84 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[March, 
Wonderful Plants. 
Those who have our last volume, if they turn to page 
17, (Jan. No.) will there find a description and miniature 
representation of the Century Plant or American Aloe, 
rightly' named the Agave Americana, or American Won¬ 
der. It is wonderful not only in its form, but also in its 
mode of growth, as it lives to an age equal to that of 
man, then for once, and the only tima during its exist¬ 
ence, it sends forth a crop of 
thousands of golden flowers, 
and dies. In its native Mex¬ 
ican or other Southern home* * 
its age is usually from thirty 
to sixty years, but when 
transplanted to the green¬ 
house of the North and sub¬ 
jected to an artificial life, it 
requires 8(1 to 130 years to 
perfect ils growth and pre¬ 
pare for its final display ; so 
that those w ho plant it can 
hardly ho e to ever see it in 
bloom. The plant described 
last year w as supposed to be 
120 years o'd, and was then 
just blooming in the Royal 
Botanical Gardens, at Re¬ 
gent’s Park, near London, 
where are collected living 
specimens of all known 
plants from every part of the 
world. None but those who 
nave visited these Gardens 
tan have any conception of 
,he pleasure to be derived 
trom seeing gathered under a 
northern sky, the varied pro¬ 
ductions of the tropical 
slimes. They are so provid¬ 
ed with a warm, moist, con¬ 
genial, artificial atmosphere, 
that they flourish with al¬ 
most as much vigor as when 
growing in their native habi¬ 
tat. [We are glad also to 
note in this connection, that 
a movement is now on foot to 
establish similar gardens in 
the Central Park in this 
city. An enterprise of such 
importance can hardly fail to 
be carried into execution; 
and during the present gen¬ 
eration we shall hope to see 
an establishment which shall 
rival in interest the much noted gardens of the old w orld. 
The men who contribute their time and money to this en¬ 
terprise will deservedly have a high place in the regard 
of the multitudes who, in future years, will gather here 
from our own country, to see a display of the wonders of 
vegetation now only accessible to the inhabitants of 
Europe, and the favored few able to cross the Atlantic.] 
At the beginning of this year there chanced to be in 
bloom in the Royal Gardens, another of these curiosities 
of the vegetable kingdom, an Agave Yuccaefolia, of which 
we here present a sketch, as being an object 
and perhaps the only one of the kind that will 
of interest, 
be in flow- 
Agave Yucc<efolia, In Bloom in January at the Royal Botanical Garden (England.) 
Foxglove— {Digitalis.), 
This plant, besides being highly ornamental, is 
possessed of active medicinal properties. A sub¬ 
scriber in Sibley Co., Minn., writes: “I would 
like to know if you can get any seed of a plant 
called Digitalis. In Germany where it is well 
known, it is called fingerhut; I do not know its 
English name. lain troubled with ‘palpitation 
of the heart’, and an excellent druggist tells me 
that the Digitalis would be a certain cure, if I 
could get it”... .The seed of this plant, which is 
commonly called Foxglove, has been offered in 
our flower seed list for two years past (No. 42). 
and is briefly described on page 4 of this volume 
(Jan. No ). As to its medicinal properties, it is 
narcotic,* sedative, and diuretic but when ad¬ 
ministered in quantities sufficient to bring the 
system decidedly under its influence, is apt to 
produce a sense of tightness or weight, with dull 
pair, in the head, vertigo, dimness or other disor¬ 
der of the vision, and more or less confusion of 
* Narcotics arc those substances which given in small 
doses as medicines, allay morbid susceptibility, relieve 
pain, and produce sleep; but which in overdoses produce 
stupor, lethargy, convulsions, and death if pushed far. 
Sedatives assuage pain by allaying irritability and irri¬ 
tation ; they calm, or soothe. 
Diuretic « oroduco free discharge of urine 
thought. Given under the immediate directions 
of a competent physician, it is doubtless often 
beneficial for diseases of the heart and other or¬ 
gans; but as it is an active poison if taken in 
over doses, or imprudently, we can not advise its 
use except by the skillful physician. 
Foxglove grows wild in many parts of Europe, 
producing its beautiful flowers in mid-summer. 
In this country it is cultivated as an ornamental 
garden plant, and by herb growers for the drug¬ 
gists. A large portion of that produced for the 
latter purpose is grown by the Shakers at Leban¬ 
on, N. Y. The leaves should be gathered the 
second year, immediately before or in the early 
period of flowering, selecting only the fresh, full 
grown. The carefully dried leaves should then 
be kept dry, in close bottles or canisters, and 
away from the light, otherwise they soon deteri¬ 
orate. The dried leaves are kept by nearly all 
druggists, but unless preserved as above directed, 
they can not be relied upon after having Alien on 
hand a year or so. Our correspondent and oth¬ 
ers may save their own leaves, if done under the 
direction of a competent druggist, with his Dis¬ 
pensatory formulas before him as a guide ; but 
considering the dangerous results that it might 
produce, we must again advise all to avoid its 
use except when ordered by a good physician. 
Flowers from the Prairies. 
We have several Communications from sub¬ 
scribers at the west similar to the following post¬ 
script to a business letter from A. G. Smith, 
Young America, Warren Co., Ill; “... .Here on 
the prairies are hundreds of flowers which under 
cultivation and eastern care and treatment would 
be acquisitions... .If it suit your convenience, I 
will be happy to forward specimens in their sea¬ 
son for your inspection and analysis; also such 
seeds as I may be able to secure of desirable va¬ 
rieties....” We shall be glad to receive such 
specimens and seeds, and as far as practicable 
will examine and experiment with them. Last 
year we tried over a hundred specimens of vari¬ 
ous kinds, but owing to several untoward circum¬ 
stances, the experiments were not very satisfac¬ 
tory. The coming season we hope to give much 
more attention to this department. It will not 
be possible to attend to any small parcel consist¬ 
ing of only a seed or two, and not accompanied 
with full and definite descriptions. When any 
one sends plants or seeds, we hope they will send 
as many particulars as may be, including infor¬ 
mation whether the plant be annual, biennial, or 
perennial, the kind of soil and location most nat¬ 
ural, apparent preference for light or shade, etc 
