HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL, 



141 



INDIGENOUS PLANTS. 



As the floral season has commenced we must give, as we promised, the 

 names of the various plants indigenous to this neighborhood. At this time 

 (April) all are in bloom from the very earliest. Draba verna is generally the 

 first open, and Hepatica triloba and Epigsea repens, 



« And where the spring some happier verdure frees 

 Laugh into light frank-eyed Anemones." 



Many of our readers, no doubt, like ourselves, are making additions to 

 their herbarium, or it may be commencing one ; to these we would give the 

 advice, " neglect nothing, no matter how common it may be." Do not leave 

 your collection without Ranunculus acris, because it is u only a Butter-cup," 

 or R. abortivus, because the flowers are not pretty — take Gray's Botany of 

 the Northern United States, a book which you cannot do without, and pre- 

 serve every plant you can find: you will learn more by collecting the plants 

 and trying to get the names yourself, than by any other method. Beginners 

 however must be careful not to jump at conclusions, or to guess at the names 

 of plants, or they may find themselves very often laughed at ; they need 

 not fear that, however, from real plant-knowers, for these know the difficul- 

 ties in your way and remember their own mistakes. And here let me urge 

 the fact, that knowing plants by name at sight does not constitute a botanist, 

 any more than knowing a great number of people would make an anatomist. 



It has been said by plant collectors, that the Flora of the neighborhood of 

 Philadelphia is one of the richest in this country, and certainly there are 

 enough beautiful plants in flower from early spring until very late in the 

 autumn, to satisfy any one who loves these most attractive of nature's pro- 

 ductions. Among the plants now in bloom in this neighborhood are the fol- 

 lowing — all of which we have either seen in flower or have had reported 

 to us : — 



Anemone nemorosa. Wood Anemone. Ranunculacese. 



Hepatica triloba, blue and white. Liver-wort. 



Ranunculus acris. Butter-cup. 



" sceleratus. Cursed crowfoot, 



" abortivus. 



" bulbosus. 



Caltha palustris. Marsh marigold. 



Aquilegia Canadensis. Wild Columbine. 



Thalictrum anemonoides. Meadow rue. 



Podophyllum peltatum. May apple. Berberidacese. 



Sanguinaria Canadensis. Blood root. Papaveracese. 



