122 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[April, 



but does not grow to a size ultiijiately that would 

 render it out of character in a narrow street. It 

 moreover bears trimming as well as the Linden 

 trees of Germany. It is deciduous. The Fig grows 

 to a fair size, but not near so large as they do in 

 the south of Europe. The largest reached about 

 to the second story windows. They are without 

 leaves six months in the year and yet bear two 

 good crops a year. No attempt is made to 

 dry them as in Europe. The Pomegranate and 

 Crape Myrtle also take a long repose, and though 

 of large size do not seem so much at home as we 

 have seen them in Kentucky and Virginia. The 

 most striking tree at the end of February is the 

 Loquat or Japan plum, as it is commonly known 

 here, botanically, the Eriobotrya japonica. It 

 grows to about 20 feet high, with a large round 

 head, the leaves and general character reminding 

 one of the large Rhododendron arboreums of the 

 East Indies. The fruit is borne in large clusters 

 at the ends of the branches, each fruit about the 

 size of a small fig, and of a golden yellow color 

 now when ripe. The fruit varies very little in 

 shape or size, buf there is a great difference in the 

 quality of the fruit on different seedling trees. 

 Some are hardly worth eating, while others have 

 a subacid flavor peculiarly agreeable. The Ba- 

 nana fruits in the open air abundantly, but the 

 leaves have a battered and torn appearance by 

 the winds, very different from the noble character 

 they present in our hot-houses. The kind usually 

 grown is the Musa paradisiaca. The Papaw 

 tree is rather uncommon. This grows up with a 

 single stem like a Palm, though belonging to a 

 very different tribe of plants. The male trees 

 of course bear no fruit, but the female trees have 

 the fruit of several pounds weight, touching each 

 other for a considerable space up the stem, like a 

 lot of oval-shaped melons. The tree is the airica 

 papaya, and is quite crnamental in addition to 

 its valuable fruit. The great feature of New Or- 

 leans is, however, its orange trees. Every small 

 yard and garden has its orange trees, under the 

 fragrant shade of which the people sit at even. 

 Large orchards of them exist in some jdaces, 

 some of them evidently of great age. Near the 

 old Spanish Fort, now nearly two hundred years 

 old, was a plantation, the trees set 20 feet apart 

 and the branches nearly touching each other, 

 and the stem of one of which measured three 

 feet in circumference. There was no fruit on 

 these trees, but myriads of blossoms; and as we 

 sat under the shade of one, with the little rippling 

 waves of Lake Pontchartrain whispering at our 



feet, and the balmy spring breeze coming up 

 south from the Gulf of Mexico, it was easy to 

 understand the poetic exultation with which 

 such scenes and circumstances have so often been 

 described. In various parts of the city were trees 

 many feet high of the Myrtle-leaved orange, the 

 fruit no larger than pigeons' eggs, and making a 

 very striking appearance. On the grounds of 

 Dr. Richardson were trees of the Shaddock, with 

 three generations thereon. There were the large 

 ripe fruit, fruit just forming, and flowers. Dr. R. 

 is a lover of rare jjlants, and his greenhouses are 

 filled vnth. Orchids, Palms, and other plants of 

 the most valuable character. 



Perhaps the most striking evergreen of New 

 Orleans is the Pittosporum. These grow to the 

 size of an ordinary log cabin, and will bear any 

 amount of shearing and still keep their foliage 

 vigorous and healthy down to the ground. It is 

 extensively used for topiary work, as the yew is 

 in Europe. The Chinese Viburnum, as well as 

 some others, are used also for this purpose, but 

 none is so charming as the Pittosporum. Some- 

 times the winters kill the oranges even here, but 

 not often, and never so thoroughly but what 

 some escape, as in the case of those referred to 

 at the Spanish Fort ; but this season has been re- 

 markably open, and even the tender Salvia 

 splendens was in full scarlet feather, making 

 everything look gorgeous with its gay beauty. 

 The immense bushes of Lantanas in full flower 

 were also exceedingly attractive. Roses, both 

 Hybrid Perpetual Chinas and Teas were every- 

 where in full blossom, and would excite the 

 envy of the bouquet makers North, who at the 

 same time would be buying the " buds " at im- 

 mense prices. Our party bought large bunches 

 of them made into tolerable bouquets for 50 cts. 

 each. 



We were fortunate in meeting at New Orleans 

 with Col. M. B. Hillyard, the Secretary of the 

 Mississippi Valley Company, which has at 

 McComb City made a very prosperous settlement, 

 already claiming a pojiulation of nearly 1500. Col. 

 Hillyard has, j^erhaps, done more than any other 

 jjerson in the South to draw the attention of 

 Northern men and others to the great natural 

 advantages which the South jjossesses; and when- 

 ever this section of the country shall have risen 

 to that prosperity which we feel in time will be 

 its just fate, this gentleman's name will stand 

 prominently forward as having been one of the 

 pioneers in the good work. Under his guidance 

 our little party visited the markets, the Fair 



