December 18, 1S73. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



479 



BEERY-BEAEINa PLANTS.— No. 1. 



OR several months it has been my intention 

 to offer some remarks upon plants worthy 

 of more extended cultivation, on account of 

 the great beautj' of their berries ; pressm-e 

 of business, however, has from time to time 

 driven it out of mind until the collections 

 staged at Kensington, and duly chi-onicled 

 by you, again revived the idea. I shall, 

 therefore, address myself to the matter at 

 once, as I believe a few words upon this 

 subject will not be considered out of place in the pages of 

 the -Journal. The variety of this class of plants staged at 

 Kensington was not gi'eat ; but lookers-on must bear in 

 min d that very many plants, which are objects of groat 

 beauty at home, will not bear the journey to an exhibition, 

 and appear in a creditable condition when staged. In 

 the few remarks, then, which I shall here offer, I intend 

 noticing the plants entirely independently of their merits 

 for exhibition, and shall simply introduce them to my 

 readers as well deserving attention for their great beauty 

 as home-decorators either in the stove, greenhouse, or 

 dwelling house. 



As a rule, plants remarkable for the beauty of their 

 berries have very small flowers of no striking be.iuty ; 

 some would caU them insignificant, but I do not hke to 

 hear the term employed in connection with any plant, 

 for the veriest weed has its uses in the vegetable world, 

 and small and unatti-active as these flowers may be, their 

 organs are as fully developed, and they are able to per- 

 form their various functions as surely as the largest and 

 gaudiest of Nature's productions. To resume, however, 

 the fact of their flowers being so unattractive appears to 

 me one of the greatest causes of their neglect amongst 

 amateurs, because as they look for the bloom to recom- 

 pense them for their care and trouble, they tlirow them 

 away in disgust when these small blooms appear, and 

 thus the berries, which would have appeared in due time, 

 are never seen or even dreamt of until they are found in 

 all their glory in the garden of some neighbours, wlio, 

 having made themselves better acquainted witli the natural 

 history of their plants, have " learned to labour and to 

 wait." Some of our casual readers may observe that we 

 have so many plants which produce beautiful flowers that 

 it is scarcely worth while finding room for those liaving 

 only berries to recommend them ; but it must bo borne 

 in mind that these berries are beautifully coloured, and, 

 moreover, usually display their greatest beauty at tlie 

 very time there is the greatest paucity of flowers, and 

 that they remain in perfection for a very long time. This 

 then is my case in behalf of the berry-bearing plants ; 

 I shall now present the principal kinds before you in detail, 

 and if any of their opponents have rebutting evidence to 

 bring after their appearance I am sure that they will have 

 a fair hearing, and that tlieir statements will receive due 

 consideration. 



ARDISIA. 



This genus contains an immense number of species, 



Kob M.— ToL. ZXT , Nzw Sbbizs. 



I shall only enumerate one or two, however, in this place 

 They are robust-gi'owing plants which should be potted 

 in a compost consisting of loam and peat, with a liberal 

 admixture of sharp sand ; they strike readily from cut- 

 tings, and may be obtained from seed with great facility. 

 Anyone having a stove should not fail to grow a few of 

 these plants, for the effect they produce when well set 

 with their ornamental berries is quite charming, and 

 moreover when in fruit they may be used without injury 

 either in the greenhouse or for room decoration, except 

 what may arise fi-om gas. 



A. cRENULAT.i. — This is, perhaps, the best known of the 

 genus, and, unfortunately, from being often badly ma- 

 naged, has fallen into bad repute with many, but it is 

 veiy effective when well grown. The best system I have 

 found is to raise them from seed the first year, and then 

 cut-off the tops and strike them in a close fi'ame. When 

 struck they should be grown-on rapidly, when they wiU 

 bloom profusely, and produce an abundance of deep red 

 berries, which contrast admu-ably with the deep shining 

 green of the leaves. 



A. c'RENULATA FRUCTU-ALBo. — A variety resembling the 

 species in every respect, saving in the colour of the berries, 

 which in this plant are pure white. It should be treated 

 in the way previously named, in order to produce liand- 

 some plants. 



KIVINA. 



A genus of .slender elegant plants, easily grown into 

 good specimens ; they may be kept in small pots, and 

 then form beautiful objects for table decoration, as theu- 

 racemes of berries have a sijlendid effect by artificial 

 hght. These plants, unfortunately, are very apt to cast 

 their berries when moved any distance either by road or 

 rail, and thus will never become favourites with exhi- 

 bitors. They should be potted in loam, peat, and leaf 

 mould in equal parts, adding a little sand to keep the 

 whole open. Propagate either by seeds or cuttings. 



E. HUJiiLis. — This is an elegant, graceful little plant, 

 growing erect, and producing both Lateral and terminal 

 racemes of bright scarlet berries, whilst the leaves are 

 pale green. It flowers and seeds very fi-eely, and thus 

 soon forms a presentable object ; it roquu-es the heat of 

 the stove. There is abso a yellow-bemed form of this. 



E. TiNCTowA. — In most respects this species resembles 

 the preceding; the berries, borne upon the long racemes, 

 are, however, very different in colour ; for whilst those of 

 E. humihs are bright scarlet, those of th's plant are deep 

 maroon crimson. E. tinctoria is not nearly so much 

 grown as humilis : why I cannot say, for, to my mind, 

 this is as effective, if not even more beautiful. It should 

 be grown in the stove. 



CALLICARPA. 



Cali.icarpa PURPUREA. — Tliis is another plant which is 

 condemned by most amateurs, because it has been neg- 

 lected until the time comes round when it is required, 

 then, on account of its shabby appearance, it is voted 

 useless ; but I venture to assert, if well grown and cared 

 for, as any plant should bo which is expected to be 

 ornamental at a given time, it will disappoint no one, 



No. 181C.— Vol. L., Old Seriis. 



