1879.] 
AMERICAN AGRIC ULT U RIST. 
307 
Spring Bitter-Vetch. 
Spring Bitter-Vetch is a not very elegant name 
for one of the finest of spring flowers. Orobus is 
quite as easy and a better sounding name. This, 
by the way, has a rather curious origin ; it comes 
from the Greek words meaning to excite, and ox; 
this does not imply that it will madden an ox, like 
a red flag, but the Orobus of the ancients was a 
plant used to fatten oxen. The plant is a peren¬ 
nial, growing about a foot high, with numerous 
the introduction of new things, we think that we 
do them an equal service in reminding them of the 
merits of the “ old-fashioned ” garden favorites. 
As to this Orobus, we are glad to note that Mr. 
Robinson (editor of “ The Garden,” London), in 
his latest edition of “ Alpine Plants,” says : “ This 
is one of the most charming border-flowers that be¬ 
gin to open in that sweet season, the end of April 
and the beginning of May,” and that “ It is one of 
the best ornaments of the mixed border in cultiva¬ 
tion.”—Though not properly an “ alpine,” it may 
floral leaves is especially so, and it is the white cot- 
tonny down, borne so abundantly by these, that 
constitutes the chief beauty of the plant; in this, 
as in many other cases, the plant is not valued for 
its flowers, but for the more conspicuous parts 
which surround them. In its native country there 
is some romance connected with the plant. If an 
alpine maiden receives a bouquet of Edelweiss, it 
is an indication that her lover has risked the fatigue 
and dangers of an ascent to the higher Alps, where 
only it grows, and hence is very much in earnest. 
spring bitter-vetch (Orobus vernus). 
edelweiss (Leontopodium alpiium). 
stems, which form a handsome clump. The en¬ 
graving, from a branch, indicates by its leaves and 
the shape of its flowers, that it belongs to the Le¬ 
guminous, or Pea Family. The leaves, with two 
or three pairs of leaflets, are of a dark shining green, 
and in the axil of each, a flower-cluster is produced. 
These clusters are in such numbers as to quite 
cover the plant with flowers, making it a most 
beautiful object, and one which varies in beauty 
from day to day, as its colors are singularly 
changeable. The flowers, in one-sided, nodding 
clusters, when they first appear, are purple, with 
some blue and green, and handsomely marked with 
red veins ; in a short time the blue increases, until 
the whole flower is of that color. The lower flowers 
in the cluster being the oldest, this change to blue 
takes place in those first, and very often the lower 
flowers of a cluster will be of a bright blue, while 
the upper ones are of a rosy purple, presenting a 
variety as pleasing as it is unusual. This is a native 
of Southern and Central Europe, and is not men¬ 
tioned as new—for it has been in cultivation for 
over two centuries—but as one of those really meri¬ 
torious old plants that in the search for novelties 
are nearly lost sight of. Those who begin to cul¬ 
tivate flowers at the present day, are not aware of 
the many choice things that have been pushed aside 
to make room for the plants now so popular. While 
second to none in our appreciation of the good 
qualities of new plants, we do not think it neces¬ 
sary, in welcoming these, to discard the old, and 
While we keep our flower-loving readers advised of 
be used upon the roekwork, but is quite at home 
in the ordinary garden bed. It was a great favorite 
with the late Mr. M’Nab, who, at the Royal Botani¬ 
cal Garden, at Edinburgh, grew it in long lines and 
in other attractive ways. With us it flowers later 
than in England, and is in perfection in the last 
half of May. It may be raised from seeds, the 
plants blooming the second year, and when strong 
enough, the clumps may be divided; or it may 
be obtained from most dealers in hardy plants. 
The Edelweiss. 
-o-- 
Among the noted plants of the higher Alps is the 
Edelweiss—a name which may be translated into 
“Nobly-white.” Its botanical name is Leontopodi¬ 
um alpinum ; the first, or generic name, being from 
the Greek words for lion and foot , as some one has 
fancied a resemblance between the clusters of flow¬ 
ers and the foot of a lion ; the specific name, al¬ 
pinum, of course refers to the high localities in 
which it is found. Its relatives with us are found 
in Cud-weeds and Everlastings, well known species 
of Gnaplialium and Antennaria, common every¬ 
where, and all belonging to the great Composite 
Family. The Edelweiss is a perennial, with stems 
4 to 8 inches high ; these are furnished with nar¬ 
row leaves, aud bear at the top a crowded cluster 
of small heads of inconspicuous yellow flowers. 
Immediately beneath the flower clusters is a star- 
like whorl of oblong, spreading leaves. All parts 
of the plant are very woolly, but this whorl of 
It is one of the plants offered to travellers in the 
Alps, who purchase the small bouquets as memen¬ 
toes of their journey. There has been much non¬ 
sense written about the Edelweiss, such as, be¬ 
ing a plant of the high free air of the most elevat¬ 
ed peaks, it would die when taken from its native 
home to lower grounds. Even Verlot, a recent 
writer on alpine plants, says that it can only be cul¬ 
tivated in pots of a special mixture of broken peat, 
crushed slate, etc. Notwithstanding this state¬ 
ment of so high an authority, we saw, a short time 
ago, upon a roekwork in the grounds of Woolson 
&Co., Passaic, N. J., a fine clump of the Edelweiss 
in full bloom. Upon inquiry we learned that the 
plants were set out last fall, and without any prep¬ 
aration of soil whatever. They were flourishing as 
satisfactorily as could be wished, and seemed to be 
as much at home, upon a roekwork a few feet high, 
as they could have been upon the most elevated 
Alps. The chief advantage of a roekwork for such 
plants is in securing thorough drainage, and we 
have no doubt that where this is provided in the 
border, the plant would flourish there. The en¬ 
graving, of one of the smaller plants from the 
grounds above mentioned, gives a good idea of 
the appearance of this interesting hardy plant. 
Tlie White Grub.— In a former article we 
have advised catching and killing the parent insect 
as the most effective method of preventing the 
ravages of this most destructive insect. The parent 
insect is the brown beetle known as May-bug, 
