1882. ] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
495 
vated as ornamental plants. The coarsest 
and least attractive is the one under notice, 
the “Canada Flea-bane.” This plant, com¬ 
mon as it is, does not seem to be generally 
known, at least by name, as each year 
specimens are sent to us for a name, and as 
an unusual number have come this season, 
we give an engraving of the top of the plant, 
as it usually appeal's, which will allow it to 
be identified. The plant is an annual, grow- 
is supposed to have been distributed from 
that point. Though we have, so to speak, 
stocked the world, we still have left at home 
“enough for seed.” By the road sides, in 
clearings, in fields, and in gardens, it lifts its 
unsightly head. The fact that it is an annual 
is the only thing that can be cited in its fa¬ 
vor. It must give way to good cultivation. 
That it is found at all of a sufficient age to 
ripen its seeds, simply shows neglect on the 
white, with the general structure of the great 
composite family to which it belongs. The 
engraving gives the general appearance of 
the upper portion of one of these plants. 
The species is Vernonia Arlcanscina, which 
we have cultivated for several years. This 
and others are showy plants, which may be 
cultivated where sufficient room can be given 
them, as their rich purple flowers come in 
August, a month in which most plants forget 
the Canada flea-bane ( Erigeron Canadense ), 
A cultivated vernonia ( Vernonia Arkansana). 
ing from a few inches to six feet or more in 
bight; it is coarsely hairy, with long narrow 
leaves. Above, it branches more or less, and 
bears a multitude of inconspicuous heads, a 
fourth of an inch in diameter or less, each 
with from two to a dozen florets. The 
fruits (seeds) each have an abundant hairy 
tuft, {pappus,) which assists in their distri¬ 
bution by the wind. In this country the 
plant is found eveiywhere North and South, 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but varying 
greatly in size with the locality. We have 
seen it in a Michigan clearing forming an 
almost impenetrable thicket, six feet or more 
high. In the arid country on our Mexican 
border (now Arizona,) we have found the 
same plant not over three inches high, bear¬ 
ing three or four heads, and as unlike in 
appearance to the one growing in rich soil 
as can be imagined. If we are indebted to 
other countries for most of our weeds, we 
have in part offset the obligation by sending 
them this. There is probably no country on 
the globe where the soil is cultivated into 
which this weed lias not penetrated. This 
plant was known in cultivation in a botani¬ 
cal garden in Europe as early as 1624, and it 
part of the farmer or gardener. If it has 
been allowed to get large, pull it, but do not 
put it in the compost heap, where its seeds 
will surely mature and be carried out with 
the manure, but burn and make an end of it. 
It would be well if all our troublesome weeds 
could be so easily subdued as this one. 
Vernonias—Wild and Cultivated. 
Some plants are despised by one set of cul¬ 
tivators and valued by another. Such is the 
case with the Vernonias, which have now 
and then been sent to us as troublesome 
weeds, to be named; yet the same plants, es¬ 
pecially in Europe, are valued in ornamental 
gardening. The genus Vernonia was named 
in honor of an English botanist, Vernon, who 
travelled in this country many years ago ; it 
now includes nearly 400 species, mostly be¬ 
longing to the tropics of both hemispheres; 
about 10 of them are natives within our 
own borders. As a general thing, they are 
sturdy, perennial plants, 2 to 12 feet high, 
branching above and bearing numerous, 
rather small, thistle-like heads of flowers, 
which are purple or rose colored, and rarely 
to bloom. So far as gardening is concerned, 
several of the native species are much alike 
in effect, differing only in botanical charac¬ 
ters, and any of them may be properly in¬ 
troduced in a spacious garden. In good soil 
they make large clumps, six feet or more 
high, with a vigorous, robust appearance 
that is very pleasing. But we have also to 
regard the Iron-weeds as weeds. The com¬ 
monest species, though named “New York 
Iron-weed,” ( V. Noveboracensis,) is by no 
means local, but is found in all the Eastern 
States from Maine to Florida. It grows from 
two to eight feet high, and in flower is quite 
as showy as any, with the general appearance: 
of the one figured. It is very apt to spring 
up in the farmer’s meadows, especially if they 
are at all wet, and while it is not as aggres¬ 
sive as some other weeds, it deprives the 
grass of a large amount of food, and should 
be eradicated. We must reply, to those who 
ask about this, and other plants which ap¬ 
pear as weeds, that we know of no applica¬ 
tion that will kill an undesirable plant and 
not injure tljose that we wish to encourage, 
A little labor in grabbing out the Iron- 
weeds wjll keep them in proper subjection. 
