Jimuarj- 4, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAUDENEIl. 



Riitty, with a brisk, acidulous, refreshing flavour, ^ritbout I possible that the fruit we received may not have been a 

 richness or aroma. | characteristic specimen, and the inferior quality may have 



Our own opnuon is that the Edtrailey Pear and Esperine aie I been due to the season. There can bo uo doubt whatever that 

 (juite distinct ; and as regards the Benedictine, it is quite | the Edgarley Pear is a very excellent one.— Eds.] 



MUSA ROSACEA. 

 This species is a native of the Mauritius, and is veij oina- I >oung pot them in about equiJ parts 

 mental in the stove, but I am not aware that it has been tned decompnseil manuie, and leaf mould, 

 ill the open air duriug the summer mouths, noi do I thmk the | oi sihti s.iud added'. After they hav 

 result would bo " ' ' ' 



satisfactory if it 

 were so used. M. 

 rosacea, like the 

 beautiful M. coc- 

 ciuea, does not 

 belong to that sec- 

 tion of this genus 

 which is prized 

 for its fruit-bear- 

 ing qualities. Its 

 estimable features 

 are a noble port, 

 handsome flowers, 

 and a growth from 

 10 to 15 feet in 

 height. These 



plants are stem- 

 less, although 

 they are generally 

 described by the 

 majority of people 

 as having stout 

 and taU stems, 

 which in reality 

 are composed of 

 the very long and 

 compact sheath- 

 ing bases of the 

 loaves. The blade 

 of the leaf in 

 the species hero 

 figured is dark 

 green and oblong, 

 with a prominent 

 midrib. The bracts 

 of the flowers — 

 the special ob- 

 jects of attraction 

 ill this plant, are 

 a beautiful, long- 

 lasting, ro.sy pink, 

 and, combined 

 with the noble 

 appearance of its 

 leaves, produce a 

 splendid effect in 

 any group of 

 lilants with which 

 it may be ar- 

 ranged. I would 

 strongly urge 

 upon every grower 



of stove plants jluiu 



who does not al- 

 ready possess tliis Musa, to add it at once to his collection, 

 if sufficient height can be allowed for its accommodation. 

 The cultivation of these plants is extremely simple. When 



great quantity of the chignons which 

 the fair sex are also derived from this 

 terial being used for ships' ropes, itc— 



of good rich loam, well- 

 with a Uttle sharp river 

 e attained to some size 

 a little less ma- 

 nure should be 

 given, for as frait 

 is not expected 

 of them, the with- 

 holding of a little 

 nutriment will 

 only induce them 

 to flower eai'lier. 

 They enjoy copi- 

 ous waterings, and 

 in the case of the 

 fruiting varieties 

 liquid manure is 

 extremely bene- 

 ficial, though I 

 have never used 

 it for tins species. 

 In a young state 

 M. rosacea forms 

 a beautiful object 

 for the decoration 

 of apartments, 

 and even when it 

 grows too large 

 for vases in the 

 drawing-room, it 

 may be used with 

 advantage for 

 halls or staircases, 

 or when any 

 special decora- 

 tions for grand 

 parties are re- 

 quired. I am not 

 aware that the 

 species here fig- 

 ured is used eco- 

 nomically in any 

 way, but several 

 of this genus ai-e 

 extremely useful. 

 One m particulai-, 

 M. textiUs, yields 

 what is known 

 as the MauUla 

 Hemp, and is 

 largely cultivated 

 in the Philippine 

 and other islands 

 for its fibre. The 

 finest portion of 

 this is used for 

 shawls, and I am 

 informed that a 

 adorn (?| the heads of 

 ■ource, the coarser ma- 



EXPEIIIO CHEDE. 



STEAWBEEKY CULTUEE. 



You have had several papers on the cultivation of Straw- 

 berries, and about these I think there is still much to be 

 learnt, especially with regard to the soils and localities suitable 

 to the different sorts. 



Some years since the variety Dr. Hogg was so much praised 

 for quality and hardiness that I discarded British Queen hi its 

 f.ivour, and have been grievously disappointed. Last season, 

 having planted it freely, I expected to gather a full crop, and a 

 more ragged, miserable result surely never vexed the heart of a 



.;anguine cultivator. From a row of nearly ?0 yards in length 

 I do not thmk I gathered a quait of Strawberries, and the 

 plants are poor stai'ved specimens which merely exist. I 

 thought this might be owing to the soil bemg too Ught and 

 calcai-eons, but the crop and the plants are no better where the 

 soU is more loamy and free from lime. La Constante is very 

 httle better ; the plants seem more hardy, but the crop is very 

 indifferent. 



I think if some uiteUigent cultivators were to publish in 



