much shorter than the flowers, which are somewhat distant from each other; both palets are strongly fringed, the lower one 2-cleft at the summit, with its mid-rib extended into a short awn.

This grass apparently has little practical value.

ARISTIDA PURPUREA-Purple Awned grass.

There are many species of this genus, most of which grow in dry sandy or barren soils, and are of little or no agricultural value.

The species which we figure, Aristida purpurea, is one which grows west of the Mississippi River, and is common and in many places abun dant on the plains of Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas.

It is an annual grass, 1 to 3 feet high, with slender culms, much branched from the base, and short, involute leaves. The panicle is 6 to 8 inches long, rather narrow, and when in flower having a graceful, plume-like look from the spreading of the long purple awns or beards of the flower. The spikelets are 1-flowered. The glumes are unequal, the upper one being about inch long, the lower two-thirds as long, and both very narrow with long tapering points. The lower palet is narrow and involute or rolled together around the upper palet and the grain or seed, and running out at the apex into three slender, diverging, nearly equal awns or beards, from 1 to 2 inches long.

Where this grass is abundant it furnishes an inferior grazing, but by enriching the soil its place can be supplied with much more valuable kinds. (See Plate XXV.)

Respectfully submitted."

Hon. WM. G. LE DUC,

Commissioner of Agriculture.

GEO. VASEY, Botanist.

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GARDENS AND GROUNDS.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report in connection with the operations of this division.

The distributions for the year have aggregated to the number of one hundred and ninety-five thousand plants of various kinds, but almost wholly of those having economic value, as the olive, Japan persimmon, tea, coffee, cinchona, orange, lemon, fig, grape, strawberry, &c. Fully teven-eighths of these plants were distributed by mail, involving much sabor in their preparation for this mode of transportation.

Estimating these plants at the very low price of 5 cents each, they would represent a money value of $9,750, a sum considerably above the amount of the appropriation allowed for labor for propagating, and for keeping the gardens and grounds of the Department in order, which includes 25,000 square feet of glass structures well stocked with plants and 40 acres of ground, much of it kept as lawn and flower-garden, with numerous walks and drives, together with collections of grapes, strawberries, and other hardy fruiting plants, all of which require much labor and attention for ordinary care and keeping.

But little has been added to the arboretum collection during the past year. The proximity of the grounds to the city, and their almost unprotected condition, render it a difficult matter to maintain the labels

on the trees and shrubs. A proper substantial fence is greatly needed to inclose the grounds and insure greater certainty in the results from propagating operations. When unprotected from depredators, no absolute certainty can be guaranteed in preserving the nomenclature of the plants in the cutting-beds, in consequence of the liability of the labels being displaced beyond the possibility of accurate readjustment.

FIGS.

In the ordinary winters here, fig trees are killed to the ground even when the young wood has been as perfectly matured as the climate will admit. The branches can be preserved by bending them down and protecting them by a covering of soil. But occasionally early frosts will destroy the foliage and arrest growth before the wood has become matured; in this condition covering is of but little avail. Towards the end of October of the present year the thermometer indicated 18 degrees of frost, which amount of cold had the effect of destroying the yearly growths on all the varieties in the collection, and in the case of young plants killed them completely. To guard against such casualties in future, and to insure a supply of cuttings for distribution, a glazed structure has been assigned to the growth of a small but select collection of varieties of the fig. The house is single-roofed, and the plants are trained against the wall. The object here being more for the purpose of procuring shoots for cuttings than that of procuring quantities of fruit, the border for the roots is kept well enriched so as to encourage a luxuriant growth of wood, the ripening of which can be secured by withholding water from the border as winter approaches.

In northern localities where the fig will not endure the winter unprotected, it will be found profitable to cultivate them under glass. The care of a fig house is much less than that required for a cold grapery, and the crop quite as certain and more valuable to those who fully ap preciate the value of fresh figs. With a judicious selection of varieties the plants would bear continuously during summer; each plant ripening two crops of perfect fruit would afford a daily supply for many months. The soil for fruiting figs should not be made rich; a gravelly or sandy loam, rather poor than otherwise, will produce the best results. A rich soil encourages a heavy wood-growth at the expense of the crop of fruit.

FOREIGN GRAPES.

A large collection of foreign grapes is cultivated in the grape house, mainly for the purpose of furnishing wood for propagating plants. The young plants are distributed principally in Florida and Texas, in which States some of the varieties are said to succeed in the open air quite as well as they do in California.

A brief description of some of the more recently introduced varieties is herewith given:

Mrs. Pince's Black Muscat.-This grape is represented as a late fruit of much merit, and keeping a long time after being ripe. After fruiting it for several years, it proves to be of but little value. The berries set very irregularly, and in consequence the bunches are imperfect. It is only medium in point of flavor, and is not distinguished for keepingqualities after ripening.

Mandersfield Court.-A free-growing, prolific variety. The fruit is juicy and not high flavored. The berries are liable to crack open and decompose as they ripen, unless the soil is quite dry. It is not of par ticular value.

Primais Frontignan.-The flavor of this variety is fully equal to that of the better known White Frontignan. It is a remarkably prolific variety, and is au acquisition among free-growing high-flavored grapes.

Muscat Hamburg.-This variety is considered to be the same as the Black Muscat. Comparing the two varieties as they grow side by side they closely resemble each other. The Black Muscat appears to have better-colored and more compact bunches. This is one of the best-flavored black grapes in the list, and when well grown produces very fine bunches.

Foster's White Seedling.-A very productive early grape of the Sweetwater class. It is not high flavored, and is no improvement upon older varieties. It is, however, admirably adapted for pot-culture, being a great bearer, and of very moderate growth.

Dutchess of Baccleuch.-A free-growing and productive plant, producing long tapering bunches with small white berries. It is a pleasantflavored fruit, but does not come up to description as possessing exquisite flavor.

Early Smyrna.-An abundant bearer, of the Sweetwater class of grapes; fruit of sweet, spicy flavor.

Royal Ascot. This grape promises to be a desirable acquisition to the cold grapery. It produces a medium-sized bunch, the berries large, solid, crisp, and well flavored.

Trentham Black.-A very prolific variety. The bunches are of medium size, resembling those of the Hamburg Muscat; the berries juicy and sweet, but not highly flavored.

Ingraham's Prolific.-A small, early, black grape, sweet and full of a brisk spicy juice, not worthy of place in a house, but promising as a good grape for some portions of the Southern States.

Napoleon Muscadine.-A free-growing, prolific vine; fruit resembles that of the Royal Muscadine, but much more distinct in flavor than that old variety. It possesses all the characteristics of a good table grape. Reeve's Muscadine.-This is an early variety of the Sweetwater class, very productive, and of fine flavor.

Lady Downes.-This is a valuable, late-keeping grape. It suceeeds very well in a cold grapery, but requires a cool night temperature when the seeds are forming, otherwise the berries become scalded, turn black, and decay quite rapidly. It is late to ripen or color, and cannot be managed properly unless the grapery is provided with a heating apparatus of some kind. With proper care the fruit can be kept hanging on the vine until March and April. The fruit is not of the highest flavor, and beyond its remarkable keeping qualities has no particular merit. White Lady Downes.-Resembles the last in all respects except in color; it is the best-keeping white grape in cultivation.

Muscat St. Laurent.-A very prolific variety; bunches long, tapering, and slightly shouldered; a tender-fleshed fruit, but not highly favored. Marchioness of Hastings.-A good grape, resembling the Black Hamburg, but not superior to that well-known variety.

Dr. Robert Hogg.-This grape closely resembles the Royal Muscadine, and is about equal to that variety in flavor and productiveness.

Among the older varieties may be mentioned the Frontignans, white, black, and grizzly; of these, the white is the best; and as the flavor is the same in all, one variety is sufficient in a collection for family use. It is also one of the best for culture in pots.

Muscat of Alexandria.-This standard variety is well known for the large, exquisitely-flavored fruit which it produces. When cultivated in cold graperies the pollen seems to be imperfectly developed, and con