AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
eight inches from the ground. The ripened seeds, 
if left upon the ground, survive the Winter, and 
spring up and bloom in early Summer. The 
dowers last a long time if partially shaded. 
Cockscomb ( Celosia cristata ).—A very pretty an¬ 
nual of a red or yellow 
color—the kind most 
usually cultivated is 
brilliant red and very 
showy—some of them 
large, and beautiful; the 
whole head is a mass 
f bloom. The scar¬ 
lets and crimsons are 
preferable to yellow 
colors. Though adapted 
to pot culture they suc¬ 
ceed well when sown 
in early Spring, on 
warm rich soil. They 
grow from one to two 
feet in hight. 
Dwarf Rocket Larkspur, {Delphiniumajacis .)— 
The double varieties are very showy annuals, with 
flowers of white, lilac, pink and dark purple. 
They make a very fine show ; best when sown in 
Autumn, but do well planted in the Spring. 
Double Balsams, (lmpatiens balsamina .)— 
“ Touch-me-not,” or “ Ladies’ Slippers,” as they 
are sometimes called—are choice annuals, desi¬ 
rable in the smallest collection of flowers. Un¬ 
fortunately much of the seed sold under the name 
of double only produces single flowers. We are 
promised seed of choice double kinds. They are 
very showy plants, with several shades of bloom, 
which, in the double varieties, are mainly confined 
o a single spike, commencing to open at the bot¬ 
tom, and continuing upward during the entire sea¬ 
son. 
Cockscomb. 
Chinese Pink, ( Dianthus Chinensis.) —A hand¬ 
some blooming 
biennial, of 
great beauty, 
but destitute of 
that fragrance 
so conspicuous 
in some varie¬ 
ties of the same 
species. The 
colors of crim¬ 
son and nearly 
black, with edg¬ 
ings of white 
and pink, give 
the flowers a Chinese Pink. 
rich appearance. They are of dwarfish habit, and 
exceedingly variable in appearance. They bloom 
the first season, although biennial. 
Tassel Flower, ( Cacalia coccinea.) —A pretty 
scarlet annual of easy culture, growing about 11 
feet high. The flowers have a tasseled appear¬ 
ance, and are conspicuous from July to Septem¬ 
ber. It is sometimes termed “ Venus’ Paint 
Brush.” 
Portulacas, ( Splendens lutea and alba) —Are 
showy and attractive, opening their petals of 
crimson, scarlet, yellow and white, with the morn¬ 
ing sun. They are dwarf and trailing, seldom 
reaching more than six inches in hight. They 
are annuals of the same family as the purslane. 
Cypress Vine, ( Tpomea quamoclit.) —This 
choicest of annual climbers, is admirably adapted 
for a conical trellis, or training upon strings ar¬ 
ranged as fancy may dictate. The vine itself, 
vdth its delicate foliage, is very pretty, to say 
nothing of its bright scarlet, or while flowers, 
which, though small, are of long duration. The 
Jalap of the druggist is made, in part, from a trop¬ 
ical variety (jalapa) of this genus. 
Asters—Chinese and German {Aster Chinen¬ 
sis) —The original Chinese variety has been so 
improved by the Germans and Italians that their 
names are now attached to some of the choicest 
varieties. They are all very pretty annuals, 
showing a great variety of bloom ranging through 
several colors singly and combined in the same 
flower. Some of them are as double as a well 
formed dahlia. They deserve a place in every 
collection of flowers ; blooming about one foot 
from the ground. They are easily raised annuals, 
bearing transplanting without injury. 
Golden Bartonia (BarIonia aurca). A very 
pretty yellow annual from California. It grows 
about a foot in hight, and succeeds best when 
started in a hot bed or in the house. It is a pro¬ 
fuse bloomer. 
Zinnia ( elegans>. —An annual, blooming for a 
long time. There are several shades of color as 
white, scarlet, crimson and orange. They grow 
from two to three feet in hight. 
Sweet William, ( Dianthus barbalus.) —A uni¬ 
versal favorite, found 
in almost every gar¬ 
den, but none the less 
valuable. Its showy 
bloom of divers colors 
with beautiful edgings 
and delightful fra¬ 
grance, render it desi¬ 
rable and attractive. 
It is a perennial’ 
blooming the second 
season from the time 
of sowing. 
Marvel of Peru, (Mirabilis jalapa) or “ Four 
o’clock,” is quite ornamental and attractive in 
appearance, blooming from early August until 
killed by frost. The flowers are red, white, yel¬ 
low and striped. A portion of the jalap of the 
druggist is obtained from the pulverized roots. 
Eschscholtzia, ( Californica ).—California Poppy, 
named Chriseus, by some botanists, is a showy 
yellow flower of rather rambling habit, growing 
nearly two feet high. It blooms in succession dur¬ 
ing the season and has a dazzling appearance in 
the sun. 
Elegant Clarkia, (Clarkia elegans)—Is one of 
several varieties of clarkia, both hardy and pret¬ 
ty. It is often sown in a hot bed for early flower¬ 
ing. It grows from 12 to 18 inches in hight. 
The colors vary from white to pink, and are very 
showy. 
Fox Glove ( Digitalis purpurea, lanata, cf-c.).— 
A perennial, 
of great beauty 
with its spike of 
thimble or bell 
shaped flowers, 
of various 
shades, from 
white to red, 
some of them 
finely mottled. 
It grows two to 
four feet high ; 
is often prop- 
pagated by di¬ 
viding the root. 
It flowers the Fox Glove. 
second season from seed. The medicine digitalis 
is obtained from it. 
91 
Lavatera (Lavalera tnmeslris ) — An annual 
producing handsome flowers, some of which are 
red and others white. They grow about two feet 
high, and bloom from July to September. 
Sweet Peas, (Lathyrus odoratus) —Nearly re¬ 
semble the common 
pea in the form of their 
bloom, though much 
larger. The beauty of 
color, and especially 
the fragrance of the 
flowers, render these 
plants pleasing annu¬ 
al climbers. They are 
of different colors, va¬ 
rying from white to 
scarlet, purple and 
black, besides having 
the different shades of 
their colors mingled in 
the same flower. Wor- 
Sweet Pea. thy of cultivation. 
Lupins, ( Lupinus) —Are an extensive family, 
many of them very pretty, flowering on spikes 
from one to three feet in hight. Many of the va¬ 
rieties are blue, although some of them vary 
through the different shades from white to yellow. 
We shall distribute several varieties mixed. 
Morning Glory, (Convolvulus major.) —This is 
too well known to require a description. They 
are by all acknowledged very pretty climbers 
upon walls, fences, trellises, or strings to a 
central stake, making a cone of dense foliage, 
covered with large flowers of white, blue, purple 
and varied color. We have selected a number of 
varieties, and shall distribute the seed mixed. 
Flos Adonis, or Pheasant’s Eye, ( Adonis min- 
iata .)—A hardy annual, growing H to 2 feet in 
hight. The foliage is quite handsome, and, with 
its spike of blood red flowers is an attractive plant 
for border culture. 
Candy Tuft, ( Ibens umbellata, amara, 4c.)—A 
fine plant for mas 
sing, of dwarfish 
habit and several 
shades of color, 
from pum white 
to purple. It seeds 
itself in Autumn, 
and blooms the 
next season, six 
inches to one foot 
from the ground, 
in clusters, as 
seen in the cut op- 
Candy Tuft. P ° S ‘ te ' 
Schizanthus (humilis, pinnatus , 4-c.,)—A pret¬ 
ty class of plants blooming from August to Octo¬ 
ber. The colors vary through several shades in 
which purple and yellow predominate. They grow 
about two feet high, and are annuals well suited 
to garden or pot culture. 
Drummond’s Phlox ( Phlox Drummondii) —Is an 
annual variety of the Phlox family, worthy a place 
in every collection of flowers. It is very hardy 
and finely adapted for massing. Flowers of 
white, pink, scarlet, crimson and purple with 
the intermediate tints. A showy spreading plant 
of near one foot in hight. 
-- ---- •--- 
Winter or Ground Cherry. 
This fruit has received various appellations 
such as strawberry tomato, French tomato. 
Shaker gooseberry, &c. The articles on pages 3f 
and 114, Vol. XVI., called out numerous com 
