THE DATURA. 
In our Floral Guide of last year, in describing the Datura, we said, “No one ever flowered 
a. good Datura for the first time who was not a good deal more than pleased, and no one ever 
had a blooming plant in his garden that did not receive a large share of the attention and admira¬ 
tion of visitors.” We do not like to say all the good things we think of a flower, because we 
write for all, and our favorites may not please everybody. Then we like to disappoint people 
agreeably, we mean—just as our friend at Hartford was disappointed. 
James Vick — Dear Sir :—Your glowing description of the Datura in the Floral Guide for 1875, page 27, 
attracted our attention, and among the seeds ordered was one of the Datura. We now have a single plant growing 
where the seed was planted, which seems to show that you arc a very modest man quite too modest, if our one 
plant may be taken as a specimen. You say, “ Plants two feet high ; set plants two feet apart. Our plant is three 
feet high, and in the spread of its branches measures seven and a half feet, and is still increasing its dimensions. 
You say the flowers arc six inches in length. Ours measures from seven to eight inches in length. It opens its 
flowers in the night, and they close during the following day, never to open again. As an average we have about 
six flowers each morning; I counted the buds on a portion of the plant (it is Datura WrigJitn ), and estimating 
the remainder, I estimate there are, in all the stages of growth, about three hundred.—J. F. Judd. 
Easily Pleased. — Sometimes we think we have the best natured subscribers in the world. 
In the midst of our seed-growing and thousands of other duties we write a number of the Guide, 
and when it is printed look it over, sometimes with a good deal of dissatisfaction, and resolve, if 
people will not complain, we will get out a better number next time, or fail in a desperate attempt 
to do so, when along comes a dozen complimentary letters, like the following from a veteran of 
the press, whose good opinion we have reason to prize : 
Mr. James Vick : — I have just examined your Number 3, for 1875. It will be more than examined by the 
florist portion of my household. But I want, as a newspaper man, to say to you, that I am really delighted with 
the pleasant, facile, graphic sketch you have made of your far western journey. It is ever so successfully narrated. 
You are so complete as a floriculturist, I dare not advise you to be altogether a journalist, for it is very difficult to 
-do more than one thing very well — yet I admit your solution of that difficulty in this number of your Floral 
Guide. The art of saying what we want to say, in just enough words, not in poverty or excess, is so delicate, 
whether by pen or voice, that when I think it has been ever so neatly done, I may be forgiven for telling a friend I 
value of his success.— W. H. B. 
A Large Vegetable Egg. — The Egg Plant succeeds wonderfully in the mild climate and 
on the rich soil of the South-west. What we at the North obtain by the exercise of considerable 
skill and labor our friends farther South grow with little trouble and in greater perfection. And 
after all, we would not be surprised if some energetic cultivator somewhere in the neighborhood 
of the north pole should send us a statement showing that he had entirely surpassed our Missouri 
friend, for determination with a little skill and knowledge will accomplish wonders. 
Dear Sir : — I cut an “ egg” to-day, from a plant of your Improved New York Purple, that weighed five pounds 
three and one-half ounces, and measured two feet around lengthwise, twenty-two and one-half inches crosswise 
around the largest part. The seed was sown in the open air about May 1st.— S. T. B., Gallatin, Mo., Oct. 12,1875. 
«*> - 
Cobcea SCANDENS. — A subscriber of Jonathan’s Creek, North Carolina, wishes us to state how 
to preserve the roots of Coboea scandens during the winter, and if it is necessary to take them up 
in a climate where the mercury seldom sinks below zero. Anything like zero will de stroy the 
roots of Coboea if left exposed in the garden. We take up what plants we desire, in the Autumn, 
and remove them to the house for winter-flowering. We hardly think it would be desirable to 
attempt to preserve the plants in a cold-frame or pit, as we doubt, if successful, whether the plants 
would be as vigorous as those grown from early planted seed. If any of our readers have had 
experience in saving plants over the winter we would like to hear of the mode and the result. 
Government Seeds. — A correspondent in Illinois writes, alluding to our remarks on the 
Government Seed Store at Washington: “One of the wealthiest men of our city got a fine 
supply of government seeds last spring, and came to me the loan of a seed-drill to sow them 
with, and wished me to come down and start it. I went, and gave him your catalogue to read. 
He is one of the best of men, and never before once thought of the facts as you state them.” 
The California Radish. — S. M. Haywood, of Pano, Ill., writes: “We planted the Cali¬ 
fornia Mammoth Radish seed on the 25th of July last year, and the Radishes averaged over twelve 
inches long and from eight to ten inches in circumference. One of them weighed seven pounds 
and measured sixteen inches round. It was as solid and crisp as an early spring Radish.” 
32 
