June 5—We identified two interesting wild lowers on the lawn today. One was Prunella vulgaris, commonly known as. self-heal: the erect flowering stems of this plant wore almost square and very hairy, the purplish-blue flowers being set in a head which appeared almost too heavy for the stem. We looked up the plant in Culpeper's Herbal and found that if it really docs cure all the ills it 1s supposed to do, it thas been well named. If it is mixed with syrup, fand taken os, prescribed, it will cure all "inward wounds": if it is made into a paste and applied externally, it will cure all "outward wounds."" The plant will "also cure head~ aches if mixed with all of roses and. applied to the forehead: "Tommy" thinks that the Droperties of the plant, good as they appear to be, would not be quite strong enough for some of our local headaches. The second. wild-flower attract our attention was Spiranthes ax-strolls, commonly called lady's tresses. The flowers on this plant are small and very dainty: {they are arranged in spiral form on the top of the' spike which appears most peculiar. If any of the readers of these notes are microscope-minded, T would suggest that they look at the flowers th: ough their instrument; they will, believe, be very interested to see how attire has managed to arrange so much beauty in such a small space. We notice that the gardenias Gardenia jasminoides and G. radicals are preparing to open their buds. The gardenia is an old favourite in England; but the plant so well known there as the cape jasmine which flowers Jduring the Winter, is not the same species as we grow outside here: ours do not like artificial heat. The chief drawback to our gardenias is [the tact that huge colonies of small insects [make their home in the lowers as soon as they pen, If these are not shaken out before the flowers are taken into the house, trouble is Ukely. G. jesminoldes is native to Chi wae.
June 7.—We observe that the Hypericums are now in flower: these are most useful dwarf shrubs commonly known as St John's Wort. One of the species is known as Rose of Sharon. The best of the species grown locally are H. hinese and H. patulum; both are very attrac: tive and so accommodating, for they will grow in the shade. They both appear fo burn when Planted in a position too much exposed to the Afternoon sun. H. chinese is a dwarf species with larger leaves and flowers than H. patulum which grows taller and rather strangely if allow. ed to have its own way: the flowers produced by both are golden yellow. Both species are. native to China, We remember reading, at one time, a nurseryman's description of that universally "planted wiehuraiana climbing rose, Dorothy Perkins. He stated in part "this is a fine climber; but the country is gelting rather messed up with It" 'The writer may have been correct in a way, but we hope that the popular ity of this rose' will never result in it being discarded. It is still making a fine show in any gardens together with it near relatives, White Dorothy ant Excel, We saw a beaut:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.