Wild Flowers — Their Cultivation, Sfc. 411 
The leaves when mature, are of a fine green color, more or 
less stained with purple, and beautifully veined with a tint of a 
much deeper hue; they have the form and appearance of some 
antique Roman lamps, indeed so striking is the resemblance, that 
had we been informed that this ancient people possesed any 
knowledge of this singular plant, ' we should have had little 
hesitation in assigning to it a suggestive original to their skilful 
artificers. The cavity, or reservoir as it has not inaptly been 
termed, which occupies the centre of the leaf, is at all times 
partially filled with water, originating from rains and dews, into 
which numerous species of coleoptera and other insects are not 
unfrequently found, which have met their death in pursuit of a 
saccharine concretion, that copiously exudes from their internal 
surfaces. By this beautiful provision of nature, these plants are 
abundantly supplied with moisture when the excessive heats of 
summer prevail for any considerable time, and create unusual 
drouths; they are likewise thus furnished with the usual amount 
of animal food M^hich they may necessarily require for their sus- 
tenance. The manner in which these insects are imprisoned, is 
thus described by the late Dr. Macbride, of South Carolina. " It 
may be sufficient here to remark that the throat or orifice of those 
leaves is generally covered with a saccharine secretion or exu- 
dation. Immediately below the throat, for the space of nearly 
an inch, the surface is highly polished, while the lower part of 
the tube is covered with hairs all pointing downwards. When 
an insect is attracted in the first instance by the secretion of the 
plant, or perhaps even by the water, descends, as it easily can do 
along the declining pubescence, it appears incapable of ascending 
by its feet alone, and can only escape by a flight so perpendicular 
as to surpass the power of most insects. Whenever they touch 
the bristly sides of the tube, they are precipited again to the 
bottom, and have to renew their efforts, and many insects, even of 
a larger size, perish in this arduous and hopeless struggle." 
These plants, are perfectly susceptible of cultivation; all that 
is required is to remove with them a sufficient quantity of the de- 
composed vegetable matter and sphagnum in which they are 
found; place them in any partially water-tight vessel, and keep 
them saturated. These substances, when necessary, can easily 
be renewed. E. 
Phlox. This is a very beautiful tribe of American perennial 
flowering plants; there are sixteen species enumerated, and all of 
them worthy a place in the flower garden; most of the species 
are natives of the southern states, but bear cultivation in every 
part of the United States. 
The merits of phloxes are not sufficiently appreciated.' Being 
of great diversity of height, habit, and color, they possess many 
