Jane 3, 1875. ] 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



433 



variety which has procured for it the name of " Holm-Oak." 

 It also resembles the Holm or Holly tree, in having its most 

 prickly leaves on the lowest branches. The acorn, which does 

 not arrive at perfection until the second year, resembles that 

 of the Oak, but is somewhat more slender, and the cup is 

 scaly. Some trees bear swoet and edible acorns ; those pro- 

 duced by others are bitter, and both kinds are sometimes to bo 

 found on the same tree. 



V. angustifolium are destitute of attraction in the flowers, 

 and are only interesting by their habit and foliage. 



V. album, as the figure suggests, is worthy of cultiva- 

 tion, and is now being taken care of by those who possess 

 the plant, but who have for a long time suffered it to be 

 neglected. It is readily increased by division of the roots 

 in the spring, just when the plant is making fresh growth, 

 which is the ordinary mode of propagation. Plants may 

 also be raised from sppd.— W. 



THE VERATRUMS. 

 The Veratrums or Hellebores are a genus of plants possess- 

 ing powerful medicinal properties ; indeed they are highly 

 poisonous, owing to the peculiar alkahue principle found in 

 the root, and known as 

 veratrin. A small dose 

 of this administered to 

 the lower animals is 

 sufficient to cause in- 

 stant death. It also 

 acts with singular 

 energy on the mucous 

 membrane of the nose, 

 exciting violent sneez- 

 ing if only the most 

 minute particle is taken. 

 The leaves of V. album 

 when reduced to powder 

 form the well-known 

 white hellebore which 

 has been used so effec- 

 tively in destroying the 

 Gooseberry caterpillar. 

 But as being ornamental 

 rather than medicinal 

 we would notice this 

 family of plants. 



The name of Vera- 

 tmm is taken from rere, 

 truly, and ater, black, 

 in allusion to the colour 

 of the roots. They 

 belong to the natural 

 order of Melanthaceffi, 

 and are hardy herba- 

 ceous perennials. Some 

 of the species are hand- 

 some border plants of 

 distinct and stately ap- 

 pearance. They add to 

 a noble spike of flowers 

 foliage which is dis- 

 tinctly ornamental by 

 its stout texture, expan- 

 sive form, and the bright 

 green and regularly cor- 

 rugated appearance of 

 its surface. 



The best of the species 

 is V. album, and, except 

 for the sake of variety, 

 the others are not worthy 

 of culture in our gar- 

 dens. V. album is, however, a distinct and striking plant, and 

 possibly, were it tender and required some nursing, it would 

 be regarded as an ornamental sub-tropical plant. Certainly 

 where foUage is expected to play a part in garden decoration 

 this plant is worthy of a place; it also possesses features 

 of attraction in habit of growth and flower. It is a native 

 of the Alps and Pyrenees, and was introduced as long ago as 

 1548. 



As an alpine plant of robust growth it is one of the best, 

 and is worthy of a place on bold rockeries, and rooteries, and 

 rustic mounds. It will also flourish admirably in the open 

 border, and is suitable to plant at the front of Bhrubberies. 

 It will grow in any soil, but to flourish to perfection it should 

 have deep rich loam, such as Rhubarb dehghts in. It will 

 then grow to a height of 5 feet, and its bold white spikes are 

 decidedly ornamental in the middle of summer. 



V. nigrum, or the dark purple-flowered species, is much the 

 same in habit as the preoedincr, but does not grow so tall, and 

 is less ornamental; while V. viride, Y. parviflorum, and 



FORCED VEGETABLES IN POTS. 

 In the Journal of May 13th, No. 737, in the report of the 

 Royal Horticultural .Society's meeting was noticed some forced 



vegetables grown in 

 8-inch pots, and ex- 

 hibited by Mr. T. Bat- 

 ters, gardener, Chil- 

 worth Manor. 13eing on 

 a holiday recently, I 

 paid Mr. Batters a visit, 

 and saw the forced vege- 

 tables growing. I can 

 assure the readers of 

 the Journal there is no 

 deception in the grow- 

 ing of these vegetables 

 in pots. There they 

 may be seen — Peas, 

 Broad Beans, Kidney 

 Beans, Potatoes, Vege- 

 table Marronn, and To- 

 matoes — all growing in 

 8-inch pots, and they 

 are the picture of health 

 and fruitfulness. 



Mr. Batters kindly 

 turned out a root of 

 Potatoes to show me, 

 and there w^ro fifteen 

 good moderate - sized 

 tubers to a single 8-inch 

 pot. The tubers varied 

 in size, some being very 

 large for the space they 

 had to prow in. 



The Peas were really 

 superb, and an excellent 

 crop too ; the variety 

 was Maclean's Little 

 Gem, a first-rate early 

 wrinkled dwarf Marrow 

 Pea, and excellent for 

 forcing. The seed is 

 sown about the middle 

 of November, and when 

 up thinned out, leaving 

 six Peas to a single pot, 

 of which there were fifty. 

 They are kept in a cool 

 vinery all the winter 

 where frost is excluded. 

 When it is required to 

 keep the house at a higher temperature after the Vines have 

 been started the Peas are removed to a cooler house, and 

 kept as near the glass as possible, with plenty of air daily. 

 Mr. Batters informed me he liad already gathered three 

 gallons, and at the time of my visit there were from seven to 

 eight good-sized pods to a single haulm and averaged seven 

 large peas to a pod. 



The Canadian Wonder Beans were also splendid, being very 

 prolific and the pods being of great length. Broad Beans were 

 also excellent. 



The Tomatoes, Orangefield Dwarf, quite surprised me. The 

 plants were raised by cuttings struck in October, 1874, and 

 potted-on into 8-inch pots. 'There was some splendid fruit on 

 the plants, which carried a heavy crop. 



The Vegetable Marrows were also raised from cuttings in 

 October, the varieties being Custard Marrow and Moore's 

 Vegetable Cream, the latter being the most prolific. The 

 plants were in excellent health, and bearing abundantly. 

 My time was very short and hurried, otherwise I should have 



102.— Vehatrdm ^lbum. 



