ACACIA. "Our rocks are rough, but smiling there The loved and lone Acacia tree." The Acacia is a very numerous family of deciduous plants, generally found in all parts of the globe; most of the showy varieties are generally calculated for the greenhouse, while some few are calculated to decorate the shrubbery. The common Acacia, better known as the Locust, is a native of this country, and one of the finest ornamental shade trees ever produced; although of a showy appear. ance in groves or round dwellings, it is not calculated for the confines of a city, as it is subject to the attacks of insects, and then easily broken off by the wind, thus destroying its primitive beauty and majestic form. For a grove or shade in the country it is unsurpassed, and is not ravaged by insects, as the birds feed on and destroy them. Then again the wood is valuable to farmers for posts. Their roots do not extend deep underground, consequently is apt to throw suckers in abundance, which must be either taken off and planted, or destroyed when young. This tree is not so early as most of our natives in putting forth in the spring; the leaves and flowers appear much about the same time, and the fragrance of the flowers can be inhaled for some distance, so strong and delightful is the odor. The Rosa Acacia, Robina Hispida, is certainly a beautiful deciduous up shrub, very ornamental, in the flower garden, generally flowering in a rich loam from May to September, and is hardy. The racemes axillary, leaves are pinnate, and the stem hispid. The flowers are drooping, racemes of rosy pink, the flowers in the form of pea blossoms, clustered and fascinating in appearance, commanding the admiration of persons possessing the least taste for flowers. This plant is propagated by suckers, or grafted on the common Locust from one to three feet from the ground, according to fancy. This shrub flowers better when grafted than when on its own bottom; not only so but the flowers are larger. These plants should be grafted in the spring; the operation is performed in the usual way of grafting fruit trees. There are some fine varieties from the East Indies which require to be cultivated in the greenhouse. The finest of this species is A. Laphante, the blossoms of which are a clear sulphur' yellow, of most imposing beauty; even the delicate foliage with its pinnated leaves, which resembles the sensitive plant, is an ornament independent of the external beauty of the flowers. It is somewhat doubtful if this plant would suit the parlor, as the least frost would be detrimental, unless the heat of the room be such as to exclude the frost entirely, and if the heat was not uniform would be also injurious. A. Saligna, commonly called the "willow," is another variety, from New South Wales, and was introduced in 1818; not so tender as the other, will grow ten feet high. The leaves are more in the shape of the Oleander leaf, only more blunt at the end, quite entire, the flowers yellow, the seed pod contracted between the seed. There is no doubt this variety would do well in the parlor, being a free bloomer, and will with stand considerable frost; this makes it a desirable variety. A. Oxycedorus is another still more desirable, and will withstand a hard frost. This plant was introduced in 1824 from New Holland. Branches of this variety spread, the points cernuous, leaves rigid, alternate or in whorls, linear, lanceolate, stipules short, rigid spine, about the length of those at the point of the leaf, peduncles clothed, dense wood. This variety will grow readily from cuttings, and indeed so will most of the Acacias, but some are more difficult than others. It appears that we are indebted to New Holland for some of the finest varieties, and those not so tender as many, though of late there have been some beautiful plants brought from Africa, but are very tender. There are some of this species of ornamental plants in China; the flowers are used as a yellow die, being very permanent, as may be seen by their silks of that color, which are imported from there; but to follow the history and description of this numerous and valuable family of plants would be foreign to the purpose, and this article is now longer than originally intended when first commenced. BEAUTIFUL NEMOPHILA. (NEMOPHILA INSIGNIS.) This plant is of late introduction and better calculated for parlor culture than the open ground, in habit of spreading, the leaves scolloped, flowers cup shape, of a beautiful azure blue, centre white, does not grow above six inches high, is considered hardy, flowering in the spring. The seeds of this annual should be sown in September in pots, and brought into the house in November, and will flower early. There are two other varieties, N. Atomaria, and N. Discordalis; the first raised from seed by Mr. Turner of Chalvey, in England, and is a pale blue, striated all over with white, very distinct; and the latter has a black disk with a white edge, extremely pretty. The soil for these annuals should be a rich loam, and their treatment should be alike. Sow seeds again in the spring for a second crop. BIND WEED. (CONVOLVULUS ARVENSIS.) There is a numerous family of the Bindweed, natives of all parts of the globe. C. Arvensis is a perennial runner, a native of England, bearing a rose colored flower in June and July, rather small and trumpet shape. Leaves sagitate, lobes acute, peduncles are flowered, minute bracteæ, distinct from the flowers. This variety does not possess much merit and may be considered the most inferior of the whole tribe. There is another variety extensively cultivated and better known as the "Morning Glory." C. Major possessing innumerable variety of flowers of all colors, of great richness. This variety shows to great advantage when |