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family, to which belongs the genus Basella, here represented. 
The pokeweed family is represented by the common poke 
or garget (Phytolacca), native of the eastern part of North 
America, a plant of medicinal value and poisonous, but 
its young shoots when first appearing above the ground 
are sometimes used as “greens.” In the carpetweed family 
are the carpetweed, from which the family derives its 
name, a native of the United States and Mexico, but a 
common weed in this vicinity; and representatives of the 
south African fig-marigolds (Mesembryanthemum), many 
of them very showy; they are not hardy in this latitude and 
must be planted out every spring. In the purslane family, 
among others, may be found the sunplant or common 
portulaca of the gardens, a native of South America; the 
small-flowered talinum, from the central United States; 
and the common purslane or pusly, a pernicious weed in 
many sections of the country, and often used for ‘“‘greens”’ 
or as a salad. 
Then comes the chickweed family, with sandworts, 
chickweeds and related plants. The pink family follows, 
where many kinds of pinks, catchflies, and gypsophils 
may be found. In the first pool, formed by the widening 
of the brook, is the water-lily family; the large yellow pond 
lily or spatterdock, a native of eastern North America, 
may be seen here, as may also its relative, the red-disked 
pond lily, from northeastern North America; the sweet- 
scented water-lily, and its variety, the pink, or Cape Cod, 
water-lily, also find a place here; the water-shield or water- 
target is also a member of this family and a native of North 
America. The tanks in the court of the public conserva- 
tories contain a great many additional kinds. The horn- 
wort family likewise occupies a position in this pool. The 
aquatic members of the crowfoot family are grown here, 
the terrestrial forms being placed in four beds to the west- 
ward; one of these beds is given up entirely to the peonies 
(Paeonia), of which there are a number of interesting and 
handsome forms, and in the other beds may be found lark- 
