30 SOLANUM TORREYI.—TORREY'S SOLANUM. 
by Professor Snow, and is probably rare in that State. Indeed 
from the fact that while so many collectors have been over both 
the States named in different directions it does not appear in 
their lists, it is probable that it is not a common species. If 
this be so it is remarkable, as the plant increases from creeping 
under-ground stems; or at least every portion of its roots, when 
- broken, will push out and make a plant, in this respect much 
resembling the “ Horse-Nettle” before referred to, and which is 
so great a pest that in Delaware the writer has known cultivated 
ground abandoned on account of its existence. It is well to 
take particular notice of this power of growth possessed by the 
roots, as from its beauty it will probably be sought for by culti- 
vators, and may become very troublesome unless this character 
be well known. To those who understand it little trouble need 
arise from its culture, for its neighbor, the “ Horse-Nettle,” is 
easily kept within bounds by a little watchfulness. A case came 
under the writer’s notice where the “ Horse-Nettle” had estab- 
lished itself profusely before it was observed, but on its discov- 
ery a boy was set to dig the roots out carefully. Broken por- 
tions left in the earth grew, and these were again taken out. 
This was repeated three times during the season, and it was 
believed that all were destroyed; but on closely watching, a few 
plants were found the next year, and were also taken out, and 
no more appeared any time afterwards. This was ona large 
scale, and of course entailed great labor, but a very little care 
would be sufficient to keep a single plant within bounds under 
garden culture. Its beauty well deserves any little attention 
that may be required in cultivating it. 
Torrey’s Solanum, while it has not much history of its own to 
boast of, belongs to a very celebrated genus. In numbers they 
are enormous, Don, in his “Dictionary of Gardening,” pub- 
lished in 1838, numbers 406 of them, without including the 
Tomato-like species and others which were regarded as Solanuims 
by Linnzeus. Decandolle in his “ Prodromus” gives nine hundred 
and twenty species! So that a critical study of this genus is 
