Whoever may have occasion to wander out among the numerous sphagnons swamps that diversify the sandy plains in the neighborhood of Albany, any time during the month of June, will not fail to have his attention directed to singularly beautiful clusters of reddish purple flowers, each one nodding on a solitary footstalk, that ascends from a whorl of far more singularly constituted leaves. This is the Sarracenia purpurea. It is exclusively an American genus, and is composed of six well-defined species, five being confined to the Southern States, while the present one appears to be equally disseminated from the shores of the Mexican Gulf, as far north as Hudson's Bay. " The flowers are large, and of a deep reddish purple color, with the petals greatly incurved, while the pale yellow stigma occupying the centre, expands in such a manner as effectually to conceal the more important organs of fructification from the sight. The leaves when mature are of a fine green color, more or less stained with purple, and beautifully veined with a tint of a much deeper hue: they have the form and appearance of some antique Roman lamps: indeed, so striking is the resemblance, that had we been informed that this ancient people possessed any knowledge of this singular plant, we should have had little hesitation in assigning to it a suggestive original to their skilful artificers.

The cavity, or reservoir, as it has not inaptly been termed, which occupies the centre of the leaf, is at all times partially filled with water, originating from rains and dews, into which numerons species of coleoptera and other insects are not unfrequentty found, which have met their death in pursuit of a saccharine concretion, that copiously exudes from their internal surfaces. By this beautiful provision of nature, these plants are abundantly supplied with moisture when the excessive heats of summer prevail for any considerable time, and create unusual droughts; they are likewise thus furnished with the usual amount of animal food which they may necessarily require for their sustenance." The manner in which these insects arc imprisoned, is thus described by Dr. McBride: "It may be sufficient here to remark, that the throat or orifice of those leaves is generally covered with a saccharine secretion or exudation. Immediately below the throat, for the space of nearly an inch, the surface is highly polished, while the lower part of the tube is covered with hairs all pointing downwards.

When an insect, attracted in the first instance by the secretion of the plant, or perhaps even by the water, descends, as it easily can do, along the declining pubescence, it appears incapable of ascending by its feet alone, and can only escape by a flight so perpendicular as to surpass the power of most insects. Whenever they touch the bristly sides of the tube they are precipitated again to the bottom, and have to renew their efforts; and many insects even of a larger size perish in this arduous and hopeless struggle".

These plants are perfectly susceptible of cultivation; all that is required is, to remove with them a sufficient quantity of the decomposed vegetable matter and sphagnum in which they are found :place them in any partially water-tight vessel, and keep them saturated. These substances, when necessary, can easily be renewed.