1864] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
843 
The Ornamental Varieties of Kale. 
One would hardly suppose that any variety 
of the cabbage could be classed with the orna¬ 
mental plants. Yet such is the fact: some of the 
Fig. 1.— SMALL LEAF OF GREEN AND WHITE KALE. 
new kales are really beautiful. In England, the 
common red kale has been used for a long time 
for the winter ornamentation of the gardens, it 
being planted with low evergreens and other 
plants which will endure their mild winters, to 
produce pleasing effects of color when seen at 
a distance. Mr. T. S. Gold, of Litchfield Co., 
Fig. 2.—SMALL LEAF OF GREEN AND PURPLE KALE. 
Ct., sent to our table specimens of variegated 
kale which are beautiful not only for their form 
but for their elegant coloring. It is almost im¬ 
possible to represent in black and white those 
plants which depend upon color for their beauty, 
yet we have attempted to give in the engravings 
some idea of two specimens of this kale. Pig. 
1 is a small leaf of the variety which presents 
the most marked contrasts of Color, having- a 
pure white net-work running through a leaf of 
lively green. In the engraving the green por¬ 
tion of the leaf is represented by the shading. 
The variety shown in fig. 2, is more beautiful 
in shape. The leaves present a most delicately 
frilled green edge, while the central portion is 
of a fine rose purple, and the two colors blend 
into one another in the most pleasing manner. 
Wliat is most striking about this specimen is 
the fact, which we have attemp’ted to show in 
the engraving, that some of the leaves have 
leaf bearing branches starting from their mid¬ 
ribs. In the Agriculturist for October an illus¬ 
tration was given of young plants starting from 
a leaf, and now we have the curious phenom¬ 
enon of the branch growing upon a leaf. This 
last case is explained by supposing that what 
would have otherwise been distinct, upright 
stalks, have in the developement of the leaf be¬ 
come so united with, and so to speak, grafted 
into it, that they were carried along with the 
leaf and appear to be produced by it. The 
seeds of these varieties are sold by seedsmen un¬ 
der the name of “ Improved Garnishing Kale.” 
The Honey Locust for Hedges. 
This tree, which is frequently called the 
Three-thorned Acacia, is the Gledistschia triacan- 
thos of botanists, and though-a native of the 
South, is found growing wild as far north as 
Pennsylvania and Illinois. In favorable situa¬ 
tions it forms a large tree, and is frequently cul¬ 
tivated for ornament, on account of its graceful 
outline and its light feather-like foliage. The 
flowers are not conspicuous, but the fruit is very 
much so. This consists of long thin wavy pods, 
winch have been aptly described as looking 
like apple parings. It produces upon the trunk 
and branches clusters of strong, large and sharp 
branching thorns. As a hedge plant it has 
been in use for a long time, with a variable rep¬ 
utation, but the general verdict is now in its 
favor. Former failures are attributable to the 
want of proper treat ment of the hedge during its 
early growth. The plants are readily raised 
from seed, which may be collected from fruiting 
trees, or be had at the seed stores. It is usually 
advised to expose the seeds mixed with earth to 
•winter freezing, or to scald them and keep 
'.them in a warm place, before sowing. This may 
be a safe precaution with old seeds, but we have 
seen a plantation made last spring with seeds 
sown without any preparation, and they seem 
to have come up as regularly as beans. The 
young plants may be set from two to three feet 
apart in the hedge row, and after growing a 
year they should be cut back within two inches 
of the ground. This will cause a dense shrubby 
growth, .which will need to be brought, into 
shape in the same manner as with other decid¬ 
uous hedges. The clipping is done in June and 
September, but any shoot tending to make a 
strong growth must be removed whenever it 
appears. A few years’ severe cutting will bring 
this tree into a most excellent hedge. We are 
not able to state the precise northern limit at 
which, the Honey Locust .proves hardy, but all 
through central Hew' York and Massachusetts 
it flourishes and stands the winter quite well. 
Show may easily be ptirchased; but happi¬ 
ness is a home-made article which all may have. 
For every vice or virtue a man exhibits, he gen¬ 
erally gets-credit or discredit for a whole brood 
The Meadow Saffron. —(Oolchicvm autumnale.) 
This is one of the old-fashioned flowers that 
has nearly disappeared from gardens, but which 
presents so many points of interest, and is with¬ 
al so pretty, that we think it deserves to retain 
a place. It flowers in September and October, 
and its fresh and spring-like flowers are in 
MEADOW SAFFRON. 
marked contrast with the languishing condition 
of most other plants at that season. The flow¬ 
ers appear without leaves. The figure shows 
one of the bulbs at flowering time. The pistil 
extends down into the bulb, and the ovary, the 
part which will become the seed pod, is conceal¬ 
ed there several inches below the surface. After 
flowering, all above-ground traces of the plant 
are lost sight of until the following spring, when 
the leaves appear and with them the seed vessels, 
