170 THE FLORIST. 



like other plants, natives of warmer climates, it should be planted on 

 a dry soil. 



The Cunninghamia is admirably adapted, fi'om its foliage and pic- 

 turesque style of growth, for giving an exotic character to garden 

 scenery, or to accompany rockwork on a grand scale ; and whether 

 planted singly or in masses, is very effective as an ornamental tree. 



XIII. PINUS GERARDIANA — GERARD'S, OR THE EDIBLE PINE OF INDIA. 



A species from the Himalayas, principally on the banks of the 

 Sutlej, where it forms a tree fifty feet in height, and a bushy compact 

 cone when young ; but as the tree becomes older, the branches take 

 a more horizontal direction, and twist themselves in every direction. 

 Major I\Iadden states the bark of old trees to be of a silvery grey, fall- 

 ing off in large flukes. The leaves are stated to be on native trees 

 four to six inches long ; our growing specimens are not over half that 

 length, arranged in threes, and of a dark green colour. The cones 

 are large, eight or ten inches in length, by five to six in \\ddth. The 

 seed, which ripens in India in September and October, is used largely 

 as an article of food by the natives. This Pine is hardy, and though 

 possessing no particular beauty, is useful in collections as a distinct 

 species. 



XIV. PINUS PERSICA — THE PERSIAN PINE. 



Introduced from Persia by the Hon. Wm. Fox Strangeways. It 

 resembles in appearance the Aleppo Pine (halepensis), except that it 

 has three leaves in a sheath. The tree grows slowly, and has a 

 stunted appearance, with numerous short branches ; leaves two to three 

 inches long, pale green ; cones short. Where a selection only is growni, 

 this Pine, having nothing very particular to recommend it, may be 

 dispensed with. 



HINTS ON GRAPE GROWING.— No. I. 

 Applications, asking me for ad\dce on growing Grapes, have now 

 become so numerous that it has struck me I might as well ^^Tite a 

 few hints and publish them (referring the next inquirers to the 

 Florist), as be constantly writing letters — especially as the greater 

 part of the " cases" which reach me, detailing want of success, arise 

 more through non-attention to a few plain and simple rules than 

 aught besides. Permit me, Mr. Editor, to say, I by no means wish 

 to interfere with private judgment, nor yet with the practice of the 

 great initiated who figure as F.H.S. ; nor ^^^th those whose names are 

 held up as notables in the list of \\^nners of medals at the Chiswick 

 and Regent's Park Fetes. Nor do I by any means \\nsh to disparage 

 the practice of certain clever men who " go into it," and copy every- 

 thing they see in print ; especially if the results have a touch of the 

 marvellous in them. I, of course, could not say anything worth being 

 looked at by any of the above ; and, therefore, intend merely to give a 

 few very plain hints to plain folk who wish to gi'ow a few Grapes for 

 amusement or profit, or both, perhaps (I like the latter plan amazingly), 

 and who, bewildered by apparent difficulties in the way, and the 



