loxitnlintt. 
AEAOAEA, OE AEUMS, 
Many of ilie members of lliis great family 
of plants are not only' highly ornamental in 
appearance but useful to mankind. The 
Arums, us well as allied genera, possess an 
acrid, pungent juice; but in the tuberoti*- 
rooted species this acrid principle is always 
in combination with a nutritious farina-like 
substance, which may readily be converted 
into wholesome food. The acrid juice is 
either driven off by beat or by washing 
after the roots arc thoroughly disintegrated. 
For Instance, the so-called Portland Arrow¬ 
root is made from Hie tubers of the well- 
known Arum maeulatum, so generally cul¬ 
tivated as an ornamental plant. Perhaps 
the most familiar plant of this family is our 
wild or Indian turnip, now known in bo¬ 
tanical works as Arimma tHphyllum but 
formerly called Arum triphyllum. Another 
almost, or quite, ns well known, the Egyptian 
lily, or Calln Ethiopia, now liichardvt Afri¬ 
can#., also belongs to this family. The Sweet 
Flag {Acorus Calamus) is perhaps the most 
pungent flavored of them all, while the 
skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetklus is 
ahead in rank offensiveness of odor. The 
last three named, however, are not tuberous- 
rooted, and the starchy substance is wanting. 
The Cabcasia , or Caladixm esculentum, so 
highly prized for ornamental purposes, on 
account ol its large leaves, is cultivated in 
tropical countries for food, the tubers often 
weighing eight to ten pounds each. In our 
Southern Slates it is known as Tanya. 
These plants are becoming more and 
more popular every year, especially the 
tuberous rooted section, as most of them 
have large and elegant foliage. The Calo- 
cmias, in particular, arc sought for on this 
account, and one can hardly imagine a more 
elegant appearing plant than C. mctalica, 
with its leaves of polished bronze. New 
species and varieties are constantly being 
introduced, each seeming to fill a space that 
was heretofore vacant. For instance, the 
little Arum corsicum shown in the accompa¬ 
nying illustration is a pretty species for 
grouping with the larger kinds. Its leaves 
are cordate (heart-shaped), of a deep green 
color, marked with veins of a greenish white. 
Its spalhe is green, inflated at the base and 
ovate acuminate, and of a dark purple hue 
above. The flowers of these plants are ex¬ 
ceedingly small, and in some very mi mile, 
and sLill wo often hear those persons who 
are unacquainted with the structure of these 
plants, speak of their large and elegant flow¬ 
ers. For instance, a lady will say “ My 
Colin is in bloom, and are not the flowers 
beautiful?”—while in fact she bus never 
seen or noticed the flowers, but refers to the 
large spat lie or leaf-like envelope surround¬ 
ing the spadix, upon which the true flowers 
nre situated. 
. -- 
FLORICULTURAL NOTES. 
Mill lain Pink. 
Can you give me the scientific name for 
the flower commonly known us Mullen 
Pink ?—L. k. k. 
Lychnis coronaria. It is also called 
Mullein Lychnis. See “ Gray’s School Bot¬ 
any,” page 65. 
Rosfl Ciiuiuers. 
M. N. Thomas, Fulton, N. Y., asked the 
Farmers’ Club " all about cut ting and plant¬ 
ing rose cuttings.” Mr. Fuller said in re¬ 
sponse :—“ Use young, thrifty wood, of this 
season’s growth, and make the cutting six 
inches long. Plant in a half shady border 
by the side of a fence, or uuder the shade of 
a large tree, then cover the bed with leaves, 
coarse manure, or some similar material that 
will keep out the frost. In the spring take 
off this winter protection. Most of thu 
climbing roses may be propagated in this 
way, but June and moss roses are more dif¬ 
ficult to propagate from ripe wood cutting.” 
Twelve of I lie Best Itnaci, 
W. F. Radcltffe names in the Cot¬ 
tage Gardener, the following twelve roses ns 
“ best for exhibition and also for garden pur¬ 
poses, varied in color, hardy, good growers, 
free and constant bloomers. The roses are 
placed in alternations or shades of colors. 
Perfection de Lyon Is the finest show rose of 
them all. I had six plants each of Perfec¬ 
tion de Lyon and Madame Chirard, and nine 
plants of Edward Morreu to judge from. 
Edward Morren had no green eyes,but gave 
a splendid and abundant first and second 
scries without one malformed bloom. The 
following is my selection :—Marecbal Niel 
(Pradel, jnn , 1864,) golden yellow ; Pierre 
Notting (Portemer, 1863,) deep crimson pur¬ 
ple ; Madame Chirard (I860,) pale clear rose; 
Alfred Colomb (Lacbarme, 1865,) fieiy red ; 
Perfection de Lyon (Ducher, 1868,) pure 
rose, with silvery lilac reverse of the petals; 
Madame Victor Verdier (Eugene Verdier, 
1868,) rich red ; William Griffiths (Portemer, 
about 1854.) salmon rose; Edward Morren 
(Granger, 1868,) light silvery cerise; Mar¬ 
guerite de St. Amaud (Sansal, 1864 ;) Charles 
Lefebvre (Lacbarme, 1861,) rich, dark shaded 
crimson; John Hopper (Ward, 1862,) crim¬ 
son tali center, with paler edges; Maurice 
Bernardin (Granger or Leveque, 1861,) ver¬ 
milion. Mdllc. Marie Rady (Fontaine pere, 
1867,) is a first-rate rose, and I regret there 
is no room left for it in the twelve.” 
Ut (tkuiJcncr. 
CD 
EDIBLE FUNGI 
In a country like our own where fruits and 
all kinds of cereals are produced in such 
APACAEA, OP ARUM 
Tropical Bounty. 
Will yon please inform me if there is any 
abundance that ilie cboicests sorts are often 
fed to animals, it cannot be expected the 
botanical work which treats exclusively of people will search the lower orders of the 
tropical plants? I have some of Guay’s 
works, but I cannot find what I wish in 
them. Is Chapman's Flora of the Southern 
States the kind of work I wish?—J. P., 
Westchester Co .. N. l r . 
Yes ; there are many botanical works 
that treat almost exclusively of tropical 
plants, but, as a rule they are very expensive, 
Fia. 1 .—Agaricus Campestris. 
and none of them published in this country. 
They nre mostly illustrated works published 
by societies or under the patronage of 
European governments, where cost is not 
taken iuto consideration. A good series of 
works on the plants of the tropics would not 
cost less Ilian five hundred dollars; and 
even then we think you would find it quite 
incomplete. Chapman’s Flora of the South- 
vegetable kingdom for food, Si ill the edible 
fungi (musluootiKHf^are a class of plants 
worthy of our fltienlion v for among them we 
may find species of great, value, especially to 
those persons who seek delicacies, and par¬ 
take of food not as gluttons, but with mental 
faculties to be satiated as well as animal ap¬ 
petite. 
One cannot read the glowing descriptions 
of the dinners given by any one of the many 
European Mycologicu) Societies without 
believing that t heir’s are mental feasts as 
well as physical. In a late account we read 
of a chicken pie which was pronounced a 
“culinary triumph,” it being made of two 
fowls and thirty specimens of “ Parasal 
agaric,” (Agaricus procerus) a native mush¬ 
room. Gentlemen came to the dinner with 
a mushroom in their button boles instead of 
the “ natty ” rosebud and leaf. Gastronomic 
botany is in high favor among our European 
cousins and we wish a little of their enthu¬ 
siasm as well as knowledge on this subject 
could be imported and disseminated among 
our own people. 
Mushrooms are rapidly gaining in favor 
among the frequenters of our city restau¬ 
rants, where they are to he found in abund¬ 
ance at all seasons. The growing taste for 
edible fungi will certainly spread until coun¬ 
try us well ns city people learn to distinguish 
the innoxious from the noxious species. 
There is, however, far less danger of gather¬ 
ing poisonous species than most persons sup¬ 
pose; for, in fact, very little observation is 
sufficient to teach almost any one how to 
distinguish them. Probably the most com¬ 
mon and best known of our edible mush¬ 
rooms is the Ayaricus campestria, or meadow 
~ mushroom, (Fig. I.) 
.a Four of the spores 
-- which answer the 
same purpose as seeds 
J the higher order of 
J' plants, are shown in 
the lower right hand 
jM corner magnified 700 
1/lfl times. This species 
1/ appears in onr mcad- 
A v m ows and pastures in 
autumn, usually spring 
jug up during cool 
nights in the months 
of September and Oc¬ 
tober. Its color is 
white, sometimes 
. tinged with brown. 
The gills are at first a 
pale, salmon color, but 
become black with 
Fig. 2. — Agaricus Mucidus. 
age. 
ern States is an excellent work but it con- Another species known as the Horse 
tains very litlie not found in GRAY’Sseriesof Mushroom (Agaricus arvensis) is also found 
Botanies. And this series will be found under eimilaV conditions. It is not quite so 
very useful ns reference. delicate in flavor ns the first, hut grows much 
larger, sometimes a foot in diameter. It is 
of a yellowish color; gills pallid when 
young, but become black with age. 
In Europe (and perhaps in this country) 
is found a more singular and delicate species 
of this genus (A. mucidus—Fig. 2) which 
grows on the stems of large old beech trees. 
It is often produced in clusters, as shown, 
but it would be a difficult species to propa¬ 
gate or gatlier ou account of its peculiar 
habit of thriving principally on the beech. 
The list of edible fungi has been greatly 
enlarged during the past few years, and 
many of I lie kinds formerly supposed to be 
noxious are now placed among the innox¬ 
ious. This is the case with the Helcellas, a 
lather tall, tortuous-growing mushroom, ns 
shown in Fig. 3 in Helvetia crispa. There are 
a) least fifty edible species now well known 
to mycologists, that are natives of Northern 
climates. 
Mushroom culture in the vicinity of our 
large seaboard cities is becoming a business 
of considerable importance, and there is no 
good reason why every family should not 
have its bed of mushrooms us well as straw¬ 
berries. We have frequently given the dif¬ 
ferent methods of culture in the Rural 
New-Yorker, and shall probably refer to 
i ho same subject again, us we deem it one of 
considerable importance and know that our 
readers will agree with us, at least when 
they have once eaten, ns wo often do, of an 
excellent dish of edible fungi. 
GARDEN NOTES. 
!"*oil for mid Time ol' l’lniiiing Horse Iladisli. 
E. Thompson, Louisville, Ky., asks:— 
“ What is considered the best time and way 
of planting horse radish, also best soil ?” 
He is answered that it may be plentiful in 
fall or spring. It is difficult to keep it. A 
deep, rich and tenacious soil is best. 
Trophy Tomaio. 
Mrs. II. P. Neely thinks people who 
complain of the Trophy Tomato did not 
get true seed. The seed she obtained she 
sowed late, and the fruit ripened sooner than 
the Tilden or Fegee, and proved everything 
they were recommended to be, both in qual¬ 
ity and flavor. 
Distance Tomatoes Should be Floated. 
A correspondent of the Farmers’ Club 
having asserted that tomatoes rot on the 
Arbormilturf. 
OSAGE ORANGE NORTH OF 41°. 
At the risk of making this subject tire¬ 
some, the many who have commenced ope¬ 
rations experimenting with the Osage will 
thank Mr. John D. Long of Erie Co., N. 
Y., for his statements in Rural New- 
Yorker, Nov. 4, bearing apparent candor, 
and would be pleased to learn more particu¬ 
lars in reference to bis unfortunate frosty 
section of Erie county, its surroundings, im¬ 
mediate or distant. The maps place Erie 
county mostly south of 43% and naturally 
we look for great variations in temperature 
between ilie north and south limits of that 
county, the first being in the neighborhood 
of Niagara Falls, but on the same elevation 
of lands at head of falls, then running up 
higher towards Cattaraugus bids. 
Wo here arc slid lower than lands at foot 
of Falls, and in 1870 the frosts that killed 
Osage in Erie county made no impression 
that has come to my knowledge in this 
vicinity. Whether from lake or varying 
elevations, or other surrounding causes, is 
the problem we hope the “ Rural Brigade” 
can settle. Frost killed corn in 1871 on re¬ 
claimed pent land, but gravelly corn laud 
alongside escaped here. 
Clyde, Wayne Co., N. Y. Jo. Watson. 
CULTURE OF HICKORY. 
I WANT to plant some hickory nuts to 
grow hoop poles. I understand that, parlies 
in the SoulInvest make a business of grow¬ 
ing hoop poles, and would like to know 
when to plant, how fur apart the rows 
should be, mid how fur apart the uulsshould 
be planted hi I lie rows. Any information in 
regard to it would be gladly received.—W. 
Cum port, Tecumseh, Mich. 
Gather the nuts as soon as possible this 
fall, and sow them in drills wide enough 
apart to admit of cultivating with a horse. 
Cover the nuts an inch or two deep and 
about the same distance apart. Give the 
plants good culture next season, and in 
autumn dig them up and shorten the tap¬ 
root to about one-half its original length. 
Heel-in the plants in some good dry place 
in the open ground, and let them remain in 
this condition until the following spring. If 
shell bark hickory nuts is the 
variety planted, a rather stiff, 
y heavy soil will lie preferable 
p for future growth ; but the 
k—- Mocker nut, or thick shell 
Hickory {Carya tomentosa) 
gh ,j thrives on a light, rich soil. 
J/ Early in spring set the 
<a \ jijjir plants in rows six feet apart 
and about eighteen inches be¬ 
tween the plants. At ibis 
distance about five thousand 
plants nre required form) acre. 
From this time forward but 
little attention is required,ex¬ 
cept Culture and occasional 
pruning Lo make the plants 
grow straight and with few 
large side branches. The 
hickory is a slow grower for 
the first few years from seed ; 
but when it becomes well 
established, the growth is 
usually quite satisfactory. It 
should, however, be borne 
in mind that the first crop oi 
hoop poles will be the most 
i expensive, because loss in 
number and longer in coining 
I to maturity, If the first cut¬ 
ting is properly done, and at 
the light time of year, the 
^ stumps will throw up thrifty 
jjjjp3 sprouts that will grow as large 
^ as the original stock in half 
the pitmber of years. The 
second crop may also he 
double the first, for each stock may be al¬ 
lowed lo carry two or three steins. 
Very few experiments have as yet been 
tried to determine the feasibility of cultivat¬ 
ing hickory for hoop poles; but we have no 
doubt in regard lo the success of such a 
_ tut; uumiAi oi ji.titj. * 
Fig. 3. - IIei.tum.a Ciiiota. crop may also no 
vine because planted too closely together, double the first, for each stock may be al- 
J. II. Parsons, Franklin, N. Y., writes: lowed to carry two or three stems. 
“ He sets his plants four feet apart, and they y ery f ew experiments have as yet been 
do not rot. So did I formerly, and they tried to determine the feasibility ofcullivat- 
rotled—some years badly ; but for two years ing j jicko ,.y f or i l00p poles; but we have no 
past 1 have set the plants one foot apart in in regar d to the success of such a 
the hope of securing a greater number of jj llB j, lefigf jf t“ l0 se who attempt it have suf- 
enrly tomatoes and to economize space, and ficient perseverance to raise the first crop. 
I have scarcely seen a rotten tomato during__ 
the two years; and my conclusion is that 1 ARBORIOULTURAL NOTES. 
don’t know, tor they have rotted badly this _ 
year when the vines were small, on dry land The “Kangaroo iic«ik© Plant” 
and wide apart.” j s a bout to be tried in California. It is a lift- 
_ , . ~ 777“ . .. tive of Australia, where it is largely used for 
Early Of VO...OI. .. to a rapid grower, and pc 
Feewepw, during »e pat nutnmn, dry soils. Tim success of 
we have heard complaint, nf Uirnipa,onions A lre es in California aiigar. 
and similar rools going to seed instead of ,, . . f .. . pxnerimeut. 
forming tubers or bulbs. The subject has well for the result of tins new expeiimem. 
been discussed several times at the Farm- Bo says a California paper. 
era’ Club, without arriving at any salisfnc- - 
torv conclusion. Of late we have noticed Planting Fruit Seeds, 
that English agriculturists are making simi- Will some one inform me through, the 
lar complaints of early cabbages, heels, Mir- r cral New-Yorker, whether I shall sow 
nips, ami spring sown onions running lo a „p| e cherry and plum seeds this fall, or 
seed. Can it be that this reversion lo origi- j {ee p ,| iem uext spring?—Y. G. T., 
mil types originates in some general cause, Columbus, Neb. 
alike potent on both sides of the Atlantic; . . , .. ,. wn 
or is it the season, seed, or mode of culture ? It is immaterial whether they are sown 
“ Who knows,” and wlio will tell us? this fall or next spring. You should, how- 
