COMPOSITE FAMILY 



snows of November before half its buds have opened. The efforts 

 of the gardeners are turned toward developing plants with a shorter 



season and lower, better foli- 

 aged stems. The primitive 

 flower of Cosmos hipinnatus is 

 stellate; that is, it has open 

 spaces feetween its rays. 

 These rays in cultivation have 

 broadened and rounded in 

 outline and have overlapped, 

 so that the new forms do not 

 show any vacant spaces be- 

 tween the rays, but present an 

 unbroken face. This same 

 tendency has prevailed in the 

 garden evolution of many 

 other flowers, notably dahlias, 

 coreopsis, and geraniums. 

 Gardeners seem to abhor a 

 space between the petals of a 

 The size of the primitive flower 



Cosmos. Cosmos hipinnatus 



flower as Nature does a vacuum. 



is about an inch across, but the best varieties are now three inches 

 and even more. The primitive stock was killed by the first frosts, 

 but the race now bears considerable cold. Unquestionably, Cos- 

 mos, beautiful as it is, has possibilities of much greater beauty. 



GOLDEN-ROD 



Solidhgo. 



Name from solidare, to join or make whole; in allusion to reputed 

 healing qualities. 



Perennial herbs with wand-like stems, sessile or nearly sessile stem- 

 leaves, and yellow flowers. 



Flower -heads. — Small, radiate, few to many-flowered; either racemed 

 or clustered. 



496 



