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DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERS. 129 
in mine opinion it is more like unto the bones of a sheep’s 
head that hath been long in the water, or the flesh con- 
sumed clean away.” : 
Since Gerarde’s day, the Snap-Dragon has sported into 
many varieties, not only purple, but rosy, crimson, yellow, 
red and white, white striped, mottled, tipped, etc. It is 
an imperfect perennial, and is apt to die out every few 
years, particularly in a moist soil—in fact I have been un- 
able to keep it through the winter in some seasons. The 
varieties may be propagated from cuttings, or division of 
the root. It is raised abundantly from the seed, flowering 
the first autumn; but not so strong as the second year. 
Many beautiful varieties are in cultivation. It flourishes 
best in a dry, loamy soil; isin flower in June, July, and 
August. Linaria vulgaris, which grows profusely by 
our road sides is a closely related plant; the flowers, 
yellow and orange. This was formerly cultivated in the 
garden, but it has a propensity for running about the 
ground where it is not wanted, and soon becomes a troub- 
lesome weed. A 
APIOS,—Grounp-nut. ° 
{From the Greek word for pear, in allusion to the shape of the tubers.] 
Apios tuberésa.—Ground-nut, Dacotah Potato.—Indi- 
genous and common in rich moist woods and thickets, 
produces flowers in axillary, crowded racemes, of a black- 
ish-purple color, which would make a pleasing acquisition 
to the various ornaments of the border or shrubbery. Its 
roots are strings of oblong cylindrical tubers, frequently 
known by the name of pig or Indian potatoes; when 
roasted or boiled, they are eatable, and said to have made 
an ordinary part of the vegetable food of the aborigines. 
G* 
