THINGS NEW AND OLD. 
The Yuccas are a striking 
•with a peculiar tropical aspect. 
It is our intention to bring to the notice of readers everything new that proves desirable for 
■general culture. We shall freely give our opinion of new claimants for public favor, whether 
they prove worthy or not. There are also many old and valuable plants, neglected and almost 
forgotten, that we may occasionally introduce. Fashion holds its sway in the floricultural world 
as well as elsewhere, and exercises the same tyranny. A new plant is introduced, becomes 
fashionable, and pushes aside an old friend possessing equal, if not superior, merit. A recently 
introduced plant may seem unworthy of culture, appear sickly and unsuited to our climate, and in 
•consequence be condemned, but after a time it becomes acclimated, needs a new introduction, 
and deserves a better character. 
YUCCA FILAMENTOSA. 
class of plants, with long, narrow, strong, sharp-pointed leaves, 
Filamentosa is the hardiest, and we think will endure almost 
any of our northern winters. It is called Adam's Needle , 
because the leaves are sharply pointed and throw off from 
their edges numerous fine threads. It sends up a strong 
flower-stem in the middle of the summer, bearing a large 
spike of whitish flowers. The Yucca is an evergreen per¬ 
ennial, and delights in a rich soil. We usually throw over 
the plants a few evergreen boughs or something of the kind, 
as a slight winter protection. We call attention to this 
old plant with a good deal of confidence, feeling assured 
that it will more than meet the expectations of our readers. 
Our engravings show the plant in flower, and the tuberous 
roots, the one with leaves being what is called a two-year 
old root, and will flower the first season planted. 
There are other varieties of Yucca well worthy of cul¬ 
ture, but none so hardy and 
desirable for a northern cli¬ 
mate as Filamentosa, which we have figured. Yucca gloriosa 
.superbum we have grown here pretty well, and of course further 
south this and the more 
tender varieties do well. 
It is at the North, how¬ 
ever, where plants with an 
oriental or tropical appear¬ 
ance are so scarce and 
delightful that the Yucca 
is most prized and most needed. For this reason we have said a good word in behalf of the Yucca, 
a favor we have done before for the Ricinus and Canna, and for the same reason. 
MOLUCCA BALM. 
For several years we have been growing a very curious old plant, a native of vSyria, but seeds 
were carried to England three hundred years ago, 
by the botanist to King James I, and we believe 
was afterwards lost, and re-introduced. We have 
never seen it outside of our own grounds, nor do 
we find the seed advertised in any catalogue in 
Europe or America. It was sent us by a friend 
under the name of Shell-flower. It is a strong 
annual, growing from two to three feet in height, 
starting from the ground with a single strong 
stem, branching at about six inches from the 
ground. At this point it throws up a dozen or 
more strong curved arms, usually two feet in length, and these are surrounded with flowers, 
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