MAY. 



39 



of this little plant. It deserves cultivation, and, 

 in truth, if it is transplanted to a position in the 

 garden similar to its natural environment, it will 

 flourish most satisfactorily. It is a shame that any 

 aspersion of falsity should attach to it ; why should 

 not a plant so deserving have its own good name? 

 We might as well call a Frenchman a false English- 

 man ! There is such poverty displayed among names 

 that we may find a Bald Knob 

 and Black Mountain in nearly 

 every mountain district of our 

 Atlantic States. It seems as 

 though our nation was lacking 

 in both originality and imagina- 

 tion ! The false and the true 

 Solomon's seals will be found 

 growing on the edge of the 

 wood together ; but the latter 

 is a trifle earlier in bloom. S. 

 racemosa has a pale reddish ber- 

 ry speckled like a bird's egg. 



Smilaeina stel- 



lata is another 

 so-called false Solomon's seal, 

 which also deserves a name of 

 its own. It grows not quite as high as 8. racemosa, 

 and it is not so pretty. I found it thickly spread 



Smilaeina stellata. 



Smilaeina slellata. 



