24 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



The winter of the same year swept away about half the plants from 

 the wall of the greenhouse, and the winter of 1860 swept away all that 

 remained of both the plantations, and this determined me that Eugenia 

 had not altered her constitution for the benefit of English fruit-eaters, and, 

 like every other plant and animal on the face of the globe, had certain, 

 fixed capabilities that none of the skill of the acclimatizer could ever hope 

 to modify to any extent that might be useful. Yet the Eugenias and the 

 myrtles, and that most fragrant of spicy stove-plants, Caryophyllm aroma- 

 ticus, the flower-buds of which are as good as cloves, and often used in 

 lieu thereof, are all worth growing, because of their beauty and fragrance, 

 and the uses to which the fruits of some may be put. In Italy the flower- 

 buds and berries of the common myrtle are eaten for pepper. The French 

 distil from myrtle flowers one of the most valuable of perfumes, the well- 

 known Eau d'Ange, and now there is a better use found for Eugenia berries, 

 that to make insipid tarts or useless conserves. For these reasons it is 

 desirable, not only to grow them, but to collect the species and give them 

 special attention, not as hardy shrubs that may be treated like currant- 

 trees, but to plant under south walls in the south of England, to enjoy the 

 shelter of the orchard-house in the midland counties, and about London, 

 and in the north to have regular greenhouse and stove treatment, and 

 their beauty to be thought more of than their utility. 



Eeaders of this year's " Garden Oracle" will have observed a note on 

 "Hybrid Eugenias," in which there is a remark on the new varieties 

 raised by J. A. Henry, Esq., the best of which is a large-berried variety, 

 called Eugenia hybridus. I tasted the berries of all the plants sent 

 by Mr. Henry to the International Fruit and (xourd Show of the Horti- 

 cultural Society, and they were as insipid as the dishes of E. ti(jni and 

 apicidata which I used to bring in-doors, and put upon the table with the 

 air of a man who had made a discovery, and added to the number of gus- 

 tatory enjoyments. We always voted the Eugenias to be about as good as 

 the berries of fuchsias, and no better. But it is the old story of use and 

 abuse; the real use of Eugenia berries is to furnish a flavouring for ices, 

 and probably Eugenia ices will yet play an important part in fashionable 

 confectionery. It is, therefore, only right that Eugenia should be returned 

 among the fruit-trees, but it is a downright shame for the trade to cata- 

 logue it as "hardy," which is done by Mr. Elvers, Mr. Cranston, Messrs. 

 Lane, and others. 



The new hybrid Eugenia of Mr. Henry, which will be sent out by 

 Messrs. Veitch, is one of the most beautiful plants imaginable. "When 

 covered with fruit, it is as showy as an Ardisia, and if any of our gar- 

 dener friends are in distress about dwarf ti'ecs for the dinner-table, let them 

 secure plants of this new Eugenia, and grow them as standards, and they 

 may be used again and again during the autumn, without taking any harm 

 by an occasional confinement in a warm room with gaslight. To amateurs 

 generallj- we strongly recommend the culture of Eugenias, both for their 

 use and beauty, and their eminent adaptability to be used for any purpose 

 to which myrtles are applied. To propagate them is easy enough ; short cut- 

 tings of half-ripe shoots dibbled into sand, and covered with a bell-glass, 

 soon root over a gentle bottom-heat, and in the height of summer may be 

 rooted without the aid of artificial heat. Pot them in peat only to begin 

 with, and shift as they require it into a mixture of equal parts, peat, leaf, 

 yeUow loam, silver-sand, and dung thoroughly rotted. Let them grow as 



