1883.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



.59 



l88l, will conclude my remarks with the type I 

 began with. 



That the neat and graceful hawthorn should 

 elicit admiration from all intelligent beholders is 

 not surprising, when we consider how much its 

 picturesque form has contributed to make replete 

 the charm of many a fine landscape. And that 

 scenes of social enjoyment and domestic happi- 

 ness should often occur about them, is most natu- 

 ral. Being such a companionable little tree, fre- 

 quently found about our homes, we are apt to re- 

 gard it with kindly feelings wherever seen, as a re- 

 minder of some cherished spot. And when 

 found, as we often come upon it in the seclusion 

 of some forest recess or deep sequestered glen, 

 where its extreme loneliness claims attention, we j 

 feel as though we had discovered an old familiar j 

 friend. And while poetic lays, romantic legends, 

 pleasing narrative and authentic history have* the 

 power to charm, will the legend of the Glaston- 

 bury thorn ever fail to interest the reader. 



In quoting the following account from Loudon's 

 Arboretum et Fruticetum, of 1854, I will briefly j 

 premise it with the statement that I have been a 

 frequent witness to the peculiarity of the remark- 

 able subject at issue, having seen it bearing blos- 

 soms and fruit at the same time in December, Jan- 

 uary, February, March, April and May.* It is 

 known as Co. proecox, the early flowering or Glas- 

 tonbury thorn, and which, according to the Ro- 

 mish legend, once formed the staff of Joseph of 

 Arimathea, and still exists within the precincts of ^ 

 the ancient Abbey of Glastonbury : 



" It is said that Joseph of .Arimathea, after the 

 burial of Christ, came to England, attended by 

 twelve companions, to found the first Christian 

 church in this island, and guided by Divine im- i 

 pulse he proceeded to Glastonbury for that pur- 

 pose. It was Christmas day when he arrived at 1 

 the spot where, he had been commanded to build a ! 

 church to the honor of the Virgin IMary, and find- 

 ing that the natives did not appear inclined to be- 

 lieve in his mission, he prayed to God to perform a 

 miracle, to convince them. His prayer was imme- 

 diately answered, and, striking his staff into the 

 ground, it immediately shot forth into leaves and ' 

 blossoms. And still blossoms annually on Christ- 

 mas day." 



... . I 



While dwelling on this romantic subject, I can- 

 not refrain from giving the historical account of the 



*All of the many hawthorns raised from this remarkable 

 tree retain the peculiar habit of blossoming and fruiting at an 

 untimely season, often to the amazenaent of the credulous 

 rustics, who regard them with superstitious awe. 



C. o. regina. Queen Mary's thorn. "The parent 

 tree is in a garden near Edinburg, which once be- 

 longed to the Regent Murray. It is very old, and its 

 branches have somewhat of a drooping character. 

 The tree is thirty-three feet high ; the trunk di- 

 vides into two limbs at fifteen inches from the 

 ground, one of which is one foot four inches in di- 

 ameter, and the other one foot. The tree is healthy 

 and vigorous, though if it be true CJueen Mary sat 

 under its shade, it must be nearly three hundred 

 years old." 



Both Greeks and Romans honored the hawthorn, 

 having dedicated it to " Flora," whose festival be- 

 gan on May. day. And in many parts of rural 

 England "Merry May-day " is still annually cele- 

 brated with innocent amusements, such as dancing 

 round the Maypole, decked with garlands of haw- 

 thorn blossoms. And I pleasantly remember hav- 

 ing seen a pretty little maiden, the village beauty, 

 crowned with May or hawthorn blossoms, while 

 her lovely young maids of honor sang the happy 



refrain — 



•• With ple.'i>m>'> :iliounding. 

 The May -pole .-surrounding, 



We crown her the Queen of May-day; &e."' 



I would like to continue the subject, but as this 

 is my second attempt to interest the gentle reader 

 in behalf of the hawthorn, I must reluctantly leave 

 much unsaid. I would fain add to the theme ; 

 but if my desultory remarks may only persuade 

 the good tree-loving people to plant them about 

 their homes, I shall have accomplished my pur- 

 pose. 



From a Germantown nursery catalogue be- 

 fore me, I see an excellent selection may be 

 be made of hawthorns, suitable for beautifying the 

 home surroundings. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Gardening .\nd Business. — We have occasion- 

 ally heard malicious remarks when some amateur 

 horticulturist failed in business, that "gardening 

 would ruin any man." It is often forgotten that 

 hundreds will spend on one evening party, or some 

 other luxury, what few amateur gardeners spend in 

 a year. When Mr. Mechi, the celebrated agricul- 

 tural experimenter failed, the ill-natured wrote of 

 the " natural result of so much experimenting," 

 that it "took a farm in the city to keep his farm in 

 the country," and so forth. His daughter has at 

 length been provoked to a reply in the London . 

 Times. A Mr. Pell had been rehashing the old 

 dish of scandal, and the lady replies : 



