12 
THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
Cascara Sagrada. — It is said that the drug Cascara, ex- 
tensively written about in medical journals, is the bark of two 
American buckthorns — Rhamnus Purshianus and R. Californ- 
icus. — Median s Monthly. 
Distribution of the Button-Bush. — According to Indian 
Gardening and Planting, our familiar button-bush (Cephalanthus 
occidentalis) was last year discovered in India. Its occurrence in 
Assam and a few other portions of Asia had previously been 
known. 
Plants of Mt. Ranier. — Those who are collecting the 
plants of the West may be interested in knowing that Mr. J. B. 
Flett, Tacoma, Wash., has several first-class sets of plants, col- 
lected on Mt. Ranier, and identified at Harvard University, which 
he offers for sale at a greatly reduced price. 
To Grow Cosmos. — Unfortunately for those in the Northern 
States who wish tO' grow this handsome autumn flower, the sea- 
sons are rather too short for it to come to perfection. It is possi- 
ble, however, to make a very good show with it by planting very 
early in spring in the house and transplanting when the weather 
becomes mild enough. 
Vermont Botanical Club. — At the seventh annual winter 
meeting of this club, to be held at Burlington, January 24th and 
25th, Dr. B. L. Robinson of Harvard University will deliver an 
address on ''Some Recent Advances in the Classification of the 
Flowering Plants." This club is doing much to advance the 
botanical interests of the State. Botanists in other sections might 
follow their example with advantage. 
The Hart's Tongue in England. — The hart's tongue, 
which is so great a rarity in America, is one of the commonest 
ferns in England and sometimes grows there in very unexpected 
places. The writer of this paragraph saw a little tuft of it last 
summer ensconced in the chinks of a high wall along a street in the 
quaint old town of Warwick. It was just out of reach, but by 
means of two children and sixpence, the treasure was finally se- 
cured. — S. 
