| FOR BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL 
j GROWERS OF THE GLADIOLUS, DAHLIA, IRIS, ETC. 
Entered as second-class matter March 31, 1914, at post office at 
Calcium, N.Y., under act of March 3, 1879. 
f PUBLISHED MONTHLY ON THE FIRST OF THE j 
| MONTH BY MADISON COOPER, CALCIUM, N. Y. f 
Subscription price: Three years. $2.50; One year, $1.00. 
Scientific Plant Names Best. 
[ Written expressly for The Flower Grower. ] BY WILLARD N. CLUTE. 
Trillium, Verbena, Yucca and Zinnia; 
to say nothing of an immense num- 
ber of others such as Delphinium, 
Calycanthus, Narcissus, Anterrhinum, 
BLUE IRIS — SIBERICA. 
[For description see page 162.] 
Hemerocallis, Dianthus, Syringa, Hy- 
pericum, Ailanthus, Lonicera, Sedum, 
and Aquilegia ; where the common and 
scientific names run neck and neck, as 
it were, for popularity. 
Then there are a large number of 
others in which the technical and com- 
mon names are but two forms of the 
same word as Violet (Viola), Aconite 
(Aconilum) , Rose (Rosa), Lily 
( Lilium ), Heliotrope (Heli- 
otropium), Lavender (Lav- 
endula), Lupine (Lupinus), 
Tulip (Tulipa), Tamarisk 
(Tamarix), Gentian (Genli- 
ana), Hyacinth (Hyacintlius), 
Peony (Paeonia), Pine 
(Pinus,) Juniper (Juniperus), 
and Thyme (Thymus). 
Time and the catalogue 
maker are fast making the 
vernacular names unfash- 
ionable. It may be added 
that they deserve to become 
so for they always possess 
a certain degree of uncer- 
tainty. One cannot deter- 
mine exactly what species 
is meant when such names 
are used because one com- 
mon name may be referred 
to more than one .species. 
In general, too, the common 
names are like the generic 
names and indicate a group 
of plants instead of indi- 
vidual species. To be sure 
there are a number of tech- 
nical terms so long as to be 
a bit unwieldy like Bossing- 
aultia baselloides, Dimor- 
photheca auriantiaca, Me- 
sembrianthemum crystal- 
linum, Caryopteris masta- 
cantha, and Chrysanthe- 
mum leucanthemum, and 
when it comes to Krasch- 
eninnikowia maximowiczi- 
ana even the botanist is 
willing to admit there may 
be some virtue in the ver- 
nacular names. However, so long as 
there is serious disagreement as to 
the correct pronunciation of Arbutus, 
Gladiolus, and Anemone, we may hesi- 
tate to subsitute the common names 
A GOOD DEAL has been said and 
written in favor of the trivial, 
common, English, or vernacular 
names of plants. Those who 
consider themselves just 
good plain citizens regard 
it as in some way a surren- 
der of their common sense 
to use names in good stand- 
ing with botanists. The 
scientific names are pretty 
generally regarded as savor- 
ing of the “highbrow” and 
their use seems to imply a 
desire to show off. When 
it comes to actually discuss- 
ing plants, however, we 
discover that the aversion 
to the use of the scientific 
or technical names is more 
apparent than real. Every- 
body uses them. It is only 
when a name new to the 
hearer is introduced that a 
show is made of preferring 
the vernacular names. 
To realize how very gen- 
eral is the use of technical 
names even among the or- 
dinary gardening public we 
have only to note how many 
all of us use to the exclusion 
of well known common ones. 
The list includes Aster, 
Ageratum, Aspidistra, Aza- 
lea, Aralia, Asparagus. Ara- 
bis, Anemone, Alyssum, Be- 
gonia, Boltonia, Crocus, 
Coreopsis, Cactus, Cosmos, 
Catalpa, Cyclamen, Cine- 
raria, Coleus, Cassia, Chrys- 
anthemum, Calla, Canna, 
Calendula, Clematis, Cala- 
dium, Dahlia, Deutzia, Dra- 
cena, Euphorbia, Funkia, 
Fuchsia, Gladiolus, Gloxinia, 
Geranium, Gypsophila, Hepatica, Hy- 
drangea, Hibiscus, Iris, Lobelia, Mag- 
nolia, Nasturtium, Nicotiana, Portu- 
laca, Petunia, Phlox, Rudbeckia, Rho- 
dodendron, Spiraea, Scabiosa, Salvia, 
