480 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December IC, 18S9. 



will often show fruit the third year, bear a full crop the 

 fourth year from the bud, increase iu (ruitfulneas for about 

 seven years, and aa soon as the fruit gets at all smaller and 

 later than usual, tbey are cut down, and succeeded by fresh 

 plantations in other parts of the farm : so that a Peach-growing 

 farm is a succession of plantations, from the stone to the 

 decaying tree. Of course, the land, after the removal of the 

 decaying orchard, undergoes renovation and rest by manure 

 and other crops, until the ground, in the coursn of years, is 

 able by restored fertility to bear a new plantation. — (I'orotilo 

 Globe.) 



DESFOXTAINEA SriKOSA. 



It is much to be regretted that in a great many public orna- 

 mental grounds care has not been taken to introduce our 

 choice shrubs in larger numbers. Cemeteries give scope for a 

 greater variety of shrubs than are often found there, and it 

 has frequently occurred to mo that no better place could be 

 chosen for them, for many of the visitors need something that 

 will interest and not offend thorn, and a more fitting object 

 could not be found than a shrub with which the visitor is, 

 perhaps, not acquainted. Laurels, Liurustinus, Lilacs, and 

 the like, good and indispensable as they are, need not be the 

 only shrubs planted, there being many others known and cul- 

 tivated long ago that are far from being common even now. 

 It is but seldom that the Phillyreas are met with, and no 

 finer shrubs are grown than some of them ; they always look 

 well, and sometimes, when loaded with berries, are quite hind- 

 some. The glossy-leaved Alaternus is equally ornamental. 



As, however, I may shortly call attention to these and other 

 neglected evergreens more fully, I at present merely press the 

 claims of a rather tender evergreen of more recent introduction 

 on the attention of cultivators. I refer toDesfontainea spinosa, 

 a shrub in many respects resembling the Holly, only instead 

 of being ornamented with berries, red or yellow in winter, it 

 presents us in summer with an abundance of handsome orange- 

 coloured flowers, resembling those of Lapageria rosea. The 

 plant, I believe, is perfectly hardy, but ought to be classed 

 amongst those flourishing in peat soil, more so, I think, than 

 the Magnolia and some other plants. It is, nevertheless, more 

 accommodating than some of them, and is well adapted for a 

 low wall ; but here a plant on the open lawn flowered most 

 profusely during the past summer, no doubt stimulated to this 

 by the hot dry weather of the previous year. With us the 

 plant is not fast-growing, but this I attribute to the lack of 

 peaty matter in the soil, as I have seen it elsewhere grow more 

 freely. To those who have not seen its fine, orange-coloured, 

 tubular flowers, and who have a favourable position for a plant 

 of moderate growth, I would say, Obtain one of this, and the 

 first appearance of its blossoms will be an ample reward for 

 any trouble that may he taken. 



I believe it likes a dry situation, but I am not sure of this ; 

 still, as for plants of doubtful hardiness such a position is 

 the safest, we must take it for granted as being the best for 

 the Dasfontainea, uutil, perhaps, some one finds out that one 

 quite the contrary is better. Those places where I have seen 

 it succeed were dry, and sheltered from the coldest winds. — 



.T. ROBSON. 



PLANT- PROTECTORS— BRICKS versus WOOD. 



The advantages which Bendle's protectors ofter are pro- 

 bably not overstated, but as it is invariably claimed for these 

 and other miniature glass coverings that they are cheap and 

 durable, it may be worth while to inquire whether, if we accept 

 the invitation and regard them from an economical point of 

 view, some modified form could not be had, which, in addition 

 to being really cheap, might be as applicable to the same 

 purposes with nearly the same advantages. When this thought 

 occarred to me, I went to the carpenter who does what work 

 is required here, gave him the dimensions of Rendle's largest 

 protector, which is 8 inches high in front, 12 inches high at 

 the back, and with the glass 21 inches wide, and I inquired at 

 what price, to afford himself a fair profit, he could supply a 

 protector of a similar size, with glass of the same quality 

 (21-oz.), but with l;-inch deal boards instead of the bricks; 

 the boards to be grooved, painted twice, and thnrougbly finished 

 ott. In his estimate he has given me the price of the planks, 

 painting, and glass separately, bat i' will bo snfEcient for my 

 purpose to 6i>y that his price is 1'. 4) T'er running foot, or a 

 trifle more than half the cost of Rendle's protectors. This 



does not include the ends, which could be supplied at OJ. 

 each. 



Now, without wishing to detract from the merits of the 

 brick protectors, I would ask. Is not this simple modification 

 worthy of attention '.' I think it is. In comparing one with 

 the other, the only advantages possessed by the bricks over 

 the boards, as far as I can see, are their power of absorbing and 

 retaining heat, and their greater durability. Nor would I 

 consider the latter to be of much advantage ; for stout planke, 

 with a very small anuuil outlay for paint, will remain service- 

 able for a long course of years. 



The introduction of protectors for sheltering tender vegeta- 

 tion is evidently a step in the light direction; but while we 

 heartily acknowledge this, it will be well to bear in mind that 

 in order to ensure general adoption they must possesH sim- 

 plicity of form, economy in price, and efficiency when in 

 use. The brick protectors undoubtedly possess these quali- 

 fications in some measure, but I think that for many purposes, 

 and certainly in all places where the soil is at all uneven, the 

 boards will prove the more useful. — Edw.viu) Lickuibst, 

 F.gertun House Gardens, Kent. 



THE luVLES OR BORECOLES. 



I ukvr. seen at Messrs. Birr A- Sagden's grounds a heavy 

 trial of Kales, and the fallowing observations made there may 

 aid in rectifying the mistakes made in the names, and keep 

 matters straight for a year or two. 



Taking Mr. Cattell, of AVesterham, as an authority, he being 

 looked upon by the trade as better acquainted with the Kales 

 than any seed-grower or seed-seller, Mr. Barr had from him a 

 large-leaved lightish green plant, as Liula Kale ; a dark bluish- 

 green leaved plant, a Uttle in the same way, but more vigorous- 

 growing, as l\gyptian Kale ; a somewhat curled-leaved Kale, 

 one purplish and the other green, as Jerusalem Kale; a plant, 

 apparently a sub-variety of the Jerusalem Kale, as Dclajrarc 

 Ka'.e ; and for Hafiflrd Jack he had a plant of recumbent, 

 spreading growth, with large darkish green, much-cut leaves. 

 Now this dark green Egyptian he has had from other houses as 

 Bada, with, perhaps, a sprinkling of the lightish green in it. 

 Qaery, are tbey one and the same thing, but selections ? 



From France came a Kale very much like this Egyptian, but 

 with a smaller leaf, cilled Clinu 'i fauclier, and, if I mistake 

 not, I have seen this same kiud of Green growing wild on the 

 seacoast. 



In re'erring to catalogues, I find Chou de Milan, Buda, 

 Egyptian, and Jerusalem Kale all candidates for the name 

 Aspararius Kale. No doubt they are all sprouting Kales, and 

 this must be their principal advantage, but which of them 

 should be called the Asparagus Kale? Some authority ought to 

 speak out, so that the trade may be somewhat agreed. Some 

 of the trade send out for Aspamgns Kale Court* Tror.clinda, an 

 excellent vegetable, but certainly having no claim to the name 

 Asparagus. Sea-kale Cabbage would be an appropriate name 

 for it. 



In the spring I asked Mr. Duncan Hairs if he could pnt me 

 tight about Asparagus Kile. He said he knew the Kale well, 

 and would give m« a pinch of seed. I sowed it, and it proved 

 to be Jerusalem Kule according to Cattell, and certainly at the 

 present moment about its shoot there is more that would claim 

 the cognomen "Asparagus" than the varieties of other Kales 

 I have just named. 



Mr. Barr, from another source, received seed as Lapland Kale, 

 which proved also to be Jerusalem Kale. He also received 

 some seed as Miller's Winter Kile, which proved to be Egyp- 

 tian Kale. From a third seedsman he had Ragged Jack, an 

 upright somewhat laciniated Kale. He had the same Kale 

 from another source as Ragged Jack. 



Of those popular Kales I therefore make out as different : — 



rndfl— larpp, broad, lipbtish green foliacp. 



KpTptifln — Iflrcc. broncl. somewhat cut, binisb preen folinpe. 



.ttrusalem— erect and braucbiup or sprouting, &omewbat curly, 



Kapt^ed Jack— erect and lariniated. 



Delaware— in the way of Jerusalem, but a little diflcrent. 



I.apland— same as Jerusalem. 



Chan de Milan— lonp, thick, vigorous, with large leaves, and ehawlog 

 promise of abnudanco of spmuttj. 



Cottapert-' Ivale— in the same way as Cboa de Milan as to growth, but 

 differing in colour and in foliage. 



It would be very desirable if their true names could be 

 affixed to these Kales, and a pood descriptive note attached 

 to each. Tlien thi?j*-tr?c the Pni.'sian Kale and Siberian Kale, 

 which it would be itell to' fix to their right varieties. Besides 



