November 21,1805.] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



410 



auil for mora than two years, although I obtained plenty of 

 blossom I dill not get anything else. At last, however, I hit 

 upon the pbui of growing the trees (for by tliis limn [ Imd 

 several), in smaller pots and poorer soil, and I then had the 

 satisfaction of seeing the fruit gi-ow and ripen. 



When ripe tlie fniit becomes of a yellowish colour, and is 

 covered over with largo scales on a thick rind. It is about the 

 size of a small Pine Apple, and when cnt open is not unlike 

 ono in appearance, only instead of having a lirm Ilesh, it is 

 filled with a delicious pulp, tasting uncommonly like Straw- 

 berries, or Raspberries and cream, with the creamy tasto pre- 

 dominating. Even in this country, when well ripened, the 

 flavour is delightful, and I have little doubt but that in its own 

 it is far better. Tlie fragrance of the pulp, too, is remarkable, 

 being like rosewater, or rather sweeter — more lilto the scent of 

 an old-fashioned Cabbage Rose. 



Tliore are, I believe, several other species of Anona, culti- 

 vated for the sake of their fruit, particularly A. cherimolia and 

 A. muricata. They are all nativ<'S of the tropical parts of 

 Asia, Africa, and America ; but, as I know little about them, I 

 shall confine my remarks to the Sweet-Sop (A. squamosa). 

 This tree, even in its own country, never grows abovo 7 or 

 8 feet higii, and here it never exceeds the size of a bush. To 

 grow it for fruit it should be planted in a 13-inch pot, and kept 

 plunged up to the rim in a bark bed, as it will not thrive with- 

 out plenty of bottom heat. Tlie soil should be a good orchnary 

 garden loam, not stiff, and by no moiuis rich, as if the soil is 

 too good the tree will flower but not fruit. Like the Mango, 

 the Sweet-Sop delights in a very high temperature, with plenty 

 of moisture when growing, and requires little air. Indeed, it 

 is best grown with the Mango and Mangosteen, and treated in 

 every respect as these trees are, excepting that the fruit requires 

 thinning as soon as it is fairly set, leaving no more than ten 

 or a dozen ou each tree. When ripe it should be cut, although 

 it will hang for some weeks by removing the trees into a rather 

 cooler atmosphere. Like many otlier fruits, it is best when 

 gathered fresh from the tree. 



At dessert the Sweet-Sop should be divided into two or four 

 parts lengthwise, never across, a very sharp knife being needed 

 to sever the tliick rind. This must, how^ever, be done at table, 

 and not before dinner, or the fine aroma will be lost. When 

 first opened one fruit will perceptibly scent the whole room, 

 and for this reason, when practicable, the Sweet-Sop should 

 always be served along with the Durion, its delightful perfume 

 completely overpowering the disagreeable scent of that fruit. 



One point must be borne in mind, which is, that the flavour of 

 the Sweet-Sop depends entirely upon the fruit being thoroughly 

 ripened in all the sun possible. For this very reason the taste 

 often varies, sometimes being all that could be wished, and at 

 others quite tame and insipid, the least shade when ripening 

 being quite fatal to flavour. 



The Sweet-Sop grows very readily from either seeds or cut- 

 tings, but when raised from seed it is shy of flowering, and, 

 therefore, in practice, the latter is the best mode of propagating 

 it. Care must, however, be taken not to give tlie cuttings too 

 much water, as they are exceedingly hablo to damp off until 

 well established. They will not bear fruit for two years. 



The Sweet-Sop is rarely attacked by insects, and is not, I 

 beUeve, subject to any disease ; it is easily fruited if grown in 

 a small pot, and kept constantly in a high temperature ; and, 

 when the exquisite flavour of the fruit and its delightful per- 

 fume are considered, I think I shall not be far out if I express 

 the opinion that ere long this luscious fruit will be found iu 

 every tropical fruit stove. — J. H. 



BOILERS UNSET. 



" People have such a dread of pipes, and bricks and 

 mortar." So writes yoiu- able correspondent "R. F.," at 

 page 283. No one wUl ever dispute the assertion. I have gone 

 through the ordeal of erecting new boilers with brickwork on 

 three occasions. I can shudder at the remembrance of erecting 

 the last. It was one that required the full exercise of the 

 mason's ingenuity. It took him half his time to " scratch his 

 head," and nearly as long to get his tools, &c., together. It 

 was at last complete, and the accoimt also. If I mistake not 

 I was charged for about three hundred more bricks than were 

 ever used ; but that was nothing to the labour ! Man, .5.?. a-day ; 

 big boy, 3s. 6;/. ! All I could do was like imto that iu which 

 the mason " excelled" — viz., " scratch my head ! " This I did 

 very feelingly, having resolved to act differently if I ever " got 



into a mess again." About eighteen months afterwards the 

 boiler in question " gave up," and whilst scratching my head 

 again, f tlionglit I would do without brickwork. Now, if any 

 of your readers slionid require a simple and efficient heating 

 apparatus, ono that can be put up or taken dowu ([uiekly, and, 

 above all, " no brickwork," let them get Bury & Pollard's boiler, 

 Truss's patent piping, and lialf a dozen glazed drain tiles for a 

 chimney. If these things are introduced to the gardener about 

 " lunch time," the same may be iu operation iu time for " back- 

 ing-up." This is possible, easily and pleasingly possible ! — H. 



NEW ROSES. 



Do our French friends want a motto for their catalogues? 

 Let them by all means take " Omne ii/iiotum pro mai/nijlco," for 

 assuredly we must subscribe to it ; and however false we may 

 believe some, and however exaggerated others, of the statements 

 to be, we cannot say they are not as they describe. I am now 

 venturing into a terra iiwo'iinta, or rather on a wide and exten- 

 sive sea, or, if you will, a desert seemingly bright and fair — 

 translucent waters, waving Palms, lovely flowers present them- 

 selves to my bewildered eyes. But alas ! I have seen them 

 before, and I have fouud out that it was only a mirage after all, 

 that the tales were all too flattering, and that hopes disap- 

 pointed and promises unfulfilled were all that I had to tell of. 

 I know nothing of the Roses described in the following lists, 

 and therefore all must be mere conjecture ; stUl, much may be 

 learned, I think, from the experience of the past. If a man 

 tells mo year after year that he will send mo the very best, let 

 me say, tea, and year after year I find that it is only sloe 

 leaves, or some bad and inferior stuff, why, in the end I coma 

 to the conclusion that either he does not know what good tea is, 



or else weU, we will not say that hard word. If the tea 



were the produce of his own estate iu Assam I should, perhaps, 

 be charitable enough to hope that he saw in it perfection. I 

 did not because it was his ; and, indeed, this is a very ordinary 

 way for people to act. They get into a strain of seed, tho 

 flowers are defective in some points, but they cannot see it; 

 and so they go on and on, distanced by their competitors from 

 the blind adherence to their own productions, although every 

 one else sees the difference. WIio does not know the frequenter 

 of flower shows who has always finer Geraniums, larger Apples, 

 and better Grapes than any there? He sees with his own 

 eyes, and not with yours. One hardly blames a man for this 

 partiality, although it may make us cautious in having to do 

 with him. Let him think his geese swans, it does not harm 

 us ; but what I do dislike is the way in which some people 

 will endeavom- to make out that others' real swans are only 

 geese. Show a country pbotogi-apher one of Meulnier's or 

 Disden's cartes, and he will be sure to find out something 

 wrong ; and so there are some who, if a flower or fruit is not 

 theirs or let out by them, see nothing in it. There is one 

 French raiser to whom these remarks will apply — I mean 

 Trouillard, M. Leroy's foreman at Angers. I verily beUeve he 

 considers that his Roses year after year are good. They, pro- 

 vokingly, are only a littlo way off from being so — some, at 

 least ; but none will abide in our lists, Eugene Appert, perhaps, 

 alono excepted. They want either a few more petals, or else 

 shape. Marguerite Appert, Madame Standish, Rej-nolds Hole, 

 Thtriise Appert, even Andi'e. Leroy will not do for our English 

 taste ; and hence if any of TroiiiUard's Roses appear in our 

 new lists one must feel a doubt about them. The same remark 

 applies in a greater or less degree to others. 

 Tonv.iis. 



17. Cointe Alphniif:!' ihi Serenrje. — ^Very vigorous. Flowera 

 vei-y large, full ; perfect form, and striking appearance ; very 

 sweet-scented, clear red, very lovely, slightly tinged with purple 



18. Danae. — Very vigorous. Flowers very large, full, of a 

 beautiful rose-coloured cerise, transparent, and very brilUant. 



19. Mmisseliiie. — Very vigorous. Flower medium-sized, 

 cupped, admirably formed, tender flesh rose ; petals fine and 

 transparent. 



In 1.S61 this gi-ower gave us Belle rose, Semiramis, Souvenir 

 d'un Mere ; in 1863, Centifolia rosea and Jean Touvais, but 

 they have not been any great acquisitions. I have heard 

 Centifolia rosea well spoken of, but have not seen it. Re- 

 membering M. Touvais' treatment of us in fonner years we 

 have need to be cautious. 



LIABAUD. 



20. Jean Cherpiii. — Vigorous. Flowers very large, fuU, red 

 velvety purple ; the centre clear fiery red. 



