.64 



THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



to identify it. — Miss S. F. Sanborn, Concord, N. H. [Possibly 

 the odor mentioned may be a peculiarity confined to certain 

 plants in the locality mentioned, in which case the species could 

 scarcely be identified by this means. We have never noticed 

 the obliquity in the fragrance. We are, however, all likely to 

 assume that what we find true of one lot of plants must be true 

 of the species as a whole. The hepatica is commonly regarded 

 as lacking fragrance, yet in some localities it has a distinct per- 

 fume. Other apparently odorless flowers may occasionally sur- 

 prise us by the occurrence of some individuals possessing per- 

 fume. There may also be a difference in the quality of the per- 

 fume. All sw^eet-scented flowers are not equally fragrant nor 

 are all ill-scented flowers equally bad. The flowers of Ailan- 

 tJius are reputed to be exceedingly ill-scented, but many that w^e 

 have examined appear to be almost odorless. A further study 

 of the shadbush blossoms w^ould be interesting. — Ed.] 



Paired Narcissi. — The poet's narcissus is a well-know^n 

 spring flower which is borne singly on a long stalk. The poly- 

 anthus narcissi, represented by such forms as the Chinese 

 sacred lily and the paper white narcissus, produce many flowers 

 on a stem, but the poet's narcissus normally produces but one. 

 Last season, however, several plants of the latter species pro- 

 duced twin flowers, in this feature approaching still another 

 species. Narcissus biflorns, which always bears two flowers on a 

 stalk. Narcissus biflonis seems to have once been more com- 

 mon in cultivation than it is at present. It may still be found 

 occasionally in old fashioned gardens where it goes by the 

 name of primrose peerless. It is the latest of the narcissi to 

 bloom and often comes so late as to deserve its common name 

 of June narcissus. 



New Forms of Rudbeckias. — The ease with, which al- 

 most any wild flower may be made to yield new varieties is well 

 illustrated by the black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Jiirfa) which in 

 the course of two or three years in the editor's garden has pro- 



