THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
58 • 
downward, clasps and covers a portion of the soil, thus 
rendering it quite distinct from all other Ferns, with the 
exception of the other members of the genus. This Fern 
ought to be grown in a basket, but it will do very well in a 
pot, using lumpy peat, and keeping the crown of the plant 
two inches above the level of the pot, so as to admit of the 
development of the shield.” 
* 
* * 
Rosy Nerine, N.arnabilis. —This is a very pretty species, 
from the Cape of Good Hope. The flowers are borne on 
a slender stem about eighteen inches in height, and are of 
a rosy pink color, with wavy narrow segments and promi¬ 
nent stigma and anthers. It is a beautiful plant for the 
greenhouse, succeeding in light sandy soil. 
* 
* * 
Trailing Phlox, P. amcena. —This is a capital plant for 
covering the facings of stones, and should be seen on every 
rockery. It is of trailing habit, producing a mass of nar¬ 
row, shining leaves. The flowers are of a bright rosy 
purple color. 
* 
* * 
Cheap Flowers.—Never in the history of the cut flower 
in New York has the prices of choice flowers been as low 
during the month of January, as they have been during 
the present season. The very best Perle des Jardin Roses 
were sold, at wholesale, for $2 per 100, Bon Silene and 
Safrano Roses in some instances were sold for $1 per 100, 
and all other flowers at equally low rates. There are two 
causes for this depression—one, the general depression in 
all kinds of business, the other, overproduction. There 
are numerous instances where men of wealth have, for 
reasons of economy, sent the productions of their green¬ 
houses into the market. Other men of wealth have built 
greenhouses simply as an investment, and for the past few 
years it has been a good one. Now that the business is 
overdone, they may possibly wish their capital invested in 
a business better understood. 
* 
* * 
Double Meadow Saffron, Colchicum autumnale, fl. pi. 
—This is one of the finest varieties. It is most useful in 
gardens when in large clumps in the front of the border 
or rockery. The flowers are very double, and fully four 
inches in diameter, and of a rosy purple color. It thrives 
best in a deep, sandy loam, but fine plants ( par. albuni) 
have also been obtained when grown in cold, damp clay, 
which they evidently enjoyed, as suiting their nature. 
* 
* * 
White Meadow Saffron, Colchicum autumnalevar. al¬ 
bum. —A very choice variety, with delicate white flowers, 
which appear without the leaves, as in the type. The 
tube of the perianth is of medium length, and of a yellow¬ 
ish white color. This variety should be grown in conjunc¬ 
tion with the other forms and choice appearance adapts it 
either for the border or rockery. 
* 
* * 
Byzantine Meadow Saffron, Colchicum byzantium. 
—A very handsome free-flowering species from the 
Levant, with pale rose-colored flowers, larger than the 
common species. The leaves are short, broad, and of a 
dark green color. As in the other cases, it is most suitable 
for the border or rockery, thriving in deep well-drained 
soils. 
* 
* * 
Showy Meadow Saffron, Colchicum speciosum. —This 
is, without doubt, one of the finest bulbous plants flower¬ 
ing in borders at the present time. It is most striking in 
appearance, and forms one of the most showy subjects for 
the choice bulb border. The flowers are quite as large 
as a good-sized tulip, very stout in texture, and of a rich 
rose-color, supported on strong reddish stems. A variety 
called C. speciosum rubrum is also deserving of cultiva¬ 
tion and has deep magenta flowers. 
* 
* * 
Rigid Diplopappus, D. rigidus. —A very beautiful plant, 
with prostrate stems. The flower-heads are borne on 
stems about eighteen inches in height, and have narrow 
ray-florets of a bright-blue color, and a very showy yellow 
disk. It thrives in ordinary soil, and forms an excellent 
border subject. Native of North America. 
* 
* * 
Graceful Sunflower, Helianthus orgyalis. —Where tall 
plants are in request this graceful species should be grown. 
It attains about seven feet in height, and has very hand¬ 
some long, narrow leaves. The flowers are borne on very 
long petioles, and are of a yellow color. This plant would 
have a magnificent appearance in a prominent position in 
the pleasure garden, and could also be employed among 
tall-growing subjects in the rougher parts of the garden. 
Native of North America. 
* 
* * 
The “ Reason Why.”—The “reason why,” says the 
Independent, is always an attractive study. Botany, es¬ 
pecially, has found in the “ reason why ” many addition¬ 
al motives, of late years, to pursue the amiable science. 
The arguments for or against certain reasonable sug¬ 
gestions fill much place in scientific serials, and the pa¬ 
pers are read with avidity by those who love these specu¬ 
lations. These suggestions do good so long as they are 
not mistaken for pure science, and even the plausible 
though wild, speculations of Grant Allen do much good 
by leading the mind to inquire whether these things are 
so. Recently the question of thistledown has been again 
revived. The reason for its existence is that it is a seed 
distributor. But objection has been made that, if this 
was its purpose, it is a signal failure in the main, as no 
seed is ever or rarely found floating with the down. A 
paper appeared in an American scientific serial, some 
years ago, showing that in a piece of land surrounded by 
Canada thistle the owner never saw a single plant on his 
own grounds. But a neighbor’s land, lower than his, and 
subject to overflows from the thistle-infested ground, soon 
became covered, because the thistle-heads containing the 
seeds, or the seeds themselves, were carried hundreds of 
yards beyond where any thistledown seemed able to carry 
them. Subsequently, Mr. Bentham recorded that, in 
England, he had never seen thistle seed connected with 
floating down, and recently Dr. Maxwell T. Masters has 
stated that he has taken every available opportunity of 
