Dr. AVithering, in noticing our native Columbine^ 
in his Arrangement of British Plants, observes, ‘The 
elongated and incurved nectary of this flower seems 
to bid defiance to the entrance of the bee, in search 
of the hidden treasure; but the admirable ingenuity 
of the sagacious insect is not to be thus defeated, for 
on ascertaining the impracticability of effecting 
his usual admission, witli his proboscis, he actually 
penetrates both calyx and blossom near the depot of 
honey, and thus extracts the latent sweets without 
further ditficulty.’ He also quotes Phillips’s notice 
of ‘ the singular circumstance, that it has three dis- 
tinct modes of doubling its flowers ; viz, by the mul- 
tiplication of the petals, to the exclusion of the nec- 
taries; by the increase of the nectaries, to the exclu- 
sion of the petals; and frequently by the multiplica- 
tion of the nectaries while the proper petals remain.’ 
The medicinal properties of the common Colum- 
bine, were formerly held in high estimation, but they 
should be regarded as dangerous ; for Linneus states 
that children have lost their lives from improper 
doses. According to the old Pharmacopseias, it was 
chiefly used in detersive gargles. 
The mode of treatment required by this beautiful 
species of Columbine, is not such as will be likely to 
preclude any one from adding it to his collection. Its 
increase at the root is not so great as that of many 
other plants, but it ripens seeds, from which an abun- 
dant produce may be obtained. These should be sown 
as soon as they are ripe, in an open, but warm, border, 
which should be kept perfectly free from weeds; and 
in the following summer, the young plants may be 
removed into their final situatioas. 
Hort. Kew. ‘2, v 3, 326. 
