286 



NATIVE FLA NTS IN FIELD, FOREST AND GARDEN. 



half-size. It grows upon open, dry banks all over the 

 eastern states. It is usually found in the most sterile 

 sand, making the desert to bloom in the heat of summer. 



Fig. 8. Stuartia Virginica. 



It takes kindly to cultivation, and should find a place in 

 every garden. — J. C. T. 



Galax aphylla. — The natural home of this little 

 evergreen is on wooded hillsides near the Allegheny 

 mountains, seeming to choose for a near friend the may- 

 flower. Its leaves are about two inches wide, roundish 

 in outline, slightly notched on the edge, borne on slender 

 stalks three to six inches long. The flowers are small, 

 white, in a slender spike eight to twelve inches high. 

 The leaves vary in color from dark glossy green to deep 

 red. The brightest colors are found in open sun. Some 

 are found with splashes of yellow, green and red. It 

 has proved hardy here in New England, and easy of 

 culture either in shade or open snn, and on account of 

 its low growth and beautiful foliage is very desirable for 

 borders of walks or beds. — E. Gillett, Mass. 



Live Oaks (Figs. 5 and 6, page 285). — There are few 

 handsomer trees than a perfect live oak. This species 

 flourishes throughout an extensive portion of our south, 

 but nowhere is it found in such perfection as along the 

 gulf coast. Those shown in our illustration are from 

 photographs taken in Audubon park, New Orleans (the 

 seat of the Louisiana Experiment Station), during the 

 past winter, and are authentically known to be seventy- 

 six years old. There are long avenues of these trees in 

 this park, making in all probably the finest group of 

 them to be found in the south. 



In the old villages along Mississippi sound, notably at 

 Biloxi and Pass Christian, the live oaks make an inter- 

 esting and characteristic feature that never fails to 

 excite the admiration of the northern visitor. Upon the 



old sugar plantations of southern Louisiana an avenne 

 of these noble trees, when such exists, is always the 

 chief pride of the place. They are found frequently in 

 the forests, but only attain greatest perfection when 

 planted singly, thus giving room for the ample spread 

 of their huge branches. Under such conditions they 

 grow to enormous size, and make a compact, symmetrical 

 head of glistening green foliage through which even the 

 hot rays of southern suns can hardly penetrate. 



A picturesque feature in connection with them is that 

 they are almost always festooned with great clusters of 

 Spanish moss ; but this attribute is not esteemed by the 

 southerners, as they deem it a detriment both to the 

 thrift and real beauty of the tree. At the home of 

 Parker Earle, at Ocean Springs, Miss., a noble specimen 

 was pointed oi^t to me as unique because of the total 

 absence of the moss, and, per consequence, perhaps, 

 there was not a dead branch or twig to be found about 

 it. To show how rare this is, I may say that during 

 four months of continuous travel and observation in the 

 south, I found no other tree to compare with this in 

 these particulars. — James K. Reeve. 



CALTHA — CUP OF GOLD. 



Will you drink with me 

 F"rom the cup of gold. 

 Which I found by the stream to-day? 

 I will fill it as full 

 As it can hold 

 Of the cool, refreshing; spray, 

 Which sparkles and foams on the rocks below. 

 But stops to rest where the calthas grow. 



We will stop awhile 

 By the marsh land, too, 

 While the stream is sleepily mute, 

 To list the music, 

 Forever new. 

 Of the jubilant red-wing's flute, , 

 And solve, if our hearts are well in tune, 

 The meadow-lark's melodious rune. 



S. E. Kennedy. 

 The Azalea is a genus of plants belonging to the 

 heath family and closely allied to the rhododendrons. 

 They are natives of North America, China, Japan and 

 Europe. There are three North American species : the 

 viscosa, the clammy azalea or false honeysuckle; 

 flowers white or rose colored and sticky, very fragrant, 

 common in swamps and low grounds from Maine to Mis- 

 sissippi ; the A. nudijlora, purple azalea or pinxter 

 flower, common in the eastern and southern states, 

 preferring rather dry cool soils ; and A. calendulaaa, 

 flame colored azalea, a native of the Alleghenies and 

 southward. All these have long been cultivated in 

 Europe, and from them hundreds of fine varieties have 

 been produced by crossing them with the European 

 variety, A. Fontica, the flowers of which are of a rich 

 golden or orange yellow and about two inches in diame- 

 ter. Recently a new species has been introduced 

 from Japan, A. Mollis, with larger flowers than either 

 the American or European species, and of various 

 colors. 



The Chinese azalea, A. Indiia, is quite distinct from 



