22 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
The Marsh Feverfew—“Marguerite.” 
It often happens that a flower of no gi’eat 
beauty in itself conies to be deservedly popu¬ 
lar, because of its blooming at a season of 
scarcity, its long continued flowering, its 
usefulness in decorations, and some other 
qualities which make it preferable to those 
of more delicate form or more brilliant color. 
In the case of the Marsh Feverfew— Pyre- 
tlirum uliginosum —so far as real beauty 
goes, it can claim little superiority over the 
common Ox-eye Daisy, or White-weed, yet 
we find it popular abroad, because it is a very 
useful plant. We are aware that modern 
THE marsh FEVERFEW (Pyrethrum uliginosum). 
botanists include the Pyrethrums as a sub¬ 
genus of Chrysanthemum, but in garden 
nomenclature it is more convenient to retain 
the old name by which they have so long 
been known. Several Feverfews (so called 
because they were formerly used medicinally) 
are in cultivation ; notably the Double Fever¬ 
few ( Pyrethrum Parthenium), which, with its 
clusters of small, chamomile-like flowers, is 
to be seen in most old gardens, while its yel¬ 
low-leaved form, as the “ Golden Feather,” is 
much employed in mosaic planting. The 
Rose-colored Feverfew (P. roseum ), has of 
late years been greatly improved by florists, 
and there are now many double, named varie¬ 
ties vieing in shape, and the beauty of their 
many shades of color, -with the Chrysanthe¬ 
mums. Another species, Pyrethrum carneum, 
of the Caucasus, has a commercial import¬ 
ance as its ground flowers form the “ Persian 
Insect Powder,” which is so largely imported 
and widely used, that the cultivation of the 
plant has been undertaken on a large scale in 
California. The Marsh Feverfew is a native 
of Hungary, and though but little known in 
our gardens is very common in Europe, 
where it is often seen in pots as well as in the 
borders. It is often called by the French 
“Marguerite,” a name they apply with a pre¬ 
fix to several other flowers of the Composite 
Family. This species is about 18 inches high, 
has lance-shaped, toothed leaves and bears an 
abundance of flowers which, as seen by the 
engraving, may be properly compared to 
those of the Ox-eye Daisy. While in their 
general shape and color, yellow center and 
white rays, they are like the Ox-eye, the rays 
are longer in proportion to the disk, and 
being less stiff, the flower is hot so formal. 
The plant begins to bloom about midsummer 
and continues through the autumn months, 
bearing cutting well and producing a great 
abundance of bloom. The flowers are espec¬ 
ially valued in floral decorations, as they 
hold in good condition after cutting, and for 
this use are quite as effective as more delicate 
flowers that are difficult to produce. Indeed 
the decorative florists of New York make 
use of the flowers of the Ox-eye Daisy in 
large numbers, and it is not unusual to see 
great clusters of this despised weed in the 
stores of the city florists. This Pyrethrum is 
hardy and of the easiest culture, requiring 
no other care than to divide the clumps and 
re-set them when they get too large. 
Notes from, the Pines. 
This time the “ Pines” are my own, and I 
here gather up a few notes on horticultural 
matters made in a rapid run on the continent 
and a few days in England en route for home. 
. . . There was nothing that impressed me 
more strongly while abroad than the general 
Love for and Use of Flowers and Plants. 
For example, by the advice of friends, we 
were in London at, what is not known with us, 
a “ private hotel,” where one has the freedom 
of a large hotel with the quiet and comforts 
of a private family. This hotel was made by 
uniting two private houses, and the rear pas¬ 
sage between the two was by a glazed “ an¬ 
nex.” When we first came, we noticed the 
display of plants in this hall-way. On our re¬ 
turn from the continent the whole had been 
changed; ivy covered the wall instead of a 
clematis, and the early bloomers had given 
place to chrysanthemums and other late 
flowering plants, which, with an abundance 
of things with good foliage, made a most 
pleasing show. This was the case everywhere 
on the continent; in every hotel, large or 
small, eveiy available space was devoted to 
plants, and they universally graced the table 
even in the most unpromising wayside and 
out-of-the-way hostelries. Even among the 
Alps, the most lonely Swiss chalet would tell 
by a geranium or other plant at the window, 
of this universal love of flowers. 
The Flower Markets in Paris, 
as well as those in London, offer much of in¬ 
terest. One sees the difference between our 
people and the Europeans in the plants that 
are offered. One buys a plant with us, not 
so much for what it is at the time, but for 
what it is expected to be. Abroad the plants 
are bought for the present enjoyment they 
afford; after their prime is past, they are 
cast aside, and new ones purchased. Our 
people have not yet learned that a plant that 
remains in flower for a week or two is worth 
the sum paid for it. In Europe we see pots 
of China Asters, Dwarf Dahlias, and the like, 
having a ready sale; they are not expected 
to last indefinitely. In the Paris Marche aux 
Fleurs were rose-buds such as I never saw 
elsewhere. One cluster of the buds of that fine, 
but rarely seen Souvenir de Malmaison, I shall 
not soon forget. Forced Lilacs are a specialty 
in Paris. Even in October they were abund¬ 
ant. The Lilacs are forced into flower in dark 
houses with brisk heat, and the colored ones, 
with this treatment, are white. They are 
wonderfully delicate and beautiful. 
Among Plants for House Decoration, 
The India Rubber plant, Ficus elastica, 
took the lead. Excellent healthy plants of 
this, from one to four feet high, were offered 
by hundreds. The Aucuba Japonica, or Gold- 
dust Plant, as it is often called, was perhaps 
next in abundance. Aspidistra lurida, for 
which there is no common name, the green 
and variegated forms, is one of the most 
common table decorations in England and on 
the continent. Wishing to know if it had a 
common name, I asked in the Paris market 
what it was ; the old lady looked up from her 
knitting and answered, “ Aspidistra lurida 
variegata, m’sieur,” as glibly as if she had 
given a French name for it. I noticed that 
all the market women, old and young, gave 
the botanical names of the plants with great 
accuracy. A Japanese Aralia, I am not sure 
of the species, was frequent. Gardenias, or 
Cape Jessamine, just ready to bloom, and 
small plants of Eucalyptus globulus, were also 
in plenty. Perhaps one of the most common 
house plants of this season, with the street 
venders both in London and Paris, was Plum¬ 
bago Larpentce, which is sometimes trans¬ 
lated into “ Lady Larpent’s Plumbago.” 
There is no reason why it should not be 
equally popular with us, for in point of habit, 
in neat foliage, and its abundant spikes of 
blue flowers, it has many elements of popu¬ 
larity, besides which it is (with me) hardy in 
ordinary winters, which makes it a most 
tractable house plant. At nearly every flow- 
. er stand I saw six-inch pots of a plant with 
long and narrow leaves, which I could not 
make out. I at last inquired, and learned it 
was Gazon pour les chats et les chiens. —turf 
for cats and dogs, recognizing the well- 
known fact that these animals will, per¬ 
haps medicinally, occasionally eat grass. It 
seems that those who keep these animals in 
cities provide them with grass in pots. 
The Paris Vegetable Market, 
at the Halles Centrales, it is said, should be 
visited before daylight to be seen at its best, 
but a visit at mid-day was a succession of 
surprises. The building, or rather buildings, 
are most spacious, well covered and well 
floored, with its departments for meat, dairy 
products, fish (often alive in water tanks) 
and vegetables. What most forcibly strikes 
an American is the abundance and variety of 
edible fungi. Aside from the common mush¬ 
room, Agaricus campestris, in eveiy stage, 
from the smallest “ button’ ’ to the full-grown, 
as large as saucers, there were various other 
agaries, besides morels, chantarelles, and 
other fungi unknown in this country even by 
name, but affording savoiy and nutritious 
food. We have yet a vast deal to learn about 
the edible fungi. Great quantities of valuable 
food go annually to waste because we do not 
know the nutritious from the poisonous. Per¬ 
haps in time we shall have, as in England, our 
Fungus Clubs, to make annual excursions and 
show the people of the points they visit how 
to “feast and make merry” over the hereto¬ 
fore despised or suspected “toadstools.” 
