'v 
AGROSTEMMA, (Viscaria,) Nat. Ord. Caryophyllacea:. 
The annual Agrostemmas, or, more correctly, Viscarias, are very pretty, free blooming and 
hardy annuals, making desirable beds and useful for cutting. The flowers are something like a 
single Pink, and are borne on long, slender stems. The plants are 
of a rather straggling habit, and produce abundance 
of flowers with but very little foliage, so that a single 
plant, or a few plants set widely apart, do not present 
a very pretty appearance ; but when planted thickly 
in a bed, form a mass of color quite satisfactory, resem- 
bling a good bed of the bright colored Phlox Drum- 
f IHSs^ mondii. This flower was introduced into England 
__- ----n^^^^^ from Sicily more than a hundred years since, and is 
still quite popular and common in English gardens, and is considered effective in 
producing a mass of bright color. We have had very good results in sowing this 
seed in the bed where it was intended to bloom, thinning out the plants but very little, 
if any. We have been much pleased with it as a plant for edgings for beds of Gladiolus or 
other tall plants. Grows about twelve inches in height, and should be set about six inches apart. 
ALONSOA, Nat. Ord. Scrophulariacece. 
The Alonsoas are natives of Chili and Peru, and when first introduced into Europe were 
treated as green-house plants, but of late years have been generally cultivated as tender or half- 
hardy annuals. Young plants removed to the house or green-house 
in the autumn will continue to flower during the winter. The 
flowers are small, but of remarkably brilliant colors, in which respect \ 
they are excelled by veiy few of our richly 
colored flowers. We have succeeded best 
by sowing seed under glass and trans 
planting, in this latitude about the first of 
June, and as the plant is inclined to be hard- 
wooded, any young plants taken up and 
potted will assume a shrub-like form and 
continue to grow and flower for a long ^ '^y]^ 
time. This flower has been cultivated for " ' 
about fifty years, and the improvement 
since its introduction has not been marked, '® 
have. 
ALYSSUM, Nat. Ord. Cruciferce. 
The Sweet Alyssum is one of those modest plants that everybody likes and every one must 
Its pretty little white flowers are so purely white, and so useful in making up all kinds of 
small bouquets, and its fragrance, while sufficiently pronounced, so very 
delicate, reminding one of the peculiar aroma of the hay-field, that no 
florist feels satisfied unless he has a little bed of Alyssum that he can 
resort to at all times when delicate flowers are needed. The Alyssum 
grows freely from seed, either under glass or in the open ground, though 
it does not germinate freely in the open ground in dry, hot weather. 
For a low, white edging or border, the Alyssum is excellent, as its habit 
is good, and height only about six inches. The little black flea that 
destroys Cabbage and Turnip in the seed-leaf is 
exceedingly fond of Alyssum, and will destroy 
whole beds. Dusting with fine ashes is of 
advantage, and if a little fine snuff is mixed with 
the ashes the effect is better. The Alyssum was 
first found wild on the shores of the Mediterra- 
nean, and is now found growing on the rocky 
cliffs of some parts of the English coast, but is supposed to have become naturalized ; that is, the 
seeds were accidentally carried from gfardens to the fields and woods by birds or some other means, 
57 
