72 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



In December 18G9 we bought two plants from the nursery — newly- 

 struck cuttings in 3-inch pots, each about 9 inches high. They were 

 taken out and potted both together in a 14-inch pot as one plant, and 

 plunged in a Pine-bed. The Pines were started gently in February, 

 and the Passiflora was allowed to grow on along with them. It soon 

 began to grow freely, and was trained up a pillar and along a narrow 

 space under the apex of the span-roof close to the ventilators : seven 

 or eight shoots were led away from the stem at the top of the pillar, 

 all others being cut clean out as they appeared, allowing those that 

 were retained to grow as much as they pleased. By August each 

 shoot had attained a length of about 18 feet, and began to show 

 flowers along their whole length ; and all expanded nearly simul- 

 taneously, for in three days one hundred blooms were set successfully, 

 with the exception of two or three — some places three and four in a 

 cluster on short spurs. All the fruit attained the size of pigeon-eggs, 

 when, out of sheer inability, I suppose, of so young a plant to bear 

 such a crop — exactly about one-half of the fruit suddenly shrivelled and 

 dropped off, particularly where set in clusters. From this time also 

 the plant ceased making more wood, and the fruit swelled fast, and 

 began to ripen about the beginning of November, filling the house at 

 the same time with a peculiarly strong aroma. Being all set about 

 the same time, the fruit were nearly all alike in size, the biggest 

 weighing J lb. each. Throughout the summer the heat of the Pine- 

 bed, into which I found the Passiflora had rooted, ranged from 85° to 

 90°, top heat the same. A few days ago the shoots were shortened 

 back, and the roots, which had found their way through the bottom of 

 the pot, were cut off, but the leaves are yet vigorous and green. 



The edible part of the fruit consists of the seeds and pulp inside, and 

 has a peculiar and refreshing flavour. When eaten, a slice is taken off 

 the side of the fruit, a slit made in the tough sack which contains the 

 seeds, a little madeira sherry poured in, and the contents supped out 

 like an egg. J. Simpson. 



WORTLY. 



THE CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 



THE FIG. 

 {Coiitinxied from 'pCKje 12.) 

 There are few, if any, of our fruit-trees about which cultivators are so 

 much divided regarding their pruning and training as the Fig. In 

 looking over the pages of several of our best horticultural writers, not 

 only do we find that not two of them are agreed upon these points, 

 but that each and all of them refer to authorities of high standing 



