54 
THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
ments were wanted, herbarium specimens would fall much short 
of the actual size when green.— James A. Graves, Susquehanna, 
Pa. 
Common Names for Plants. — Every nurseryman and flor- 
ist knows that much of a plant's popularity depends upon its 
possessing a good common name. A lady recently wrote to our 
esteemed contemporary, The Florists Exchange, about a plant of 
Aralia spinosa which they figured and gave its common name as 
well as its botanical appellation. Certainly the common name of 
''Devil's Walking Stick" is not a nice name, especially for a plant 
belonging to^ a lady. This sensitive dame wrote tO' the editor 
complaining that she liked the plant but would not think of own- 
ing anything with a name like that. He was not cornered, for, 
in replying, he referred to the plant as the Angelica tree — a name 
used by old gardeners. No doubt by this time the little prejudice 
against the name has been removed, and she is now the proud 
possessor of an Aralia spinosa, alias Devil's Walking Stick, alias 
Angelica tree. This is as good as the lady who was most profuse 
in her remarks of admiration for a tree of Cercis Siliquastrum, 
which she saw in full bloom and immediately ordered one, but on 
learning that its common name was The Judas Tree she cancelled 
her order, saying that it was no fit tree for a vicarage garden. — 
Gardening World. 
Cross-Pollen ATiON in the Monkey Flower. — In connec- 
tion with the subject of cross-fertilization, a singular behavior of 
our plant {Mirmilus ringens) has been referred to this supposed 
arrangement. The stigma is formed O'f two thin plates which are 
irritable like the leaves of the sensitive plant. About the time 
when the pistil is ready to receive the pollen, these plates expand. 
When touched by any foreign substance, the plates slowly close. 
Usually in plants of this order the anthers mature their pollen be- 
fore the pistil has finished its growth. Pushing through with 
the plates closed, it is assumed that it prevents the deposition of 
its own pollen on the inner receptive surfaces. An insect visits 
the flower while the plates are expanded, depositing the foreign 
pollen, and the plates then close, giving the introduced pollen a 
chance to develop its tubes. This is the hypothesis. There 
seems, however, to be no record of any actual experiments or 
close observation on this point, — and there is yet a good oppor- 
