THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



117 



••'^ We call tliem rabbit-bells." When the spring blossoms 

 led me to Crotalaria ovalis, I wrote above the common 

 name of rattle-pod, ^^rabbit-bells " 



Cincmi^Rti^ Ohio. 



5, 



Wanted.. — Short notes of interest to the general bot- 

 ■anist are always in demand for this department. Our 

 readers are invited to make this the place of publication 

 for their botanical items. 



A Measure for Gardeners. — My sister who is very 

 fond of gardening fias the handles of h^r rakes and hoes 

 marked off in feet. It is great convenience to have a 

 measu(re at hand in laying off beds or setting plants.— 

 Mrs. C. Iddings^ Brinklow^ Md. 



French Flower Culture.. — It is stated that ninty 

 per cent, of the perfume used in the world comes from the 

 «trip of mountainous country which lies along the Medit- 

 erranean east of Marseilles. The annual harvest of flow- 

 ers is about 6,000,000 pounds of roses, 5,000^,000 pounds 

 of orange blossoms, 3,000,000 pounds of carnations, 

 1,000,000 pounds of violets, 9,000 pounds of lilies, 

 6,000,000 pounds of tuberoses and other flowers in pro- 

 portion. These flowers are mostly raised by peasants 

 who own small farms and do their own work, — Garden- 

 ing World, 



Odd Odors.— Mr, Barrett's interesting notes upon 

 this subject, are reminders that the tropics do not have a 

 monopoly of the unsavory odors. The best-known plant 

 in this line in more northern latitudes is certainly the 

 -skunk 's-cabbage but the carrion-flower (SmiTax herhacea) 

 is a ^ood second and we have several others like the bug- 

 bane {Cimicifuga) and bane berry {Actsea) whose flowers 

 -have most disagreeable odors at close quarters. The edit- 

 or seriously doubts., however, if temperate regions or even 

 the tropics holds anything with a viler odor than that of 

 a ripe jack fruit (Artocarpus) . The fruit is pleasing 

 ■enough to the palate but difficult to get past one's nose. 



