TUl' AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
73 
Origin of the Term Consern atory.—Iii the modern 
use of the word conservatory, we usually mean a glass house 
for growing flowers, but originally the conservatory was a 
glass house, usually attached to the dwellnig. where flower- 
ing plants were kept only while in flower. They were 
brought to flowering in the greenhouse in some other part 
of the grounds and were returned there when their period of 
bloom was done. 
A New Station for Sciiizaea. — One of the most 
interesting of the North American fernworts is the little 
curly grass iSchi:;aca pusiUa). For a long time it was sup- 
posed to grow in New Jersey only. It has since been found 
in Nova Scotia and in Newfoundland, and in the Octol>cr 
number of the Fcni Bulletin is a refxirt of its recent dis- 
covery in Cape Bret<=n. There are many who think that 
this curious little fcni will be found at otiier points betweeif 
Western Mi-eeeins.— We folks from "the East" al- 
ways first think of Vcrbascnm thapsus when mullein is 
mentioned. Though I have not seen this old familiar species 
in Southern California, it would not surprise me to meet it 
anv sunmier dav. I have often ^een I \ z'irgatinn hereabouts. 
I saw J\ thapsus in Northern CaHfornia and in Oregon in 
10O4. At Glendale, Ore., T saw a single plant of F. blat- 
taria. So on "the coast" I have seen only the three species 
that I have ever seen anvwhere. That white mullein (V. 
Lyclmitis), mentioned by the books as rare. T have never 
seen.— {f. 11'. Miinson. Pasndnui. Cal. 
Bees and the Odors of Flowers.— \Vhen the first 
crocuses oi>ened in the editr-r's grounds this spring there 
were no other flowers of any kind, so far as k-nown, withm 
a quarter of a mile, and yet in less than two hours after the 
first one opened the honey-bees were on hand to gather the 
