. 284 
THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
sider it had no particular attraction, as it is what might 
be termed a greenish white of very robust growth ; but 
outside the rays of the sun reduce this to a bright golden 
yellow, in the distance most attractive and pleasing to 
the eye, and makes a splendid contrast with the other, 
either planted alternately or in lines. This Golden Bed- 
der is much dwarfed with me in outside planting and re¬ 
quires to be kept on the front line. I had abed of coleus 
this season planted in the centre with mixed varieties, 
and on the outside the two varieties mentioned above 
planted alternately, which had a very pleasing and fine 
effect and was much admired. 
There are several other plants of late introduction that 
I would like to notice, but shall leave them until some 
future time. Nothing can do more to increase floricul¬ 
ture than true notices of valuable new varieties. 
N. Robertson, 
Superintendent Government Grounds, Canada. 
INTERESTING VEGETABLE FORMS. 
T O the thoughtful observer almost every vegetable 
form has something of interest, but to the masses 
they are generally only weeds or common plants. Even 
those that have some striking peculiarity soon lose their 
interest by familiarity. The vegetable kingdom is full of 
unique forms, many of which, to the common reader, are 
almost, if not entirely unknown. Some of these, from 
their form, habits or productions, are quite curious and 
interesting. 
The gourd tribe furnishes some interesting species. 
One of these, the Cucurbita claviformis , grows in the 
vicinity of Constantinople, and is believed by the people 
of that country to be the real Jonah’s gourd. It forms 
an almost impermeable shade, under which the Orientals 
delight to sit and smoke. The curious fruit hangs down 
in long, delicate clubs, somewhat resembling large, over¬ 
grown candles. This fruit is prepared for food by scoop¬ 
ing out the central portion and filling it with force-meat. 
It is then boiled, when it forms a very palatable dish. 
Another member of this family is the squirting cucum¬ 
ber, Momordica Elaterium, which is remarkable for the 
strange property it has when ripe of throwing its seed 
contents to a considerable distance on being touched or 
shaken. As the fruit approaches maturity there is an ac¬ 
cumulation of fluid in it till it can contain no more, when, 
on the least touch or jar, the substance about the stem 
gives way, and the contents are thrown out with force 
sufficient to carry them several yards, and a report, as of 
a popgun, that may be heard at a considerable distance. 
Persons passing near them often find themselves at such 
times suddenly bespattered from head to foot by the 
pulpy contents of these vegetable popguns. 
In the valley of the Chagres there grow whole forests 
of the candle-tree. From the stems and branches of 
these depend the long, cylindrical fruits of a yellow wax 
color that so much resemble huge candles as to have sug¬ 
gested the popular name. The fruit is from two to four 
feet long and an inch in diameter. The tree grows to 
the height of twenty-four feet, and blooms all the year 
round, though most abundantly during the rainy season, 
but the principal harvest of the fruit is during the long, dry 
season. The fruit serves as food for cattle, which, when 
fed on it and some of the native plants, soon grow quite 
fat. The meat of cattle fed on this fruit has a peculiar 
though not disagreeable apple-like odor. 
A tree known as the “ rain tree,” Pithecollobium Saman, 
is found in the drier parts of South America. This tree 
grows to the height of sixty feet, and its leaves have the 
peculiar property of condensing the moisture from the 
atmosphere. So copious is this condensation that a con¬ 
tinual shower falls from the leaves and branches until the 
surrounding soil is converted into a veritable marsh. 
Places that would otherwise be barren desert are by this 
means covered with the most luxuriant forests. It is said 
the British Government is introducing this tree into India 
to counteract the aridity of portions of that country. 
Queensland furnishes a shrub that would certainly 
make a very unpleasant neighbor. It is the stinging tree, 
a very luxurious, pleasing-looking shrub, varying in height 
from two or three inches to ten or fifteen feet. Though 
pleasing to the eye, it is dangerous to the touch, as the 
pain it produces is maddening. No mark is left, but for 
months afterward the place is tender to the touch in 
rainy weather, or when wet by washing, or other means. 
It exhales a peculiar, disagreeable odor that gives notice 
of its proximity, and enables the experienced and cautious 
to avoid contact with it. So excruciating is the pain 
caused by contact with this plant that a man of ordinary 
fortitude when stung will roll on the ground in uncon¬ 
trollable agony. A horse will, after passing through a 
grove of these trees, rush with open mouth at any one 
who dares approach him. A dog under such circum¬ 
stances will rush around, whining in a piteous manner, 
biting and tearing the flesh from the parts affected by 
the sting. 
A recent German publication contains a description of 
a new electric plant that has been christened Phytolacca 
electrica, which possesses strongly marked electro-mag¬ 
netic properties. In breaking a twig the hand receives a 
shock that resembles the sensation produced by an in¬ 
duction coil. Experiments made on this plant with a 
small compass showed that the compass was affected by 
it at the distance of about twenty feet. On a near ap¬ 
proach the needle vibrated and finally began to revolve 
quite rapidly. The phenomena was repeated in reverse 
order on receding from the plant. The energy of the in¬ 
fluence varied with the time of day, being strongest at 
about two o’clock P. M., and becoming almost nothing 
during the night. It was also greatly increased during 
stormy weather; and when it rained the plant seemed to 
wither. It is said that no birds or insects are ever seen 
on or about this plant. The soil where it grew contained 
