220 



The HorticuUurvit and Journal 



in the other barrel was also carefully handled 

 and nicely packed, but not. wrapped in tissue 

 paper, nor the barrel lined with it. When 

 sent to market the first barrel sold for $15, 

 the other barrel brought $5. So much for 

 the " Gilt Edge." 



Winter I'enrs. 



We wish this subject could be better ven- 

 tilated. One grower . thinks Winter Nelis 

 best and most reliable — another advocates 

 Duchesse de Bordeaux, while another brings 

 the Josephine de Maliti.es before public notice. 

 All good, say we, but what of the Beurre 

 (TAremherg? Is not that worth looking 

 after? The Lawrence is our best favorite, 

 but it does not keep long enough. What 

 have the friends of Mount Vernon to say in 

 these late days — has it been forgotten so 

 quick ? Does the Doyenne du Cornice prove 

 a fine grower and productive ? Who can 

 give the public worthy notes on the com- 

 parative merits of these for amateur planta- 

 tion ? 



Vovorer's Colossal An]>itr<t)jiis. 



This has now been well introduced into 

 England, and tried with such success, that 

 one gardener writes to the Gardener' i^ Chroni- 

 cle, they find it " earlier for use, and also 

 plants of the same age as the Giant are 

 nearly double the size, so that it may be 

 considered a valuable addition," and yet our 

 American scientific horticulturists who insist 

 upon it that it is not a new variety, cannot 

 for their lives tell why it is so much better, 

 or account for its growing in poorer soil, yet 

 attaining double the growth in half the time 

 of the old sorts. 



Auction Sale of I'lnnts. 



At a recent auction sale of plants by Mr. 

 Mitchell, near Southgate, England, some 

 specimens reached most astonishing prices. 

 For instance : Cattleya Mossiae, $73.; Sar- 

 racenia sp., $184 ; Sarracenia Drummondie 

 alba, $157 ; Azalea stella, $52.50 ; Azalea 

 chelsoni, $55 ; Hedaroma tulipifera, $80 ; 

 Gleichenia rupestris, $99 ; Adiantum farley- 

 ense, $27 ; Anthurium Scherzerianum, $380 ; 

 Cocos Weddeliana, $145 ; Nepenthes san- 

 guinea, $71 ; Nepenthes Hookeri, $130. 



ImHiiii I'frf'ii iiii's 



From all Indian flowers, essences are dis- 

 tilled. The center of this manufacture is 

 Ghazcpore, a town situated on the north 

 bank of the Ganges above Benares. The 

 process is extremely simple. The petals are 

 placed in clay stills with twice their weight 

 of water, and the produce is exposed to the 

 fresh air for a night in open vessels. The 

 next morning the attar is found congealed on 

 the surface, and is carefully skimmed oif. 



These essences would be very beautiful if 

 they were pure, but the native distillers being 

 but little skilled in their art, add sandal 

 wood shaving to the flowers to facilitate the 

 extraction of the attar, which thus becomes 

 tainted with a heavy sandal wood flavor. 

 Besides these essences, perfumed oils are also 

 made with some of these flowers in the follow- 

 ing way : 



Ginjelly oil seeds are placed in alternate 

 layers with fresh flowers in a covered vessel. 

 The latter are renewed several times, after 

 which the seeds are pressed and the oil pro- 

 duced is found to have acquired the smell of 

 the flowers. Musk, Civet, Ambergris, Spike- 

 nard {Valeriana Jnta/nadsi), Patchouly and 

 Kus Kus, are also favorite perfumes with the 

 Indians. 



The last named which is the rhizome of the 

 Anatherun Muricatunt, is made into mats 

 and blinds, which being watered in the sun, 

 give out a most pleasant odor. — KiinmelVs 

 Book of Per fumes. 



A Curious yine. 



A market gardener living near London, 

 was recently fined $20, and costs, for offering 

 for sale in London, vegetables in a condition 

 unfit for food. 



T/ie Cost of Shade Trees in I'aris- 



A Paris journal states that the annual cost 

 of securing shade trees, flowers, and rare 

 plants for the parks and public walks of Paris 

 is as follows : Bois de Boulogne, keeping, 

 387,000 francs ; Bois de Vincen/ies, keeping, 

 270,340 francs; squares, 545,220 francs; 

 cost of plants, flowers, etc., 40,000 francs ; 

 expenses of the houses, 12,000 francs. Total, 

 1,253,560 francs, or $250,000. 



