188 
AMERICAN AQRIGULTURIST. 
[JtlSE, 
A Brilliant Annual. — Canwlmiliia minor. 
Every one admires the climbing sorts of Con- 
volvulus, of which the old-fashioned Morning 
Glory is the type, but their beauty lasts for only 
a few hours in the morning, and they need a 
support to run upon. The Convolvulus minor 
does not climb, but spreads upon the ground 
and forms a mass of brilliant bloom, and unless 
the sun is very scorching, the flowers remain 
open during the greater part of the day. The 
engraving gives the shape and average size of 
the flower, though in this last respect there is 
considerable variation. The colors vary from 
blue to violet purple which, contrasting with the 
white centre, gives a most lively eflect. Noth- 
ing can be more showy than a bed filled with 
this plant, and even single specimens add much 
to the brilliant aspect of the flower garden. 
The seeds should have been sown in May, but it 
may be done early in June and secure a late 
bloom. Sow the seeds where the plants are to 
grow and let them stand about two feet apart 
as their trailing branches spread in every direc- 
tion. The seeds are sold at five and ten cents a 
paper according to the rarity, there being sev- 
eral varieties difi'ering in color and marking. 
— -« — ■«» — .-» 
Plants with Ornamental Foliage. 
Under the rather absurd name of "foliage 
plants" a great number of plants are cultivated 
for the show made by their leaves, rather than 
for their flowers. These are not of necessity 
plants with variegated leaves, but a number 
which have foliage of striking eflect or unusual 
luxuriance are used. Many new species have 
been introduced, and there are a number of old 
ones which should not be neglected. One of 
the commonest " foliage plants," as well as one 
of the most striking, is the Castor Oil plant. 
When well grown it is 
stately, has a tropical as- 
pect and an expression 
of health and vigor 
■which is pleasing to 
see. There are about a 
dozen varieties sold by 
seedsmen, which are dis- 
tinguished by difference 
in the color of stem 
and fruit, and the shape 
of the leaves. A single 
plant of any of these 
produces a fine effect. 
The old Curled Mal- 
low, Malvacrispa, is a fa- 
vorite of ours and were 
it not so common and 
so easily raised from 
seed it would be much 
sought after. The Can- 
nas we have before no- 
ticed— they grow readily 
from seed and the roots 
may be kept from year 
to year. Nor would we 
forget the ornamental 
varieties of Kale, noticed 
and figured in December 
last, the leaves of which 
present not only beauty 
of form but a pleas- 
ing variety of color. 
We notice in the recent 
French Catalogues a 
number of these fiue 
leaved plants which have not yet been introduc- 
ed here to any extent. Among these are Aralin 
papyrifera, Bambusa aurea, Montagnea lieraclei- 
folia, and Weigandia Gaucasana. Of the last 
named we saw a specimen last season at Ell- 
wanger & Barry's in Rochester, and were much 
pleased with it. Some of the grasses, such as 
the Pampas Grass {(}ynerium, argenteuni), Arun- 
do Donax, and even our common Reed-grass 
(Phraymites communis), are very ornamental. 
All these plants admit of a tasteful arrangement, 
and a group of them is always showy and 
pleasing, and produces a fine effect in mid-sum- 
mer — a time at which we have but few flowers. 
■ I ■■■ I » 
Benzine to Destroy Insect Parasites. 
The European journals mention the succesful 
use of benzine to destroy the parasites which 
infest dogs, and we have no doubt that it will 
be found equally efficacious in removing those 
which trouble other animals. It has also been 
employed to kill the minute insect which causes 
the disease in the human body called scabies — 
commonly known as itch. When used upon 
dogs, it has been found to answer better when 
very much diluted than when pure. The pre- 
paration recommended is, benzine 5 parts, soap 
10 parts, and water 85 parts, which is about 
equivalent to benzine 1 oz., soap 2 oz., and water 
1 pint. It is proper to state that we have not 
tried this preparation. It is given on very good 
authority, and we cannot see that any harm can 
result from its use upon animals, especially as 
the pure benzine is used with safety in treating 
human patients afflicted by parasites. We pro- 
pose to try the dilute preparation upon plants, 
when insects make their appearance, and hope 
others will make experiments with it, and 
report the results. It will be well to proceed 
cautiously with it at first, and try it upon some 
plant of no great value. It should be borne in 
mind that benzine is very volatile, and that the 
vapors of it are very mflammable, and care 
should be taken to guard against accidents. A 
very small quantity, even the vapor, will kill 
insects. We had, a short time ago, neglected 
woolens which were badly infested with moths, 
and as the material was past saving, we wished 
to destroy the crop of moths and prevent their 
spreading. The articles were put into a trunk, 
and about an ounce of benzine was sprinkled 
over them, and the trunk closed tightly. Upon 
examination the next day, not a living moth 
could be found, so thorough was the work. 
»-• — ■«■ — ,-^ 
The Sand-box Tree.— Sura crepitans. 
A few days ago we received from Dr. White, 
Surgeon to the Panama R. R. Co., at Panama, 
a parcel containing a number of seed vessels or 
fruits of the Sand-box Tree. One of these is 
figured below of nearly the natural size, with 
the stem removed to better show the open- 
work around the place where it is inserted. The 
tree which bears this fruit is a native of tropi- 
cal America. The texture of the wood is so 
weak that it is said that very large limbs will 
break from a sudden gust of wind. The juice 
of the tree possesses poisonous properties and 
will blister the skin. The tree is chiefly inter- 
esting for its remarkable fruit, which when its 
leathery covering is removed, presents the ap- 
pearance shown in the figure, and looks more , 
like an ornament carved out of some olive co- 
lored wood than it does like a natural produc- 
tion. The white lines which radiate so reg- 
ularly from the hole left by the stem, form 
a pleasing contrast with the darker color of the 
rest; they have between them open spaces, 
which communicate with the interior. The 
whole thing is so pleasing in color, and sym- 
metrical in form that it makes a very pretty or- 
nament to put upon the mantle piece. We say 
put upon the mantle piece, but not to keep 
there, for when it gets thoroughly dry the whole 
I 
thing goes off with a bang, and scatters its frag- 
ments all over the room. This fruit consists of 
numerous one-seeded woody pods, joined togeth- 
er around a stem; the backs of these pods form 
the ridges, while the line upon the ridges shows 
where the two halves of the pods join. When 
the explosion takes place, these pods not only 
separate from one another, but their halves 
split apart, making twice as many pieces as 
there are ridges, and the scattering of these and 
the large seeds, together with the noise of the 
explosion is quite startling. The name. Sand- 
box, was probably given the fruit from some re- 
semblance to the vessels formerly used for hold- 
ing sand to sprinkle over writing; the people 
in Central America call them " Monkeys' Dinner 
Bells." This is one of the many expedients 
nature uses for scattering the seeds of plants. 
