acanthus family; 
not many of these plants are hardy in this latitude, but 
in house 2 at conservatory range I many representatives 
may be found, as the family is largely confined to tropical 
and warm temperate areas; in this bed may be seen the 
hairy ruellia, from the southeastern United States. In this 
neighborhood may also be seen the lopseed family, repre- 
sented by the lopseed, a native of eastern North America. 
To the right of the acanthus family is the single bed de- 
voted to the plantain family; several species, such as Ru- 
gel’s plantain and rib-grass, are pernicious weeds in this 
neighborhood, often disfiguring an otherwise even lawn. 
Just beyond the mints may be found the two beds of the 
madder family; to this belongs the dainty little bluets or 
innocence, which sometimes give a blue sheen to sterile, 
sandy plac¢s, so abundant is it in some localities; it is quite 
common in eastern North America; several species of 
bedstraw (Galium) may also be found here, while many 
