SUPPLEMENTAL OBSERVATIONS. 
411 
before applied by Loureiro to the genus Ophiopogon, I have 
changed it to Elisena, an ancient name of romance : and, as 
the latter genus is only known to us by the description and 
engraving of Ruiz, the name Liriope may be abandoned 
without much inconvenience to the public. The rule, that 
the name first published shall be adopted, was made for the 
convenience of the public, to prevent confusion ; but great 
inconvenience results from dragging to light names that 
have been unnoticed during a long course of years, and 
making them supersede those which have been long in vogue 
and recognized in systematic works. On that account I 
declined altering the name of Z. tubispatha, though certainly 
not the original A. tubispatha of LHeritier. The genus 
Ophiopogon, well named by Mr. Ker in allusion to the 
Chinese appellation, has been acknowledged universally near 
thirty years, and I deprecate on principle the substitution at 
this late period of one which had been overlooked so long, as 
a nuisance to the public : and, unless Loureiro, whose work 
I have not at hand to refer to, has defined the genus as well 
as named it, and defined it by features that could have been 
with certainty recognized, the substitution of his old name 
would be irregular as well as inconvenient. 
Markers. — Zinc is the only fit ingredient for labels whe- 
ther to be used in the open ground or in pots. A sheet of 
zinc is easily cut by the gardener with strong scissors into 
labels of whatever size he may want. If the zinc is greasy, 
the labels should be steeped for a minute or two in diluted 
nitric acid. The following receipt for making ink for writing 
on the zinc was communicated to me by a gentleman who 
was in the habit of using it, and I have found it indelible. 
Take Verdigris in powder 3i. Sal Ammoniac ditto 3i. Lamp- 
black 3ft. Water 3x- Mix carefully in a mortar. Keep the 
ink in a bottle well corked. It must be well shaken before the 
pen is dipped in it. 
Mule Gladioli. — It should have been mentioned, in 
speaking of the cross-bred Gladioli (p. 365), that I obtained 
two years ago several seed-pods from G. cardinalis by the 
pollen of various choice mules Cardinali-blandus, and Car- 
dinali-Tristi-blandus. I had expected the seedlings, having 
two-thirds of the type of cardinalis, to lean towards the scarlet 
colour and approximate to that plant ; but to my surprise the 
approximation (notwithstanding their greater affinity to car- 
dinalis) was entirely to the cross-bred mule parent and not 
one scarlet flower appeared amongst them. It seems that 
