Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1879 — A New Flower. [ARTICLE]

A New Flower.

The Italian Fanfulla records the dis-cuvory-of a flower f whieh is of such an amazing splendor as well as size that the Victoria Regia and the Rafflesia Arnoldi appear mere dwarfs by its side. The fortunate finder of this remarkable plant is the renowned traveler and naturalist, Odoardo Be©--cari, who has chiefly earned his fanie by his exhaustive researches in the East Indian Archipelago. This hitherto unknown flower unfolds its mighty chalice bud iu the forests of Sumatra. The discoverer attributes it to the family of Amorphophalltu, and has given it 'the specific naifae of Titanum. The diameter of the flower, when full blown, averages thirty-three inches. A peculiar misfortune has happened -to the roots of the ’‘Titan” which Signor Beccari has dispatched tg Europe. Six fthbsts dfbularoot arrived at-Genoa on board a French steamer, addressed to the Marquis Corsi-Salviati v of Florence, who is a famous horticulturist, and who "had prepared special culture houses for the plant. The diatoms ofceFs of Genoa, however,- out of terror of the dreaded phylloxera. have bee®

prohibited from admitting any living plant* into thia port. The rule pre valla at prpaent throughout the Italian Kingdom, lest the ternole little foe of the vineyards should be housing himself in the immigrant planta, and the harmless bulbs of the “Titan' 1 were excluded in obedience to the atrict letter of the law. Notwithstanding this law, the Fanfulla declares that vinestalks from Bordeaux are being constantly landed in Genoa. The importer declares that hia bundles are wanted for walking-sticks and umbrella-han-dles, and under this alias they escape the scrutiny of the customs officers, who never think that the “vine-louse” may be secreting himself in the inno-cent-looking bundles. What has become of Signor Beccari’s important cargo the Italian journal does not yet know.— London Globe. ,