246 Notes and News. 



combining practical methods with scientific accuracy. It is impos- 

 sible to divorce technical details from our work in this treatment, 

 but we aim to give enough in popular style to repay the general 

 reader. On the other hand, the specialist will find the journal 

 indispensable from the quantity of original matter, whether it be in 

 technical or popular language. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



Lupinus nanus. — Of all the annual lupines, this dwarf Califor- 

 nian species is one of the most charming, the shade of purple-blue 

 being particularly pleasing. When in Essex recently, I saw a large 

 patch of it on a seed farm, and was enabled to realize what a mass 

 of pleasing color is formed when so grown. The seed farmers sow 

 thinly, and then take out some of the plants if they deem them to 

 be too crowded. The individuals, having room in which to develop, 

 form dense tufts and bloom with surprising beauty and brilliancy. 

 But in ordinary gardens the sower of seeds of annuals seems unable 

 in most cases to overcome the bad habit of sowing too thickly, or 

 of understanding the necessity for some thinning out. Only let any 

 one grow this delightful annual in good soil in an open situation 

 and give it plenty of room, and its beauty will astonish. — The Gar- 

 den, xl. 53. 



Layias. — These pretty hardy annuals were shown at Chiswick 

 the other day in the Kew collection of cut flowers and attracted 

 great attention. The one which in the Kew group attracted chief 

 attention was Layia heterotricha, with flowers about the diameter 

 of a half-crown piece, yellow eye, rich yellow ground, edged very 

 evenly on the points of the petals with pure white. The edging is 

 narrow and clearly defined, the ground a very beautiful shade of 

 apricot-yellow. Out in the gardens and under a north wall there is 

 a small bed of Layia elegans, presumably the same thing. Both 

 are lovely annuals and should be universally grown, especially to 

 furnish flowers for cutting. Layia glandulosa in the Kew collection 

 has charming pure white flowers. This is a lovely little variety also 

 and should become an immense favorite, especially for vase or 

 espergne decoration.— The Garden, xl. 53. 



A new Aster. — Those who are interested in these beautiful fall 

 blooming wild flowers, will find a new species illustrated and des- 

 cribed in a recent number of the Botanical Gazette. It is called 

 Aster Orcuttii, and is from the Colorado desert, in California. It 



