BODS, BLOSSOMS, FRUIIS. 



759 



wood, and not in the bark ; and the fact was proved ex- 

 perimentally so long ago as 1731. But this case should 

 attract the attention of vegetable physiologists as afford- 

 ing an illustration of the sap movements in coniferous 

 trees. — Ed. ] 



Strawberries in Illinois. — Dry weather has been 

 the rule again this summer, and with strawberry plants 

 here it was a struggle for existence, resulting in the de- 

 velopment of few plants on any variety. We had a 

 large crop of fruit. Michel's Earle was the first to 

 ripen, yet not much in advance of Haverland. Sucker 

 State followed, and Warfield No. 2 next; then Downing 

 and Captain Jack. The picking from Michel's Early 

 lasted two weeks, from Haverland, Warfield and Sucker 

 State, nearly or fully a month. Parker Earle stood the 

 hot, dry season of last year, and bore a full crop this 

 season of medium to large berries. The yield and fine 

 appearing fruit of Haverland was an agreeable surprise, 

 and will induce large planting. Warfield yields abun- 

 dantly, fruit of rich glossy color, and firm Prices were 

 uniformly low. The Chicago market controls the price 

 within a radius of 300 miles, and when seventy car- 

 loads of strawberries were received in one day, as was 

 frequently the case, the bottom dropped out. There 

 was an over-production, and growers north and south 

 realized the fact, very much to their chagrin. — E. 

 HOLLISTER, Aladison Co., Ills. 



Camellia Japonica. — In this latitude the gardens 

 are rendered very beautiful by their wealth of camellia 

 blossoms. This beautiful plant is commonly known 

 here as the japonica, and but seldom spoken of as the 

 camellia. The plant thrives here and is very plentiful, 

 and may be seen from a foot in height, having two or 

 three blossoms, to a large shrub fifteen feet high and 

 loaded with flowers. The pure white and the red var- 

 ieties are the most common. The weather the past 

 season has been cold, and frosts have occurred that 

 somewhat marred the beauty of the earlier flowers. 

 The plants receive no protection whatever, and it is only 

 occasionally that one notices any means taken to pro- 

 tect them from the biting north wind. A finer sight 

 can hardly be conceived than a camellia twelve feet 

 high and six or seven feet in diameter loaded with white 

 flowers. Four plants ranging from six to nine feet in 

 height grow here on less than twelve square feet of 

 ground. The plant in this locality receive no special 

 culture. When the young plants are first set out they 

 take two or three years to get started, but once fairly 

 rooted they rapidly increase in size. The soil is 

 alluvial, of great depth, and contains plenty of mois- 

 ture at no great distance from the surface. The plants 

 are generally propagated by layering, very few people 

 understanding how to increase them by cuttings. — 

 H. W. Smith, East Baton Rouge Co., La. 



A Northern Clintonia. — Clintonia borealis is a. neat 

 and very attractive American wild-flower. It grows 

 from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi, and from the 

 Carolinas to the far north, on wooded hills and moun- 



tains, or in mossy swamps. The broad handsome 

 leaves are all radical, flat on the ground surrounding 

 the base of the flower stem. They are a rich shining 

 green, from six to ten inches long, and two or three in- 

 ches wide. The flower stalk rises from five to nine 

 inches high, bearing an umbel of two to eight very 

 pretty greenish-yellow nodding flowers, about as large 

 and nearly the same shape as those of the hyacinth. 

 These are followed by berries, size of large peas, and of the 

 richest amethystine blue ; in fact, pretty as are the flow- 

 ers, the berries are even more attractive. They remain 

 all winter. Oftimes, in my botanical excursions (I have 

 spent years in botanical work), while wandering through 

 one of those great tamarac swamps such as are frequent 

 in Michigan, I have suddenly come to a mossy place cov- 

 ered by these woodland beauties, and although they could 

 not compare with many of our native flowers, they 

 possessed a neatness, grace and modest loveliness such 

 as aroused my admiration. A moist, shady rockery or 

 Wardian case, or some cool, mossy spot beside trickling 

 water in the shade, is just the place for this floral 

 amethyst with emerald setting. — Wilfred A. Brother- 

 ton, Michigan. 



Pittosporum Tobira. — I would ask readers in my 

 latitude, Have you ever tried Piitosporuin Tobira in the 

 open air in winter ? It makes such a handsome ever- 

 green shrub here, without any protection, and with- 

 stands every vicissitude of weather with such impunity 

 that I am inclined to think it will be hardy much further 

 north. Many years ago I saw a statement that it sur- 

 vived the winter unhurt in Philadelphia. Broad-leaved 

 evergreens are so scarce northward that the pittosporum 

 is worth experimenting with. In the sharp and sudden 

 freeze here in March, i8go, when the clover fields were 

 blackened to the ground, and all sorts of shrubbery 

 nipped, a row of pittosporums in my neighborhood did 

 not show a singed leaf. — W. F. Massey, Wake Co., 

 N. C. 



Insect Intelligence. — A hop vine was a source of 

 comfort and pleasure to us all summer, the dense foliage 

 giving a grateful shade. Towards fall it became the 

 home of numerous ugly caterpillars, which finally went 

 into the cocoon state and suspended themselves by a 

 needle-like point from the surrounding wood-work. In 

 time butterflies emerged from the cocoons, and soon 

 were dancing among the flowers. But an enemy was 

 waiting for them. Perched upon a scarlet geranium 

 flower, his head erect and his long arms extended as if 

 in prayer, is a praying-mantis, popularly called the 

 " Johnnie Cock-horse." His head is small, but it con- 

 tains intelligence enough to teach him that the charms 

 of the flower will attract the butterfly. Soon a gay 

 beauty flutters up to the flower, Johnnie Cock-horse 

 makes a spring, and poor butterfly is in his grasp. The 

 body is devoured and the wings are scattered around as 

 trophies. At night Johnnie retires under a broad leaf, 

 but emerges next day in time to capture more victims 

 for his breakfast. — S. L. B., McClellanville, S. C. 



