THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 9 
ia is not a daisy. To those addicted to using this name, we sug- 
gest that they make a comparison of the blossoms. Though both 
belong to the Composite Family, and so are cousins, a very super- 
ficial examination of the blossoms will show at least one differ- 
ence, which is, that the disk flowers of the daisy are not arranged 
in cone-like fashion, like those of the Riidbcckia. It is just as 
easy to remember the name cone flower as it is yellow daisy, and 
the former name is so descriptive and appropriate it is hoped the 
latter will fall into disuse. 
The blossoms of theRiidbcckia are supposed to be only of a very 
vivid, golden yellow color, but in reality they vary considerably 
in depth of tone, some being a light, lemon yellow and others rang- 
ing through gradations to a deep orange tint. It has been ob- 
served that flowers of particular tints are found in the same lo- 
calities year after year. 
In the summer of 1891 the writer found in a field in the town 
of Gates, near Rochester, X. Y., a few blossoms of Rndheckia 
hirta which differed from the normal type in having a band of 
dark color at the base of the rays. In 1892 the same field was 
again visited and blossoms showing similar variations were found. 
That season a number of flowers with different markings were 
gathered, and the specimens formed a well-marked series. In 
some there were only faint lines, like pencilings, at the base of the 
rays ; in others the lines were heavier and darker, the center line 
sometimes extending from the base to the apex of the ray ; the; 
rays of soiiie of the flowers were all more or less shaded with 
brown ; some showed a band of orange distinctly darker than the 
rest of the ray; the series culminated in specimens in which the 
band at the base of the rays was as distinct and as dark in color 
as in Calliopsis. As the band grew more distinct, the flowers de- 
creased in size, those showing the darkest coloring being not much 
larger than th blossoms of Calliopsis. - 
TheRudbeckia takes kindly to cultivation and is an attractive 
feature in the wild garden. From a root accidently transplanted 
into a city yard, each year an increasing number of plants have 
sprung from the dispersed seeds, until they have become a distinc- 
tive feature, much admired by the passers by and prized by the 
possessor. Both flowers and plant seem to improve by cultiva- 
